B2B Influencer Trends: Is Influencer Marketing Over?

As the great Heidi Klum once said: “One day you’re in, the next day you’re out.” If you only have time to skim the headlines of your favorite marketing newsletters, you might consider influencer marketing — the golden child of marketing for the past several years — to be officially “out.” With deinfluencing, anti-consumerism, and fallout for major brands over influencer partnerships, it’s easy to see why some might consider influencer marketing to be on the decline.

But, the answer is more nuanced. Influencer marketing is still “in” and relevant — though brands might need to adjust their approach.

Point: Influencer Marketing Is Dead

The youths (aka Gen Z), are starting to tire of the constant product pushing on social, particularly in the B2C space. Paid partnership content is filling up their feeds, and a lot of that feels more gimmicky and forced rather than an organic extension of an influencer’s usual non-paid content. In short, it feels fake — the opposite of what an effective influencer partnership should be.

In response, some audiences are turning to a newly coined trend: “deinfluencing.” Deinfluencing is encouraging social media users not to buy a product, and it has become increasingly popular. On TikTok, #deinfluencing has nearly 36,000 posts and millions of views. Much of the deinfluencing effort is focused on curbing consumerism and understanding the impacts of certain purchases on the environment, such as with fast fashion: a popular product push in the influencer world. It’s also a pushback on disingenuous influencer marketing — do these influencers really use these products or are they just hawking another brand to make money?

The current deinfluencing trend is focused on B2C brands and influencers. Because B2B tends to lag a bit behind, it wouldn’t be unreasonable to expect it to impact the B2B space more and more in the near future. To avoid falling victim to this movement, brands will need to be strategic in their influencer selection and develop authentic partner campaigns. More on that later.

Counterpoint: Influencer Marketing Is Still Effective

According to the American Marketing Association, more than 80% of companies in the U.S. are using influencers for marketing purposes. It’s a $17 billion+ industry unto itself, with continued growth predicted. Plus, audiences are still, well, influenced by influencers. In a recent study, 81% of consumers reported that social media posts from influencers, friends, or family members drove their interest in an item or service within the past year.

The difference between influencer marketing that works and that doesn’t is all in how marketers approach and execute these critical partnerships.

How To Get It Right and Deliver ROI

Know your audience. If we’ve said it on this blog once (or a lot more than once), we’ll say it again: You have to understand the challenges, motivations, and interests of your target audience to reach them in a relevant and effective way. For influencer marketing, you also need to understand your prospective partner’s audience. What types of content perform well with their followers? What topics are they interested in? What’s their attitude toward your brand? This will help you deliver messages, experiences, and promotions that resonate and convert.

Go small(er). A lot of the backlash today is against mega or even macro influencers: mainstream celebrities or well-established industry voices who often make their living as an influencer. While those certainly have their role in the influencer ecosystem, a lot of marketers are seeing higher returns by partnering with influencers who have smaller but not insignificant followings. According to a Meltwater analysis, individuals working on a smaller scale are often perceived as being more authentic, which can lead to a higher rate of conversion to sales.

Tip: When you’re looking for influencers in your space, see who has already been engaging with you. Check hashtags and tagged posts on TikTok and Instagram to see who is already providing free coverage, and build from there. When someone already trusts your products, it’s much easier for them to speak positively about anything they receive in the future.

Be inclusive. Consumers are increasingly looking for diversity and representation in marketing. B2B is generally a laggard in inclusive marketing, so incorporating more representation into your marketing efforts can help your brand stand out and uncover untapped markets. Making sure that your partners are representative of all your customers can drive new prospects into the funnel and build brand affinity with existing customers. But, as always, it’s important to approach all partnerships with authenticity — you’re not just checking a box; you’re seeking true connection to build trust. Look for partners who are already talking about your brand or category and have the skills and authority to back up their endorsement of your product or service.

Stay true to your brand. Just because it worked for a B2C brand doesn’t mean it will work for B2B. While we often want to follow what’s been successful in the influencer realm, it may not be the wisest choice for the brand. Ensure that your goals are clear and defined when you’re looking for a partnership, and that any potential partners align with your brand values.

Keeping Up With B2B Influencer Marketing Trends

Just as with any marketing strategy, influencer marketing is a constantly evolving space. While the partners, channels, and products you push might shift, approaching influencer marketing with your brand values at the forefront will ensure the resilience of your efforts. Look for partners who are already talking about your brand or category, have the authority to garner audience trust, and can help you reach new audiences in an authentic — not forced — way.

Need help building an effective B2B influencer marketing strategy and program? Let us know how we can help!

2RM Social Media Strategist Liz Warner contributed to this blog.