B2B Influencers have to be experts in their field
B2B Businesses Need a Human Face
In a competitive market space, it is important to build trust. We do not trust businesses or buildings. Trust is a human emotion. We trust human beings especially influencers we connect to. Celebrities become a great way to humanise a B2C Brand. They have a large number of followers. That is just what B2C brands need.
B2C brands use the number of followers to decide on an influencer. The larger the number, the more people they can reach. It is common practice for them to engage an influencer, pay them for a single tweet or an endorsement. That transactional approach does not work with B2B influencers.
You need a face – not just any face
B2B businesses are very different from consumer driven B2C. The B2B businesses need a human face to help them build trust. That does not mean that any human face will do. They need to have an influencer based on their credibility. Expertise is the first filter B2B businesses must use to decide on an influencer. The second filter is the quality of engagement with the audience.
The engagement with a B2B influencer is necessarily strategic and long term. A B2B influencer would not do a paid one-off engagement (eg one single tweet or post). It is common for a B2C influencer to do a paid post.
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“The B2B influencer relationship should be chosen with as much care as choosing the CEO. Look for trust and credibility and brand-fit.”
Three tips to choose a B2B Influencer
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Is the person an authority in their field?
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Think how much of their content is original content
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Think of the credibility of the publications where the person has published
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Does the person have a deep connect and credibility with the community?
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Would the other experts of the field respect this influencer’s views even when they disagree?
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If it came to a crunch will the average reader stand by this influencer?
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Is the audience deeply engaged with the influencer?
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If the influencer asks for the post to be reshared, would it happen?
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If the influencer takes an unpopular stance and is in a minority, will the audience support this person’s views?
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Would this person’s association be a natural fit for the B2B brand? Think values and behaviour of the brand and the influencer – do they match?
Read more: Inside B2B Influence
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