The Rise of B2B Influencers: Leveraging Your Staff on LinkedIn

In the world of B2B marketing, a shift is happening. While consumer influencers have dominated platforms like Instagram and TikTok, businesses are recognizing the untapped potential of their own employees as B2B influencers. Platforms like LinkedIn are the perfect stage for staff members to establish thought leadership, build trust, and amplify the brand’s voice.
Here’s why leveraging your staff as influencers matters and how to make it work for your business.

What Are Employee B2B Influencers?
Employee influencers are professionals within your organization who use their expertise and insights to share valuable content and engage with audiences on LinkedIn. Unlike external influencers, they have an inherent understanding of your brand’s mission, products, and culture, making their advocacy authentic and impactful.

Why Employee Influencers Matter
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1. Building Authenticity and Trust

• Research shows that people trust employees more than CEOs or corporate social media accounts.
• When staff members share content, it comes across as genuine and relatable, fostering trust with their networks.

2. Expanding Reach

• Employees have their own networks, often comprising professionals within the industry. By empowering them to share content, you can significantly expand your brand’s reach.

3. Enhancing Thought Leadership

• When employees share their expertise, they position themselves—and your company—as industry leaders. This boosts your brand’s credibility and visibility.

4. Driving Engagement

• LinkedIn posts from individuals often generate more engagement than posts from company pages. Employee advocacy taps into this dynamic for better results.

How to Turn Your Staff Into B2B Influencers

1. Encourage Personal Branding
   • Provide training on how to build a strong LinkedIn profile.
   • Encourage employees to highlight their expertise, share insights, and participate in industry discussions.
2. Create Shareable Content
   • Develop high-quality resources like blog posts, case studies, or infographics that employees can share.
   • Ensure the content aligns with both the brand’s goals and the employee’s professional interests.
3. Support Thought Leadership
   • Encourage staff to write LinkedIn articles or create posts about industry trends, challenges, and solutions.
   • Recognize and celebrate employees who actively contribute to thought leadership.
4. Use LinkedIn Tools
   • Activate LinkedIn’s Creator Mode for employees ready to build their personal brand.
   • Leverage LinkedIn Live or newsletters to showcase employee expertise through webinars or curated insights.
5. Reward Advocacy
   • Celebrate employees who excel as influencers by recognizing their contributions internally.
   • Consider creating incentives, such as professional development opportunities or bonuses, for active participants.

Best Practices for Employee Advocacy on LinkedIn

1. Keep It Authentic
   • Encourage employees to use their own voice and avoid sounding overly promotional.
2. Provide Clear Guidelines
   • Offer best practices on posting frequency, tone, and content themes without being overly restrictive.
3. Measure Impact
   • Track engagement metrics, reach, and leads generated from employee advocacy efforts.
   • Use the data to refine your strategy and identify standout advocates.

Leveraging employees as B2B influencers on LinkedIn is a powerful way to amplify your brand’s reach and credibility. By empowering staff to share their expertise and engage authentically, you not only build trust with a broader audience but also foster a culture of thought leadership within your organization. Start investing in your people’s personal brands today—because when they shine, so does your business.