While they might occasionally overlap, they have fundamentally different principles at their core.

In this article, we’ll explore their unique characteristics and highlight the differences between them.

Let’s get started…

The Allure of Authentic Storytelling: The Essence of Influencer Marketing

In today’s digital age, ads bombard us from every direction.

Influencers stand out as trusted voices, offering genuine recommendations to their followers.

A staggering 92% of consumers trust an influencer more than a traditional advertisement or celebrity endorsement.

Influencers are not mere “plug and play” ad units or bots.

They are real people with authentic narratives and solid, visceral connections with their audience.

Brands collaborating with influencers don’t just buy ad space as they would with a billboard or at least they shouldn’t.

Ideally, they should strive to integrate into the influencer’s narrative, their story, tapping into their ethos.

Data from MediaKix shows that the influencer marketing industry is set to grow to approximately $13.8 billion in 2023, reinforcing its importance in the marketing mix.

Therefore, it’s the warmth, passion, and authenticity in an influencer’s narrative voice that grabs the followers’ attention.

This human touch gives influencer marketing its distinctive edge.

Performance Marketing: The Power of Metrics

Switch to Performance Marketing.

With this strategy, we marketers meticulously track every click, lead, conversion, and sale.

Every dollar spent seeks to ensure maximum ROI.

In fact, according to a recent eMarketer report, U.S. advertisers will spend $2.59 billion on performance-based affiliate marketing in 2023.

For those reasons, you can see why performance marketing doesn’t beat around the bush.

It sets direct, quantifiable goals.

If Influencer Marketing speaks to the human qualities of a digital strategy, Performance Marketing measures its effectiveness by data, the numbers.

Bridging the Gap: Can They Co-exist?

They can, and they do.

While they stem from different philosophies, both strategies fit seamlessly into a brand’s marketing portfolio and probably should.

A recent HubSpot report revealed that 63% of marketers intend to increase their influencer marketing budget in the next year, while 58% plan to do the same for performance marketing.

Influencer marketing doesn’t just chase immediate ROI.

It plays the long game by building trust and loyalty and ultimately demand gen.

Performance marketing, in contrast, seeks immediate results and tangible outcomes.

Final Thoughts: Respecting the Individuality

Instead of pitting one against the other, savvy brands today harness the unique value each brings.

As brands, as we steer through the digital marketing realm, we must honor the stories influencers tell and appreciate the metrics that performance marketing provides.

In our evolving digital world, the human touch remains paramount. After all, marketing at its core aims to connect, resonate, and foster lasting bonds.

The post Why Influencer Marketing is not Performance Marketing appeared first on // 551 Media LLC.

However, because B2B marketing is changing rapidly, it can be difficult to keep up with the changes and trends and how they will impact your work going forward.

The pace of change in the digital marketing world is dizzying.

To help you navigate this, we’ve created a list of trends for you to monitor when putting together your B2B influencer marketing campaigns and programs for next year.

Measuring ROI or discovering how brands use them – these insights will help give your brand an edge in today’s online environment.

Whether trying to better connect with people or increase exposure levels, our list provides invaluable information on what works now within the digital world! Wondering which techniques might make more sense for engaging customers?

Looking at new ways campaigning could provide success stories?

Check out our recommendations so that you’ll always stay one step ahead.

What is B2B Influencer Marketing?

B2B influencer marketing, although not brand new, has witnessed considerable traction in recent times, thanks in part to the pandemic’s digital pivot.

It primarily revolves around leveraging influential figures in the industry.

These influencers wield vast influence on platforms like Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and LinkedIn, allowing brands to tap into their audiences.

The question is, why collaborate with influencers?

Simple.

They amplify your brand’s voice and credibility, creating organic connections with their audience.

This isn’t just another digital fad.

It’s a strategic move brands are making to navigate the crowded digital space.

Why B2B Influencer Marketing Matters

According to Ogilvy, B2B influencer campaigns outperformed brand-only campaigns by a whopping 67%.

That’s the power of trust and engagement in a nutshell.

Influencers not only boost brand awareness and affinity but also foster trust among potential customers.

Therefore, ask yourself, are your competitors already collaborating with influencers? And if they aren’t, they probably plan to next year.

So are you ready to stay competitive in 2024?

If you are, leveraging influencers’ networks and credibility is imperative if you expect to elevate your brand exposure and build affinity.

Now, here are the key points to know for next year…

Unlock Success with Influencer Marketing

As you look to craft an influencer strategy for 2024, here are the main factors you need to keep in mind:

1. Content is (Still) King: The success of influencer marketing hinges on quality content. Brands need to deliver insightful, valuable, and authentic content through influencers that resonate with their target audience.
2. Leverage Multi-Platform Strategies: Don’t put all your eggs in one basket. Diversify across platforms. Whether it’s Twitter, LinkedIn, or YouTube, spread out and keep the content flowing. Influencers operate on all of these channels.
3. Data-Driven Insights: To ensure ROI, track performance metrics from campaigns. Analyze impressions, clicks, conversion rates, and more to gauge the effectiveness of collaborations with influencers.
4. Future-Proofing with Trends: Stay updated with the latest in B2B influencer marketing. This includes technological advancements like AI’s role in content creation and shifting consumer behaviors. Knowledge is power, and foresight is the key to long-term success.
5. Engage on Social Media: Today’s consumers are on social platforms. Engage them there. Leveraging influencers on platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter, and YouTube can help brands break into new markets and demographics.
6. Think Impact: Understand your audience’s needs. It’s about forging an emotional connection, not just selling a product. Dive deep into audience insights and craft content that strikes a chord. Work with the influencers to make this happen.
7. Assess and Partner: The right influencer can make all the difference. Evaluate potential collaborators based on expertise, audience, engagement, and content alignment with your brand’s values. Ensure mutual benefits and forge long-lasting partnerships.

