Want to level up your B2B marketing? Influencer partnerships might be your next move. What was once considered a B2C tactic has become a powerful play for businesses selling to other companies, with key opinion leaders driving industry conversations.
85% of U.S. B2B marketers now use it, and adoption rates are expected to hit 90% this year. The numbers speak for themselves: 94% of B2B marketers say influencer marketing works, with an average ROI of 520%.
Today’s B2B influencer marketing has become a strategic, data-driven discipline focused on building trust and credibility with decision-makers. Companies are formalizing influencer relationships, allocating dedicated budgets, and shifting towards long-term partnerships that value expertise, brand alignment, and brand advocacy over follower counts.
Video content has become the foundation of these efforts, with 92% of marketers saying it delivers the highest ROI of any format. Vidpros helps B2B brands tap into this potential with expert video content for business audiences.
What’s different about B2B influencer marketing
Have you ever wondered how B2B influencer marketing differs from B2C? The differences are significant, especially considering the complex buying cycles in B2B marketing. Understanding these cycles, which often involve long lead times and multiple decision-makers influenced by influential figures in their industry, is key to success.
B2C vs. B2B Influencer Marketing (2025)
|
Aspect |
B2C Influencer Marketing |
B2B Influencer Marketing |
|---|---|---|
|
Audience |
Broad, general consumers |
Niche audiences, decision-makers, stakeholders |
|
Influencer Selection |
Based on follower count, popularity |
Based on expertise, authority, and relevance |
|
Content Style |
Entertaining, lifestyle-focused |
Educational, insightful, value-driven |
|
Sales Cycle |
Short, impulse-driven |
Long, multi-touch, relationship-based |
|
Success Metrics |
Impressions, likes, sales |
Lead quality, engagement, trust, conversions |
|
2025 Adoption |
63.8% of brands plan influencer partnerships |
85 %+ of B2B marketers use influencer marketing |
Why trust and expertise trump follower count
In B2B, purchasing decisions are high-risk and involve multiple stakeholders. Decision-makers value subject matter experts with deep industry knowledge, credibility, and brand alignment over those with significant but less relevant audiences. Micro-influencers (10,000–50,000 followers) are prized for their authenticity and niche connections.
Influencer content in longer B2B sales cycles
B2B sales cycles are longer and more complex than B2C. An influencer marketing campaign, primarily using video content, supports these cycles by:
- Educating prospects at every stage.
- Building ongoing trust and credibility.
- Nurturing leads with in-depth product demos, case studies, and thought leadership.
- Keeping brands at the top of mind through consistent, always-on campaigns rather than one-off promotions.
Why video content wins in B2B influencer campaigns
Video is uniquely effective in B2B for several reasons:
- It simplifies complex concepts, making them accessible to multiple stakeholders.
- Short-form and live video formats boost engagement and real-time interaction (35% of B2B companies now use live video).
- Interactive and shoppable videos increase engagement rates by up to 30%.
- Video content delivers the highest ROI of any format, according to 92% of marketers.
- Platforms like LinkedIn, YouTube, and even emerging niche networks are prioritizing video, making it easier to reach professional audiences where they are most active.
B2B influencer marketing in 2025 will be about strategic partnerships, trust and expertise, and video content. As brands look for measurable results in complex sales environments, video-focused influencer campaigns, backed by expert partners like Vidpros, drive awareness, engagement, and business growth.
Notion’s B2B influencer strategy
Notion’s influencer marketing strategy is built on authenticity and brand alignment. Rather than focusing on celebrity endorsements or influencers with the most significant followings, Notion partners with “productivity gurus”—YouTubers, bloggers, and thought leaders whose content naturally resonates with productivity enthusiasts and business professionals.
The focus is on real use cases, educational value, and practical demonstrations of how Notion can simplify workflows for individuals and teams.
How Notion finds and collaborates with productivity experts and thought leaders
Notion selects influencers already passionate about productivity tools and whose audience overlaps with Notion’s target market. These are typically creators who:
- Show authentic use of Notion in their daily routines.
- Have credibility and trust within the productivity and business communities.
- Produce educational content (e.g., tutorials, workflow breakdowns, and template showcases).
Notion’s influencer selection process is crucial. It ensures that chosen influencers authentically use Notion in their daily routines, have credibility and trust within the productivity and business communities, and produce educational content (e.g., tutorials, workflow breakdowns, and template showcases).
Collaboration goes beyond sponsorship. Notion empowers influencers to create templates and resources to share with their followers. This user-generated content (UGC) is practical and valuable for new users.
