Why B2B Social Media Campaigns Need Influencers

What are social media influencers and how can B2B inbound marketing benefit from engaging them? The concept of influencers is not new and has its basis in a 1940’s study on social influence initially introduced by Paul Lazarsfeld in 1944.

With the advent of social media and its diverse marketplace, influencers have become an incredibly powerful tool in the fight for our attention, and there are numerous ways that they can drive your B2B social media campaign.

How does it work? Influencers are individuals who have the power to affect the purchasing decisions of others by virtue of their position in society or their perceived knowledge of a subject or product. In essence, they have the ability to make people listen and influence their purchasing decisions, and it is this that makes them such a powerful tool in a B2B social media campaign.

What are the results? Using influencers to drive a B2B social media campaign can lead to a considerable increase in engagement, and improve your company’s sales outlook, brand perception and position. The more influential the person within your market, the more benefit having them as part of the campaign will be.

Engaging Influencers Influencers can come from a variety of fields, and it is important that you choose to work with those who can enhance the business. There are numerous tactics available to engage an influencer:

• Engage them on social media, show an interest in their page and ask questions that will encourage them to follow you.
• Keep up the momentum. Once you have engaged the person, make regular contact with meaningful dialogue and comment on their interests.
• Add them to your ‘exclusive lists’. Make them feel part of the business and show them that they are important.
• Keep them in the loop. If you’re launching a campaign that you feel would be of value to them, let them know. Give them exclusive access to content and invite them to comment via their social media page.
• Request their advice. Ask about other experts who would be beneficial to your influencer circle, and create a group who regularly comment.
• Listen! - Always watch and listen to those you wish to engage and empathise with their causes. This will encourage others to engage with your business.

Influencers can increase and incentivise a companies audience and expose it to an array of new potential partners and customer bases. They have the ability to build trust and increase a company’s authority, by endorsing products and services, or sharing key messages. In today’s business world, where image and brand confidence count for everything, using influencers is a powerful method of driving a successful B2B social media campaign.