What will B2B influencer marketing look like in 2021, and where will it take B2B marketers and brands when a post-pandemic world eventually arrives?
To help answer these questions we’ve gathered top B2B influencer marketing insights from both industry experts and our own team, and present our look at their predictions for 2021.
Let’s jump right in and see how top B2B influencer marketing practitioners expect 2021 to change the way we do business, and why it will likely be a breakout year for building influence.
1 — Anti-Marketing and The Real vs. The Ideal
Ann Boyd
Ann Boyd
Vice President of Communications, Rubrik
My prediction is that we’re moving into an anti-marketing, influencer marketing world. No one has time for the deluge of commercial content coming their way these days on every platform. The pendulum has swung to where the obviously-solicited and carefully-curated feedback is flooding our inboxes and social feeds.
The trick is finding authentic advocates and keeping the content short, sweet, timely, and targeted! 2021 is going to be all about the real vs. the ideal.
The trick is finding authentic advocates and keeping the content short, sweet, timely, and targeted! 2021 is going to be all about the real vs. the ideal.” — Ann Boyd @annbCLICK TO TWEET
2 —Ethos, Relatability, Affinity and True Partnerships
Ann-Handley
Ann Handley
Chief Content Officer, MarketingProfs
I have 3 predictions for 2021:
1. A long-term approach to influencer marketing growth is the Miracle-Gro B2B brands need. Influencer relationships have increasingly been about building long-term partnerships — not short-term, one-off collaborations. This has been evolving for a while… but in 2021 it’s critical. One-offs are choked off so true partnerships can thrive.
2. Purpose-driven partnerships become a thing. It’s not the size of an influencer’s audience — it’s what they stand for. Brand, ethos, character, relatability, affinity… it all matters.
3. A B2B brand will create the first viral TikTok video in partnership with a TikTok creator. (Why not?)
3 1/2. Instagram stops updating its platform in annoying ways that repel users. (Wait. Now I’m just making a Christmas wish list…. Never mind.)
If the pandemic has taught B2B marketing anything, it’s that trust, relatability, and TikTok matter more than ever.
Just kidding on that last one.
Or am I?
A long-term approach to influencer marketing growth is the Miracle-Gro B2B brands need.” — Ann Handley @MarketingProfsCLICK TO TWEET
3 — More B2B Influencer Marketing Professionals Will Move the Needle
Ryan Bares
Ryan Bares
Global Social Programs Lead: Social Influencers & Employee Advocacy, IBM Systems
2021 will be the year of focus for the influencer marketer. B2B 工作职能邮件数据库 brands should now see the fruits of their influencer marketing labor, but is that really moving the needle?
Influencer marketing professionals – a position that will have more headcount in 2021 – will be expected to show results and focus on the right influencers engaging with your target audience vs. trying everything and seeing what sticks.
2021 will be the year of focus for the influencer marketer. Influencer marketing professionals will be expected to show results and focus on the right influencers engaging with your target audience.” – Ryan Bares @RyanBaresCLICK TO TWEET
4 — Virtual Events Become Stronger B2B Marketing Tools
Anton Shulke
Anton Shulke
Head of Influencer Marketing (SEO), SEMRush
Influencer marketing for me is about relationships.
Between you, as a part of your brand, and a person — an influencer. Sure, there is some kind of relationship between an influencer and the brand, but still, in the end, it comes down to personal relationships between particular people.
Many of us build it using real-life meetings, a cup of coffee or a beer. What could be better than face-to-face conversations?
It abruptly stopped in 2020 with COVID, and my guess is it won’t be back soon. I don’t want to use a cliche — the world won’t be the same again — but it might be partially true.
What could replace real-life conferences and personal meetings?
The obvious answer — online ones. I think in 2021 a lot of influencer marketers will look at online events as arguably the strongest influencer marketing tool. We will be arranging virtual conferences with the major goal to “steal the soul” of our influencers. Saying so, remember what is the best way to please your influencer/speaker: have a big, engaged audience.