As you move forward with building your influencer campaign, keep focused on these key points and you will go a long way to ensuring your success.

The B2B influencer marketing realm is bursting with potential.

As technology and consumer behaviors evolve, so must our strategies.

Companies must prioritize authentic content, forge genuine influencer partnerships, and harness data insights to steer their campaigns.

It’s clear: B2B influencer marketing isn’t just a trend – it’s the future.

And the future looks promising for those ready to embrace it.

Do you have questions about something? Pop it into the comments below!

Note: We are here to lend a hand and provide answers to any queries you may have. Your input is essential and we appreciate it. Don’t be bashful – share your ideas with us! Our mission is to deliver first-rate information, so don’t pause before getting in touch if there’s something on your mind. Your suggestions will go far towards helping us make this even better. So why linger? Got an issue? Make sure to let us know in the comments down below – looking forward to your insights and ideas!

The post B2B Influencer Marketing: What You Need to Know for 2024 appeared first on // 551 Media LLC.

With consumers becoming increasingly skeptical of traditional advertising, influencers provide authenticity and trustworthiness that can significantly boost a brand’s credibility and reach.

But identifying the right influencers, managing relationships, and tracking the effectiveness of influencer campaigns can be a daunting task.

This is where Onalytica steps in. Here’s why and how Onalytica is an indispensable tool for influencer marketing, especially B2B influencer marketing.

Let’s dive in…

1. Comprehensive Influencer Discovery:

Why it’s beneficial: The success of an influencer marketing campaign largely hinges on selecting the right influencers. A common misconception in influencer marketing is that influencers with the highest follower counts are always the best choice. In reality, relevance, engagement rate, and audience quality often matter more than sheer numbers.

How Onalytica excels: Onalytica’s influencer discovery mechanism is built on a nuanced understanding of what true influence means. Instead of just looking at follower counts, it uses a proprietary algorithm to assess:

• Relevance: Does the influencer regularly engage with topics that align with your brand’s values and objectives?
• Resonance: How impactful is the influencer’s content within their follower base? A high resonance indicates that their audience is not only large but also actively engaged.
• Reach: While the sheer number of followers isn’t the only metric, it still matters. Onalytica ensures that the influencers have a substantial reach within the desired demographic.

By prioritizing these metrics, Onalytica ensures that brands connect with influencers who can drive authentic engagement and produce tangible results. This comprehensive approach to influencer discovery sets the foundation for more targeted and successful campaigns.

2. Onalytica Offers Detailed Influencer Profiling:

Why it’s beneficial: Influencer marketing is not a one-size-fits-all strategy. The effectiveness of a partnership isn’t just about the influencer’s reach but also about their alignment with the brand’s ethos, target audience, and campaign objectives. Therefore, a deeper understanding of each influencer’s content, voice, and audience demographics is crucial for ensuring synergy between the brand and the influencer.

How Onalytica stands out: Onalytica offers an exhaustive profiling system that delves into the intricate details of each influencer’s digital footprint. Here’s what the profiling encompasses:

• Content Analysis: Onalytica evaluates the type and quality of content influencers produce. This includes their preferred mediums (blogs, videos, podcasts, etc.), content themes, and frequency of posting. This ensures that the influencer’s content style matches the brand’s aesthetic and messaging.
• Audience Demographics: Understanding the age, location, gender, and interests of an influencer’s audience is paramount. Onalytica provides this demographic breakdown, enabling brands to choose influencers whose audience aligns with their target market.
• Engagement Metrics: Beyond content, Onalytica analyzes how influencers interact with their audience. Metrics such as likes, comments, shares, and overall engagement rate give an insight into the influencer’s ability to spur meaningful interactions.
• Historical Campaigns: Onalytica showcases past campaigns and partnerships of influencers, providing brands with a clearer picture of the influencer’s track record, reliability, and versatility.

Through this detailed influencer profiling, Onalytica offers brands a holistic view, enabling them to make informed decisions. By ensuring that the chosen influencers resonate with the brand’s voice and values, brands can foster collaborations that feel genuine and organically drive engagement.

3. Seamless Relationship Management:

Why it’s beneficial: Influencer marketing is as much about fostering lasting relationships as it is about running campaigns. While the immediate benefits of an influencer collaboration might be evident through likes, shares, and conversions, the long-term value is often derived from building and nurturing strong ties with influencers.

Just like in any relationship, consistent communication, mutual respect, and understanding are key. Without the right tools to manage these interactions, brands risk missing opportunities, miscommunicating, or even damaging valuable relationships.

