Discover the strategic methods marketing agencies employ to recruit influencers for impactful B2B campaigns, featuring expert insights and proven techniques. Explore the fine-tuned approaches to leverage thought leadership, target niche communities, and build powerful collaborations in the influencer space.
- Leverage Thought Leadership for Credibility
Recruiting influencers for B2B campaigns is tricky, but one method I’ve found to be surprisingly effective is leveraging thought leadership. It’s not about finding influencers who have millions of followers; it’s about finding those who have strong, credible voices in the industry, even if their audiences are smaller.
Let me give you an example. I once worked with a client in the SaaS sector who needed to build trust within a very niche market. Instead of going for influencers with massive audiences, we sought out industry experts and thought leaders; people who had established authority in our client’s space, but weren’t “mainstream” influencers. We targeted individuals who were regularly contributing to LinkedIn, speaking at relevant conferences, or hosting webinars on the latest tech trends.
The approach wasn’t just about asking them to promote our product, it was about inviting them into a meaningful conversation. We asked these influencers to co-create valuable content like case studies, webinars, and white papers, which naturally aligned with our client’s goals. This way, we weren’t just relying on social media mentions; we were building genuine partnerships where the influencer could see the long-term value.
The result? Not only did we gain access to a more engaged audience, but we also positioned our client as a credible player in the market. The trust from those thought leaders translated into stronger leads, and the credibility that came with those partnerships proved to be invaluable.
So, my advice is this: focus on authentic partnerships with industry experts who can truly add value. B2B influencer marketing isn’t about popularity: it’s about credibility.
Martynas Siuraitis, SEO Consultant, The SEO Consultant Agency
- Target Niche Micro-Influencers on LinkedIn
Focus on niche micro-influencers with deep industry expertise, and LinkedIn is the perfect playground for this. Why? Because B2B marketing isn’t about flashy endorsements; it’s about building trust and credibility with decision-makers. Micro-influencers, often with 1,000 to 5,000 highly engaged followers, excel at this because they speak directly to niche audiences who value their insights.
Start by using tools like LinkedIn Sales Navigator or influencer discovery platforms (e.g., inBeat.co) to find professionals actively engaging in your industry. For instance, if you’re targeting IT decision-makers, look for cybersecurity experts or software developers sharing thought leadership posts. A great example is a campaign where we helped our client (a software company) partner with a micro-influencer in cloud computing, resulting in over 120,000 engagements and a significant boost in lead quality.
Once you’ve identified potential influencers, engage with their content authentically. Comment on their posts, share their articles, or even DM them to discuss mutual interests. When you approach them for a campaign, focus on collaboration rather than pure promotion. For example, co-create content like webinars, white papers, or LinkedIn posts that provide real value to their audience while subtly showcasing your brand’s expertise.
Agencies have also seen success by amplifying these partnerships with targeted LinkedIn ads to ensure the content reaches the right audience. A case study from Miro highlights how they worked with niche influencers to create templates for their platform and promoted them through LinkedIn posts and webinars—leading to increased user engagement and traffic.
Jose Fuente, Marketing Lead, SYMVOLT
- Form Strategic Thought Leadership Collaborations
One highly effective way marketing agencies recruit influencers for B2B campaigns is through strategic thought leadership collaborations. Unlike traditional influencer marketing, where follower count and aesthetics often drive partnerships, B2B success hinges on credibility, industry expertise, and audience trust.
Our approach positions collaborations as mutually beneficial industry partnerships rather than one-off sponsorships. Instead of reaching out with a generic paid promotion offer, we:
- Identify Niche Experts: We focus on trusted voices in the industry—entrepreneurs, consultants, authors, and executives with authority in their space, not just a large following.
- Offer Value Beyond Compensation: We structure partnerships around co-branded content (like LinkedIn articles, webinars, or digital guides) where the influencer gains additional credibility while positioning our brand as a key player in their field.
- Leverage Existing Media & PR: We tap into our press features and media reach to provide influencers with visibility beyond social media, offering them opportunities to be quoted in articles or featured in thought leadership content.
