{"id":23863,"date":"2025-04-24T10:26:04","date_gmt":"2025-04-24T15:26:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pancommunications.com\/?post_type=insight&p=23863"},"modified":"2025-04-24T10:26:04","modified_gmt":"2025-04-24T15:26:04","slug":"how-to-create-a-b2b-influencer-program","status":"publish","type":"insight","link":"https:\/\/www.pancommunications.com\/insights\/how-to-create-a-b2b-influencer-program\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Create a B2B Influencer Program That Delivers ROI"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The term \u201cinfluencer,\u201d brings forth the image of an audience captivated by clothing hauls, makeup swatches and restaurant reviews. And in the endless scroll of from one account to the next, we\u2019ve seen the recommendations from these influencers\u2026actually make a difference. Viral products go out of stock in sales spikes, companies are catapulted into mainstream brand awareness, and sometimes even media coverage rolls in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now, those of us in B2B are unlikely to reach the same audience that\u2019s going wild for cube croissants, or mini Trader Joe\u2019s bags, but the same concept applies to our influencer marketing programs. Someone whom your customer base likes and trusts is going to get that same level of captivation and potentially make a similar difference if they were to endorse your product or brand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is especially true for high-trust industries. Take cybersecurity, for example. In the advancing threat landscape, where they\u2019re fighting alert fatigue and tool redundancy, IT and security leaders are looking for technology that actually works. That means they want to hear from real industry experts and people actually using cybersecurity products, as opposed to hearing from brands themselves. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Getting an endorsement isn\u2019t as straightforward as it might seem, and B2B companies need to be strategic when it comes to influencer marketing. Here\u2019s what you need to know.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Sets a B2B Influencer Program Apart from B2C<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re not using influencers, you\u2019re missing out: 75 percent of B2B marketers<\/a> are already utilizing influencers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For those on the fence, it may be helpful to clear up a misconception. Many B2C influencers found their platforms through relatability, humor, style, or some other intangible attribute, as opposed to formal credentials. This understanding of influencers is what sometimes can make influencer marketing feel more like \u201cfluff.\u201d But in technical industries, it\u2019s a different ballgame.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For B2B influencers, it\u2019s much more experienced-based, and they need to be well-established within the community. They can be subject matter experts, bloggers, podcasters, analysts and more. These are people who have boots-on-the-ground stories or expertise proving their credentials. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is especially transparent in a targeted strategy with micro-influencers. They\u2019re able to reach a more niche and closely connected audience that trusts their specific credentials. Think about those in highly regulated industries, like finance, accounting, or legal. Though this audience may be smaller, they\u2019re likely to be more engaged and think highly of an endorsement from that influencer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Building a Successful B2B Influencer Program: A Step-by-Step Guide<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Want to build, and scale, your B2B influencer marketing strategy? Here’s how.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  1. Understand Your Goals. <\/strong>The first step to influencer marketing is understanding your goals. Is it increasing brand awareness? Promoting a specific campaign? This core objective will guide the rest of your decision-making process.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Define Your Audience<\/strong>. Consider who you want these efforts to reach. The right influencer will be the one who is speaking to and truly connecting with that audience. For targeted messaging, it can be helpful to\u00a0 map out your personas<\/a>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Research Potential Influencers.<\/strong> Take a look through social media platforms and see who is active in the community you\u2019re looking to reach. Understand how they\u2019re reaching their audiences, how they\u2019re being received\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. Vet Your Options. <\/strong>One of the most useful tools for this vetting process is with an influencer scorecard. This looks at different aspects of their platform \u2013 what is their following, who\u2019s in the audience, are they a match for your desired topics and keywords, what other brands have they previously worked with, etc. You can use this as a high-level view to make an easy decision on whether or not they\u2019re a good potential partner.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  5. Engage With Your Influencer.<\/strong> Reach out and set up your terms for the partnership.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Authenticity First: How to Engage B2B Influencers the Right Way<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    When reaching out to B2B influencers, consider that they\u2019re not interested in shilling your products. Their platforms are trust-based, and they want to be authentic about what they\u2019re saying to their audiences. Influencer marketing is not sales, so when you start to engage, don\u2019t send them something overly promotional.

    PAN approaches influencer outreach a lot like a media pitch. Keep it short and to the point, show where your interests overlap and tell them why your brand or material would matter to their audience. Focusing on relevancy and education is much more appealing to an influencer, and proves better value in the long run.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Once you\u2019ve got your influencer on board, it\u2019s a collaborative process to figuring out how you work together. Each influencer is different in what they provide and the elements that make up a statement of work. Social amplification, for example, is usually a baseline offering, but others can include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n