How Onalytica streamlines the process: Onalytica understands that the relationship between a brand and an influencer is a dynamic, evolving process. To aid you in this relationship management, the platform has integrated a suite of tools designed specifically for the nuances of influencer partnerships:

• Interaction Tracking: Brands can log each touchpoint with influencers, whether it’s an email exchange, a phone call, or a face-to-face meeting. This helps in keeping track of discussions, feedback, and agreements.
• Campaign Coordination: Onalytica offers features that allow brands to coordinate campaigns, assign tasks, set deadlines, and monitor progress in real-time. This ensures that both the brand and the influencer are aligned on deliverables and timelines.
• Feedback Mechanisms: Constructive feedback is essential for improvement. Onalytica incorporates easy-to-use feedback systems, ensuring that both parties can communicate their views and suggestions effectively.
• Reminders and Alerts: With multiple influencers and campaigns to manage, it’s easy for certain tasks or follow-ups to fall through the cracks. Onalytica’s automated reminders ensure that brands remain proactive in their relationship-building efforts.
• Historical Data Access: Being able to revisit past campaigns, agreements, and interactions is invaluable. Onalytica archives all interactions, ensuring that brands have a comprehensive overview of their relationship history with each influencer.

By providing these tools, Onalytica ensures that brands can effortlessly manage their influencer relationships.

More than just a platform for discovery and campaign management, Onalytica acts as a bridge, facilitating transparent, efficient, and lasting connections between brands and influencers.

4. Advanced Analytics:

Why it’s beneficial: In today’s data-driven marketing landscape, the importance of analytics cannot be overstated. Analytics not only measure the success of a campaign but also provide insights for optimization, strategy refinement, and better decision-making. In influencer marketing, where ROI can sometimes seem intangible, having robust analytics is critical to justify investments, track progress, and gauge the true impact of influencer partnerships.

How Onalytica elevates the analytics game: Recognizing the pivotal role of analytics, Onalytica has built an advanced suite of analytical tools that offers more than just surface-level metrics. Here’s how Onalytica provides unparalleled insights:

• Engagement Metrics: Beyond just counting likes and shares, Onalytica dives deep into how audiences are interacting with influencer content. This includes metrics like comments, saves, click-through rates, and overall engagement percentages.
• Conversion Tracking: For brands focused on direct outcomes like sales, sign-ups, or downloads, Onalytica tracks conversions originating from influencer campaigns. This directly ties influencer efforts to tangible business results.
• Audience Growth Analysis: Influencer campaigns often have a ripple effect, leading to increased brand visibility and audience growth. Onalytica monitors follower gains, newsletter sign-ups, and other growth indicators, attributing them to specific influencer efforts.
• Sentiment Analysis: Engagement numbers alone don’t capture the whole story. Onalytica’s sentiment analysis evaluates the tone and nature of audience interactions, giving brands a clearer picture of perception and brand sentiment.
• Competitive Benchmarking: Onalytica enables brands to position their influencer campaigns in a broader industry context. By comparing campaign results with competitors or industry standards, brands can determine their relative performance.
• ROI Calculation: One of the most sought-after metrics in any campaign is Return on Investment (ROI). Onalytica’s advanced analytics seamlessly calculate ROI, factoring in both direct and indirect returns from influencer partnerships.

By offering these advanced analytical tools, Onalytica ensures that brands are not navigating the influencer landscape blindly. Instead, they’re equipped with actionable insights, clear performance indicators, and the ability to continually refine their strategies for even greater success.

5. Integration with Other Platforms:

Why it’s beneficial: For a holistic marketing strategy, it’s crucial that various tools and platforms can integrate and share data seamlessly.

How Onalytica helps: Onalytica integrates with several other marketing platforms, ensuring that data flows effortlessly between systems. This enhances efficiency and ensures that influencer campaigns are well-coordinated with other marketing efforts.

6. Education and Support:

Why it’s beneficial: The dynamic nature of the digital world means that best practices, algorithms, audience behaviors, and influencer trends are in a constant state of evolution. For brands to truly leverage the power of influencer marketing, they need more than just a tool – they require guidance, knowledge, and timely support. An educated brand can make more informed decisions, adapt to changes swiftly, and craft more impactful influencer campaigns.

How Onalytica empowers brands: Onalytica doesn’t just stop at providing a platform; it assumes the role of an educator and supporter. Here’s how Onalytica’s commitment to education and support enhances the user experience:

• Resource Library: Onalytica boasts a comprehensive library filled with insightful articles, case studies, whitepapers, and research reports. These resources cover a wide range of topics, from the basics of influencer marketing to advanced strategies and emerging trends.
• Webinars and Workshops: Regularly hosted by industry experts, these sessions offer brands an opportunity to learn in real-time, ask questions, and gain insights directly from the pioneers of influencer marketing.
• Dedicated Support Team: Whenever brands face challenges or have queries, Onalytica’s dedicated support team is just a call or message away. Their swift response times and in-depth knowledge ensure that brands can navigate any roadblocks with ease.
• Interactive Tutorials: For those new to the platform or looking to explore advanced features, Onalytica offers interactive tutorials. These step-by-step guides ensure users can fully harness the platform’s capabilities.
• Community Forums: Onalytica has fostered a vibrant community of brands, influencers, and marketers. Their forums act as a space for discussions, knowledge sharing, collaboration opportunities, and peer support.
• Feedback Channels: Onalytica believes in continuous improvement. They actively encourage users to provide feedback, suggestions, and feature requests, ensuring the platform remains relevant and user-centric.

In essence, Onalytica goes beyond being a mere tool – it positions itself as a partner in a brand’s influencer marketing journey. Through its robust education and support initiatives, Onalytica ensures that brands are equipped not just with a platform, but with the knowledge, skills, and support network necessary for influencer marketing success.