- Create Evergreen Campaigns: Rather than a one-off promotion, we integrate influencers into ongoing B2B campaigns, where they become long-term brand advocates through multiple touchpoints, from guest speaking opportunities to industry roundtables.
This relationship-first approach ensures that B2B influencers aren’t just promoting—they’re authentically invested, which results in higher engagement, stronger trust, and more impactful lead generation.
Kristin Marquet, Founder & Creative Director, Marquet Media
- Use Executive Personal Branding Partnerships
One of the drawbacks of my profession is that I look at everything through the eyes of a personal branding specialist. One of the pros of my profession is that this approach works almost always.
So, for me, one of the most effective ways for marketing agencies to recruit influencers for B2B campaigns is by leveraging executive personal branding partnerships rather than traditional influencer marketing.
Why is personal branding better? The answer is simple—unlike B2C, where consumer trust is built through mass influencers, B2B success relies on credibility, expertise, and industry authority. The real “influencers” in B2B are CEOs, consultants, analysts, and niche thought leaders—not social media personalities with generic followings.
How to Recruit Influencers for B2B the Smart Way:
1. Turn Industry Experts into Brand Advocates
- Identify high-profile executives, entrepreneurs, or analysts whose voice already holds weight in the industry.
- Instead of paying for promotions, co-create value-driven content (LinkedIn articles, whitepapers, exclusive reports).
2. Position It as a Thought Leadership Play, Not an Ad
- People trust insights, not endorsements. Collaborate with influencers on industry trend reports, panel discussions, and live Q&As to naturally integrate your brand into the conversation.
- Host invite-only executive roundtables where they can contribute and build their brand while associating with yours.
3. Leverage LinkedIn & Executive-Level Networks
- Instead of Instagram or TikTok, B2B influencers thrive on LinkedIn, industry newsletters, and niche trade publications.
- Secure guest columns, podcast interviews, and speaking opportunities where influencers can represent your brand in an organic, authority-driven way.
B2B influence isn’t about who has the most followers—it’s about who has the right voice in the right circles. The best marketing agencies don’t just “hire influencers.” They help industry leaders become influencers themselves—and in doing so, they create long-term brand equity instead of one-off promotions.
Want to own your industry narrative instead of renting influence? Build authority, not ads.
P.S. When considering working with influencers, make sure you work with the right ones—there are many influencers out there promoting anything and everything. This approach harms not only the brand but the influencer as well. Choose wisely.
Emma Sargsyan, Founder, CEO, Saege International PR Agency
- Offer Clear Value Proposition to Influencers
Effective recruiting doesn’t happen through generic outreach. Agencies must approach influencers with a clear value proposition. Present the campaign as an opportunity to showcase their authority and drive meaningful industry conversations.
Offer them access to valuable resources, data, or exclusive opportunities that align with their expertise. When influencers see the campaign as an extension of their brand’s purpose, they’ll be motivated to participate and create genuine, impactful content.
Benjamin Tom, Digital Marketing Expert and Utility Specialist, Electricity Monster
- Tap Into Existing Industry Communities
One of the most effective ways for marketing agencies to recruit influencers for B2B campaigns is by tapping into existing industry communities.
This could be through LinkedIn groups, industry webinars, trade associations, or sector-specific podcasts where professionals actively engage. Rather than focusing solely on social media metrics, agencies should look for individuals who already influence decision-makers through thought leadership; whether that’s through speaking engagements, authored content, or niche community leadership.
A personalized approach that highlights mutual value, such as exclusive insights, co-created content, or access to a wider professional network, can make the partnership more appealing. Building relationships with these influencers over time, rather than just for one-off campaigns, leads to more authentic and effective collaborations.
Adam Whittaker, CEO, Manifest New Business Ltd
- Search for Influencers on LinkedIn and Bluesky
LinkedIn, X, and Bluesky are perfect spaces for searching for B2B influencers. Look for people who share their business experiences that resonate with the audience. Create a genuine connection by engaging with them as an interesting person and interacting with their content. This will allow you to create a closer connection, learn their professional interests and personal beliefs, and make a relevant offer.