7. Ethical Influencer Vetting:

Why it’s beneficial: In an age of fake followers and bots, ensuring that influencers are genuine and ethical is paramount. As you delve into influencer marketing as a strategy, this will become more apparent as you move forward.

How Onalytica helps: The platform has stringent vetting processes to ensure influencers are authentic and adhere to ethical standards. This adds an additional layer of trust and credibility to the influencers you connect with through Onalytica.

Conclusion:

Influencer marketing, when executed correctly, can yield phenomenal results for brands.

However, it requires meticulous strategy, research, and relationship management. Onalytica simplifies and enhances each step of this process with its intuitive features and robust analytics. It’s not just about finding influencers; it’s about finding the right influencers and fostering genuine, lasting partnerships with them.

And in this endeavor, Onalytica is a premier tool for influencer marketing and therefore invaluable ally for brands looking to use the strategy.

If you’re venturing into influencer marketing or looking to refine your existing strategy, Onalytica deserves a spot in your toolkit.

Got a question? Pop it into the comments below.

The post Why and How Onalytica is a Premier Tool for Influencer Marketing appeared first on // 551 Media LLC.

While most marketers are familiar with B2C influencer marketing on social media platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Reddit, there’s another frontier that’s proving equally, if not more, potent for businesses: B2B influencer marketing.

This is where Thinkers360 steps in.

What is Thinkers360?

Thinkers360 is a comprehensive platform that connects B2B companies with industry influencers, thought leaders, and authors across numerous sectors.

Unlike traditional social media platforms like LinkedIn which focus on follower count, Thinkers360 emphasizes an individual’s depth of expertise, the quality of their content, and their real-world influence within specific industries.

It’s more than just another platform; it’s an important nexus where thought leadership meets impactful influence.

Let’s take a closer look:

1. Thought Leadership Hub: At its core, Thinkers360 is a curated network of industry experts, authors, influencers, and speakers. It’s not just about numbers or follower counts but about genuine expertise and influence in niche sectors.
2. Content-Centric Platform: Unlike many other platforms where follower count takes precedence, Thinkers360 places a premium on the quality, depth, and relevance of the content. This ensures that audiences receive valuable insights, making it a reliable source of industry knowledge.
3. B2B-Focused Dynamics: While many platforms cater primarily to B2C influencers, Thinkers360 is dedicated to the B2B sphere. This means it connects brands with influencers who have a deeper understanding of business complexities and can communicate effectively with professionals.
4. Collaborative Opportunities: Thinkers360 is not just about B2B influencer marketing in the traditional sense. It offers a myriad of collaboration opportunities, be it joint webinars, research initiatives, speaking opportunities, and co-authored content. The platform is designed to foster partnerships that bring value to both brands and influencers.
5. Analytical Insights: Recognizing the importance of data in today’s business world, Thinkers360 provides comprehensive analytics. Brands can assess the impact of their influencer campaigns, ensuring that they achieve the desired return on investment (ROI).

In essence, Thinkers360 isn’t just another online platform; it’s a paradigm shift in how businesses interact with influential thought leaders and where they can find, contact, and engage them.

It’s completely different than any other platform or tool in influencer marketing, particularly in the B2B space.

It’s a platform where real-world knowledge and expertise are recognized and leveraged to foster engagement to drive genuine business growth.

Why is Thinkers360 a Great Tool for B2B Influencer Marketing?

1. Niche-Focused Influencers: Unlike B2C platforms, Thinkers360 focuses on niche experts with specific and deep industry knowledge. On Thinkers360, you can connect with influencers who are genuinely respected in their sectors and can speak authoritatively and create high-quality content on specialized topics including CX, pricing, logistics, supply chain, data, AI, machine learning, and many others.
2. Quality Over Quantity: Thinkers360’s ranking system prioritizes the quality and impact of an influencer’s content over the number of followers they have. You are able to collaborate with influencers who not only have a wide reach but are also trusted sources of information.
3. Authentic Engagement: The platform promotes genuine collaboration between businesses and influencers. It’s not just about promoting a product but about building meaningful, insightful content together that resonates with a B2B audience.
4. Diverse Opportunities: Beyond traditional influencer partnerships, Thinkers360 allows brands to connect with independent analysts, authors, speakers, and consultants, offering a broader range of collaboration opportunities.
5. Data-Driven Insights: Thinkers360 provides businesses with analytics and insights to measure the success of their influencer campaigns. This helps businesses refine their strategies and maximize ROI.

The Power of B2B Influencer Marketing

B2B influencer marketing is more than just a trending strategy; it’s a powerful tool that bridges the gap between businesses and their target audience in a uniquely credible manner.

Here’s why it stands out:

1. Trust Acceleration: In the B2B sector, trust is paramount. Decision-makers rely heavily on expert opinions and insights. B2B influencers, due to their specialized knowledge and industry recognition, can rapidly foster trust among potential business clients and partners.
2. Relevance & Resonance: Unlike B2C influencers who cater to a broad audience, B2B influencers address a specific industry or niche. Their content is authoritative and highly relevant, resonating deeply with their audience.
3. Content Amplification: Partnering with B2B influencers allows for the creation and amplification of thought leadership content. This not only increases brand visibility but positions the brand as an industry leader.
4. Long-Term Relationships: The nature of B2B transactions often involves long-term engagements and substantial investments. Influencer partnerships can foster and nurture these prolonged relationships by offering continuous value and insights.

For a deeper dive into this realm, consider checking out our blog post on “The Rise of B2B Influencers,” Part One and Part Two.

It provides a comprehensive overview of how B2B influencer marketing is reshaping the landscape of business interactions and the undeniable benefits it brings to your marketing.

Once you’re ready to reach out to influencers, you should read our follow-up post How to Set Up an Influencer Marketing Plan.

In this post, we show you step-by-step how to craft your own influencer strategy.

Conclusion

In a world where everyone is vying for attention, Thinkers360 offers a breath of fresh air for B2B brands.

By emphasizing quality, authenticity, and genuine expertise, it has created a platform that genuinely benefits both businesses and influencers.

If your business operates in the B2B sector and you’re looking to make a meaningful impact, it’s time to explore the potential of Thinkers360.

Your future partnerships with industry-leading experts await.

Got a question? Pop it into the comments below.

The post Thinkers360: The Ultimate Tool for B2B Influencer Marketing appeared first on // 551 Media LLC.

Here is a breakdown by medium from Marketing Charts:

Based on WARC’s extensive survey and study, the prominent companies – Alibaba, Alphabet, Amazon, Bytedance, and Meta – are projected to account for 50.7% of the global ad spend this year.

Their combined market share is expected to rise to 51.9% in 2024.

Alphabet leads the pack, accounting for a significant one-quarter of the global ad spend. Meta follows, with a 13.5% share, up from 12.3% the previous year and forecasted to reach 14% by next year.

Meanwhile, Amazon’s retail media business is on an upward trajectory, with projections indicating a share of 4.7% this year and 5% in the subsequent year.

In terms of mediums, pure-play internet is expected to account for 66.4% of the total ad spend this year, and this percentage is forecasted to increase to 67.7% in 2024.

Influencers are bundled under the ‘pure-play internet’ segment and not singled out in this report but investment in their content is expected to continue to rise in line with these larger trends.

Social media is projected to represent a 20.9% share globally, and linear TV’s share is anticipated to decline from 18% last year to 16.3% this year.

Additionally, premium video is projected to represent 19.4% of global ad spending.

Traditional mediums, such as out-of-home and publishing, are hovering around the 5% range, and audio (encompassing radio and online audio) is anticipated to settle at 3.7% this year, with a possible decrease the following year.

We encourage you to check out the complete WARC report for a comprehensive understanding. In the evolving landscape of advertising, staying updated is crucial.

At The Influence Marketer, we’re your steadfast guides on this exciting journey.

Stay tuned as we continue to explore, analyze, and provide insights into the ever-evolving world of digital marketing, especially influencer marketing.

Got a question? Pop it into the comments below.

The post Ad Spend Is Soaring in 2023 and Digital Titans are Riding the Wave appeared first on // 551 Media LLC.

With close to 1 billion professionals from around the world actively engaging, sharing insights, and forging collaborations, it’s a goldmine for influencer marketing and one of our most valuable tools.

But how can one effectively utilize LinkedIn for B2B influencer collaborations and relationship building?

I’ll show you the basics in this post.

Let’s get started…

1. Understand the LinkedIn Landscape

Before diving headfirst into how to ferret out the right influencers for your company marketing, it’s essential to grasp the unique ecosystem of LinkedIn.

• Professional Focus: Unlike other platforms that cater to a mix of personal and professional content, LinkedIn has a predominantly professional user base. This makes it ripe for B2B networking, collaborations, content, and social selling.
• Content Types: From articles, posts, and videos to interactive polls and stories, understanding the array of content formats available can guide the strategy. The more familiar you get with the platform, the better. Keep in mind that every social media platform operates differently. Each has a different emphasis and therefore their algorithms are too.

2. Identify the Right Influencers

On LinkedIn, influence isn’t merely about follower count although that can be important in the B2B arena too, it’s not the primary determinant.

It’s about engagement, authority, industry expertise, and niche relevance.

• Utilize LinkedIn’s Advanced Search: Filter by job title, industry, location, or keywords to identify potential influencers. You can also search by hashtag to locate relevant content which will lead you to the influencers.
• Engagement Over Popularity: Seek professionals who foster genuine interactions, prompt discussions, and share valuable insights on their posts. Often, an influencer with a smaller social reach but who has a focused audience is a better fit for your needs and will be easier to connect and collaborate with. Also, recall inverse relationship between audience size and impact. The larger an influencer’s social reach, the less their content reaches that audience.

3. Engage Before You Pitch

It’s a cardinal rule: don’t pitch cold. It happens frequently on LinkedIn, but no one likes it.

• Join Relevant Groups: Participate in B2B marketing-focused groups on LinkedIn. Engage in discussions, share your insights, and identify active industry influencers. Just know that many groups on LinkedIn are lightly attended and largely filled with spam posts unless the administrators are active. Seek out the groups where quality content is being posted and conversations are active.
• Interact with Their Content: Comment meaningfully on their posts, share their articles, and genuinely engage through thoughtful comments and questions to build rapport.
• Follow and connect: LinkedIn now allows you to follow many influencers without trying to connect. You may decide to follow their content for a while before sending a connection request.