When a trusting relationship has already been established between the agency and the influencer, managing the campaign becomes much smoother. This minimizes the risk of misunderstandings and enhances the chances of aligning key expectations for the advertising campaign.
Kate Andreeva, Head of Talent Relations, HypeFactory
- Invite Micro-Influencers to Co-Host Events
One effective way is to invite micro-influencers to co-host live virtual events. Instead of relying on cold pitches or big-name endorsements, you work with industry voices who already have a strong, engaged following.
In one campaign for a SaaS client, we identified 20 HR tech influencers in finance and operations and hosted a 45-minute LinkedIn Live session. By using the client’s proprietary data as an exclusive resource, we encouraged meaningful debate on real issues rather than just promoting a product.
One consultant with 32K followers even shared the session with her email list, which helped generate 83 qualified leads. It’s a smart move—treat influencers as genuine thought partners and use valuable research to spark authentic conversations. This method not only builds trust but also taps into hidden cross-industry prospects.
Michelle Garrison, Event Tech and AI Strategist, We & Goliath
- Set Up Specialized Newsletter Funnels
One effective way is to set up a specialized newsletter funnel (like Beehiiv) to gather influencer signups.
I run different themed newsletters—one for PR Packages, another for brand deals—and use short signup forms to segment them by industry.
This makes it easy to send targeted invites to the right influencers. Plus, the newsletter can earn passive income, which I put back into more outreach and meta ads to onboard more creators.
It’s a straightforward, effective method for B2B influencer recruitment.
Victor Hsi, Founder & Community Manager, UGC Content Bank
- Engage in Specialized LinkedIn Groups
From my perspective, specialized LinkedIn groups are gold mines for B2B influencer recruitment. Look for groups that focus on topics like supply chain trends, cloud computing, or any niche that aligns with your client’s industry. After you engage with members for a bit—answering questions or sharing brief insights—you’ll notice who consistently adds valuable input. These people could become your next campaign champions. Reaching out is easier because you can reference the group’s ongoing conversations. It feels more natural than sending random cold messages, which often end up ignored.
Matias Rodsevich, Founder & CEO, PRLab
- Align Influencer Content with Brand Message
In an influencer marketing campaign I managed for a startup, we faced a significant challenge in aligning the influencers’ content with our brand message. The influencers, though popular, initially created content that didn’t quite resonate with our brand’s values or appeal to our target audience. This disconnect led to lower engagement and ROI than anticipated.
To overcome this, we re-evaluated our influencer selection process. We realized that beyond follower count, it’s crucial to consider the influencer’s audience demographics, content style, and values alignment with our brand. We then conducted more thorough briefings with selected influencers, ensuring they fully understood our brand ethos and campaign goals. We also encouraged them to use their unique voice while still aligning with our messaging, which added authenticity to their content.
Additionally, we started tracking more nuanced metrics like audience engagement and sentiment, rather than just reach and impressions. This helped us better assess the effectiveness of the influencers and refine our approach in real time.
These adjustments led to a more cohesive and effective campaign. The content from influencers resonated better with our audience, driving higher engagement and conversions. This experience underscored the importance of strategic influencer selection and the need for clear, collaborative communication between the brand and influencers to ensure successful outcomes.
Scott Baradell, CEO, Idea Grove
- Use Pets to Create Emotional Connections
One surprisingly effective way to recruit influencers for B2B campaigns? Go through their pets. Influencers get flooded with outreach, but if you offer something for their furry friend—whether it’s a pet-friendly perk, a custom gift, or even just a thoughtful mention—you’ll stand out from the noise. It creates an instant emotional connection and makes your pitch feel more personal. Plus, people love talking about their pets, so leading with that can be a creative way to break the ice and start a conversation.
Vivian Chen, Founder & CEO, Rise Job Search