4. Strategize Collaborative Content

Once you connect and start to build a relationship, brainstorm content ideas that benefits both parties.

Some of the more popular content types include:

• LinkedIn Live Interviews: Host a live session discussing industry trends or dissecting a recent B2B influencer marketing plan. Many influencers hold their own LinkedIn live sessions and many companies do too. Perhaps you begin by inviting the influencer to participate in one of yours?
• Co-author Long-form Articles: Dive deep into a niche topic, providing insights from both brand and influencer perspectives.

5. Measure, Refine, Repeat

Like any marketing strategy, it’s imperative to measure the impact of your LinkedIn influencer collaborations.

• LinkedIn Analytics: Utilize LinkedIn’s native analytics to gauge engagement metrics, follower growth, and content reach.
• Feedback Loop: Engage in regular discussions with your influencer collaborators. Understand what’s working and refine your approach for future collaborations. I suggest running your ideas by the influencers. Often they have insights and findings of their own and are willing to share. Leverage their knowledge and expertise as much as possible.

6. Stay Updated

LinkedIn, as a platform, is continually evolving. New features, changing algorithms, or shifts in user behavior can all impact your influencer strategy.

• Continuous Learning: Platforms like The Influence Marketer can keep you updated on the latest trends, strategies, and best practices in B2B influencer marketing.

In conclusion, when wielded correctly, LinkedIn stands as a prominent tool in the B2B influencer marketing arsenal.

It’s more than just a networking platform; it’s a space where knowledgable professionals converge, ideas are exchanged, and genuine business growth is achieved.

As you embark on your LinkedIn influencer journey, remember: authenticity, strategic collaboration, and continuous learning are your guiding stars.

Got a question? Pop it into the comments below.

The post LinkedIn 101: How to Locate B2B Influencers for Beginners appeared first on // 551 Media LLC.

With over a decade of experience as an influencer marketer and working with a number of CMOs, I’ve witnessed a significant shift taking place over the last 24 months.

It’s no longer good enough to design and drive marketing initiatives, but crucially about quantifying their return on investment (ROI).

But let’s admit something up front:

B2B purchases often involve substantial financial stakes, and multiple decision-makers, and occur over extended timeframes (longer sales cycles).

This makes demonstrating ROI a challenging task, especially when it comes to the areas of lead generation (lead gen) and demand generation (demand gen).

So let’s identify the differences between the two so we can isolate how ROI is measured for each.

Lead gen and demand gen are often intertwined in conversation by marketers but serve distinct roles in the marketing ecosystem.

Let’s break it down.

Lead gen focuses on capturing interest in a product or service to develop a sales pipeline via a product giveaway, free information giveaway, webinar, or some other tactical mechanism.

In contrast, demand gen is about creating a desire for a product or service, aiming to drive awareness and interest at the top of the marketing funnel.

Demand gen activities include podcasts, blog articles, sponsored articles, press releases, influencers, and social media.

The key to b2b demand gen is letting it take the time to do its work.

Given their unique objectives and timelines, measuring ROI for lead gen and demand gen initiatives can be like comparing apples and oranges.

As a CMO, it’s vital to remember this because the ROI on a successful demand gen campaign is not normally immediate, yet it significantly contributes to brand awareness and positioning.

On the other hand, a lead gen initiative can yield quicker results by filling the sales pipeline with potential customers.

Juggling these strategies is part of your role as CMO.

The key is to track and evaluate them separately, understanding the unique contributions each makes to your overall business objectives.

Patience is crucial here, particularly with demand gen.

The seeds you sow today in creating market demand for your product or service may not bear fruit immediately, but when they do, the impact is profound and often long-lasting.

This is why long-form content published by influencers is important. Content like podcast episodes, blog posts, articles, interviews, ebooks, and videos is all searchable and findable for months, even years.

Your buyers can find content that talks about your company, consume it, get informed, and learn about it and how it serves the marketplace through a third-party authority in your space.

As these demand gen leads come through your funnel, their quality is often superior because the buyer learned about you through their own search and choice to consume that content.

When buyers are ready to contact your company, they are interested in your solution.

So be persistent in refining your strategies by taking note of where leads are coming to you from, and how buyers are learning about your company, your solutions, and services.

Use every tool at your disposal – CRM systems, data analytics, customer feedback (the most important) – to measure the impacts of your lead gen and demand gen efforts.

Remember, each interaction, campaign, and content piece plays its part in driving your business growth.

So, the next time you’re feeling the pressure to demonstrate ROI, remember: This is a long game.

We’re not only driving immediate sales. We’re also building relationships, nurturing leads, and paving the way for sustained business growth by informing, educating, and helping our buyers overcome challenges.

The true ROI of B2B marketing lies not in immediate results but in the ability to generate lasting success that is repeatable.

By keeping the big picture in mind and focusing on the unique contributions of lead gen and demand gen, we can articulate our value.

We can show our impact not just in dollars and cents but in the lasting effect we have on the business increasing the customer base in size and quality.

After all, the real measure of a CMO’s worth lies not in the immediacy of results but in the sustainability of business success.

Got a question or comment? Pop in the comments below.

The post Decoding the ROI Challenge: Rising Stakes for B2B CMOs in Lead and Demand Generation appeared first on // 551 Media LLC.

Five years ago, B2B brands were still comfortable with their marketing formula.  It involved making product announcements, attending industry events, and going on roadshows to connect with their target market, but each year has been getting more challenging.

Content marketing is more aggressive than ever, and industry events keep getting more expensive.  All this makes getting the attention of B2B decision-makers not so easy.  They’re educated, sophisticated, skeptical of marketing tactics, and oversaturated with content.

However, the fundamental truth remains:  People like to buy from others.  It’s also compelling to get involved with influencers because they add that personal touch to a brand and its products.

The trouble is that B2Bs have a more challenging time getting started because their pathway isn’t clear. Articles on the topic are often clickbait, loaded with unrealistic statistics, and decidedly consumer-centric.

Therefore, I’ve compiled this list of 15 truths for all B2Bs looking to use influencer marketing.

Let’s get started:

1: Your sales process is longer

The average B2B sales process takes six months to complete – which is far different from the average beauty brand selling to millennials.

B2B brands have more touchpoints with the customer because purchase decisions require research, can run into millions of dollars, and can include an implementation process.

Also, relationships often play a crucial component in B2B purchase decisions involving a professional sales team and company executives.

Therefore, your business and how you work with influencers are also different.

2: You Don’t Need Instagram

Instagram is a visual social platform, making it well-suited to consumer products. Products often require little more than an alluring photo and caption to stoke interest and even sales. That’s why fashion, beauty, and travel brands do well with influencers there.

However, B2B brands are different and require a different approach.

For example, no one purchases a Caterpillar tractor costing $ 650,000 because of an Instagram post.

Therefore, comparing your business to how a consumer brand works with influencers doesn’t help you.

Consider (carefully) who your target audience is, where they congregate online, the content they consume, and who they follow for advice.

This will lead you to where you need to be.

3: Focus on relevance first

Relevance is the most essential quality to look for with influencers.

Social media reach can sometimes matter, but your efforts will go to waste without relevance.

For example, if your business is industrial chemicals, your influencers should know about your industry, how it operates, the industry issues, the regulatory environment, the major players, and have a track record of experience there.

Otherwise, you are throwing spaghetti at a wall, hoping it sticks.

4: Look to partners and customers

A simple and easy place to look for influencers is strategic business partners and customers.

You can find executives and employees there who blog, speak at conferences, author books, and have followings on social media.

Connecting with them can help you get introduced to third-party influencers they know and trust.

Use this to your advantage.

5: Leverage industry events

B2B companies allocate most of their annual marketing budgets to industry events.

The good news is that many influencers attend these events, too.

Find out who’s going and arrange to meet with them while there.

If the influencers aren’t planning to attend a particular event, perhaps you can invite them?

6: Start small and scale later

Getting started is simple and doesn’t require many resources.

Concentrate on building relationships with a core group of influencers to start.

As you get comfortable, you can recruit other influencers into your program as it matures.

Think of it like building concentric circles around one another and building slowly over time.

Don’t worry about scaling for the first six months.

7: Bigger isn’t always better

Influencers with large social followings attract brands like moths to a flame.

The allure of a large audience is often too tempting to ignore.

However, just because an influencer has a large social following doesn’t mean they can help you meet your objective.

For many B2Bs, influencers with smaller social followings can be more effective because they reach your target audience better.

Remember that relevance is the essential quality you want in your influencers.

8: Invest in education

Education is a two-way street.

Invest in your influencers to inform them about your company, products, services, philosophy, and goals.

Also, learn more about your influencers, their content, and their followers.

The more you know about them, the more you’ll be able to find ways to work together.

9: Personal touch over automation

Media stories about influencer marketing often tout the benefits of automation.

While it works for consumer brands managing large numbers of influencers, it’s not necessary for B2B brands.

You don’t need many influencers, so automation isn’t necessary and doesn’t make sense.

Invest in the personal touch and get to know your influencers.

10: Master the vetting process

Appearances can be deceiving online, so be sure to vet influencers carefully.

Check to see if they have the expertise they claim to have and are connected with other influential people in your business community.

Also, understand what kind of content they like to create, how often they publish, and the quality of their content.

Don’t forget to check for fake followers on social media.

11: Embrace storytelling

People like to buy from others because they tell stories about why and how they do things.

Influencers are storytellers by nature, so let them tell your brand story for you.

You’ll need to relinquish some measure of control over your messaging, which enables the influencers to be genuine in how they tell it.  It enables their creativity.

If you don’t allow them to express themselves in their own way, you’re being too controlling, and that defeats the purpose of influencer marketing.

It’s all about getting other people to tell your story for you.

12: Play the long game

The short-term mindset has no place here. Think about what kind of content you need, when you need it published, and where you’d like it to appear.

Customer journeys are longer for B2B brands, so work with influencers with that in mind.

Get to know the influencers in your niche, cultivate relationships with them, and look for opportunities to work together.

Look to develop content with your influencers that adds value and helps your customers understand why your brand is superior.

13: Communicate often

Once you establish contact with influencers, reach out to them even if you aren’t working with them on anything particular.

Follow them on social media and contribute to conversations there. Let them know you care about their content, their ideas, and the projects they are involved in.

Add value by offering your opinions and ideas and asking thoughtful questions.

Remember, active followers get more attention than passive ones.

Influencers will have a higher regard for you if you participate.

14: Invest in relationships

Getting to know influencers opens up new opportunities to create content, find other influencers, solicit ideas, conduct surveys, commission research, involve them in assets you create, and invite them to your events.

Invest in relationships, and you’ll get a great return on investment.

This is where the real benefits are. Cultivate your relationships with influencers like you would a garden.

15: Be mindful of conflicts of interest

Many influencers work with brands on a short-term basis, but occasionally, some contract with other brands long-term.

Therefore, vet your influencers carefully before divulging too much information.

Look at their content carefully for telltale signs that such a relationship exists.

If in doubt, you can reach out to them and ask.

Remember, they are professionals, too.

Wrapping Up

Following the lead of consumer brands doesn’t translate for B2B companies.  By adopting these principles, you’ll use the mindset necessary to work with influencers now and well into the future.

Got questions?  Let them fly in the comments below.

The post 15 Truths You Need to Know About B2B Influencer Marketing appeared first on // 551 Media LLC.

Social influencers, digital marketers, and brands all benefit by following them. Doing so will ensure your social influencer campaigns are established on a firm foundation.

Over the last several years, I have noticed increasing numbers of digital marketing consultants flocking to the influencer marketing space.  This is a good thing as there is a real need for qualified professionals.  However, not everyone shares the same ethical or moral code.

Unfortunate but true.

On the other side of the coin, influencers are popping up like mushrooms.

The gold rush mentality is in full swing and many are determined to capitalize on it while they can.  Unfortunately,  many are looking to become social influencers to get free stuff and make money by charging brands to post content.

We all want to make money, but making money dishonestly isn’t worth it.  Whether it’s promising inflated results or claiming your audience is bigger than it really is, fakery is everywhere.

Call it bad karma, bad luck or the hand of God, but if you engage in bad practices, bad things will come back to you.

Just don’t do it.

So, live by these principles and thrive:

1: You shall not confuse influencer marketing with influencer advertising.

Influencer marketing is a high-touch strategy that requires building relationships with social influencers.

As a marketer, the content they create is ideally leveraged in multiple ways and repurposed to inform, educate, and aid your target buyers throughout their “customer journey.”

Influencer advertising is paying influencers to post using content you provide them about your product in order to drive click-throughs and conversions.

It’s known by some as “smash and grab.”

This strategy is common on platforms like Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. Be careful, there are many charlatans who make big claims.

Ask for references.

2: You shall not expect social influencers to create content in exchange for cheap products.

Don’t ask influencers to spend their time creating content in exchange for trinkets.

It’s disrespectful.

Most influencers have day jobs and are professionals. They work hard to create content and build their following.

They value their time. You should too.

3: Influencer marketing is not a cure-all for your business or marketing problems.

Influencer marketing is not a panacea for your business problems.

If your other marketing strategies aren’t working, don’t expect influencers to save your ass.

Fix your business and marketing problems before looking for influencers to help you.

4: You shall respect the influencer’s time and compensate them fairly for their creativity and content creation.

Content creation takes expertise and time.

Don’t expect influencers to create content for you without being compensated fairly, so don’t lowball them.

Compensation can take the form of gifting your product (it must be valuable) to them, paying them outright, or agreeing to some other exchange of value.

5: Social influencers shall conduct themselves in a professional, courteous manner in all dealings with brands and marketers.

If you are an influencer, don’t expect brands to cater to your every wish.

Also, just because you are an influencer doesn’t give you the right to attempt to extort money from a brand by overcharging what you’re worth.

Businesses are not bottomless wells of money and they don’t exist to serve you.

Remember, there are many fish in the ocean and brands can easily find other influencers to work with.

6: You shall not choose influencers based on audience size alone.

Choosing social influencers because they have large audiences is a rookie move and one of the primary causes of losing money.

Do your homework.  

If you choose an influencer because he has big audience numbers but he doesn’t produce the ROI you want, you have no one to blame but yourself.  

Instead, Look for those who are relevant to you and who have good engagement.

Your social influencer campaigns will produce much better ROI.

7: Influencers shall not falsify their social media metrics with fake followers, likes, views, comments, or subscribers.

Any influencer worth the name doesn’t pad their audience numbers to look bigger than they really are.  

Be honest. Brands are getting wise to fake followers, likes, comments, and the rest.

Better to be a micro-influencer with a hyper-loyal following than a large influencer with low engagement and fake followers.

The truth inevitably comes out.  

Don’t be on the wrong side of it.

8: Influencers shall not make false claims about their ability to generate conversions and sales for brands.

Closely related to commandment number seven.

Making false claims is not only dishonest but downright loathsome.

9: Brands shall not ask influencers to do anything unethical or that conflicts with FTC guidelines.

This is self-evident and requires no further explanation.

10: Influencers shall adhere to the FTC guidelines and encourage other influencers to do the same.

The more social influencers adhere to these guidelines, the fewer problems the industry will encounter going forward.

We will all retain the trust of consumers and therefore benefit.

Remember, without the trust of consumers, influencers have nothing.

Wrapping Up

Any social influencer campaign should be set up with a goal and a coherent strategy.

Otherwise, even if you are working with top social media influencers, your campaign can suffer and you’ll not get good ROI.

Unfortunately, there are many pitfalls to influencer marketing and the dirty little secret is that many lose money the first time they try it.

The good news is, this is totally avoidable.  If you have doubts, contact a consultant in marketing who can help you.

It can mean the difference between losing money and making it.

The post The 10 Commandments of Influencer Marketing appeared first on // 551 Media LLC.