Breakdown of their content co-creation model
Notion’s co-creation model is very collaborative:
- Influencers are encouraged to show off their unique workflows and productivity systems using Notion.
- They create in-depth tutorials, case studies, and ready-to-use templates.
- Notion supports and sometimes features these creators and their templates on their own channels, amplifying reach and credibility.
This results in authentic and highly relevant content for B2B audiences, as it addresses real business challenges and offers solutions.
Results and key performance indicators from their influencer program
The success of Notion’s influencer program is reflected in several KPIs:
- User base growth. Notion’s user base has grown exponentially and is now a go-to choice for organizations and teams looking for organization and productivity tools.
- Engagement. Influencer-created content drives high engagement; viewers and other users want to try out templates and workflows shown in videos and blog posts.
- Brand’s reach. Collaborating with industry influencers has expanded Notion’s visibility and engagement, allowing the brand to connect with new audiences and enhance credibility within its market.
- Conversions. Availability of influencer-created templates provides immediate value, encouraging sign-ups and deeper product adoption.
- Brand trust. By partnering with respected productivity experts, Notion has increased its credibility in the B2B space while driving brand loyalty among users.
Thomas Frank’s TikTok Success
Thomas Frank is a well-known productivity expert who started his career with a college success blog and later grew an enormous YouTube following focused on productivity and study tips.
In 2018, he started using Notion, and by 2020, he launched a dedicated YouTube channel (“Thomas Frank Explains”) to teach Notion skills. He makes a living primarily by creating and selling Notion templates, explainers, and productivity guides.
Breakdown of his TikTok content strategy for Notion templates
On social platforms like TikTok, Thomas Frank uses short-form, visually engaging videos to:
- Show specific use cases for Notion templates.
- Give quick productivity tips and workflow hacks.
- Show how his templates solve real business and organizational problems.
His content is designed to be actionable, often linking viewers to his template offerings for immediate download or purchase.
Breakdown of his template offerings
Thomas Frank’s Notion templates cover:
- Project management
- Content creation workflows
- Habit tracking
- Personal and team organization
Each template comes with detailed documentation and video walkthroughs so they are accessible to individuals and business teams.
Why his approach works for B2B audiences
Thomas Frank’s success with B2B audiences is due to several factors:
- Expertise and trust. He’s a recognized productivity authority, which builds credibility with business users.
- Educational value. His content teaches and enables, not just promotes, so it’s highly valuable for professionals looking for practical solutions.
- Actionable resources. By offering ready-to-use templates, he lowers the barrier to adoption for new Notion users, driving engagement and conversions.
- Platform fit. Thomas Frank distributes content across multiple platforms. TikTok’s short-form video format allows him to reach busy professionals with concise, impactful content that can be quickly consumed and acted upon.
Notion’s B2B Influencer Strategy vs. Thomas Frank’s Approach
|
Aspect |
Notion’s Overall Strategy |
Thomas Frank’s TikTok Strategy |
|
Influencer Selection |
Productivity experts, trusted thought leaders. |
Self-driven productivity expert. |
|
Content Style |
In-depth tutorials, templates, and case studies. |
Short-form, actionable video demos. |
|
Co-Creation Model |
Empower influencers to create templates/UGC. |
Creates and sells his templates. |
|
Audience Engagement |
High engagement via educational content. |
High engagement via TikTok and YouTube. |
|
B2B Effectiveness |
Drives adoption among teams and organizations. |
Offers business-ready templates and tips. |
As Thomas Frank exemplifies, Notion’s influencer program shows how authentic partnerships, educational content, and actionable resources can drive business outcomes in B2B.
How to build a B2B influencer marketing strategy
Ready to build your own B2B influencer strategy? Here’s how to get started.
- Focus on finding the right influencers who are experts in your industry or niche, not just those with large followings. Look for individuals whose content shows deep knowledge and genuine interest who engage with relevant topics and audiences. Securing the right partnerships is crucial; influencers can be powerful allies in reaching business audiences and building authentic relationships.
- Assess qualitative factors like credibility, relevance, engagement rates, and audience quality rather than reach.
- Analyze their presence on platforms where your target B2B audience is active– LinkedIn and YouTube are great for B2B, while TikTok and Instagram may also be relevant depending on your industry.
- Use social monitoring tools, influencer discovery platforms, and strategic influencer outreach to vet candidates and ensure their content and audience align with your brand goals.
Building mutually beneficial partnerships
- Establish clear performance-based incentives beyond basic commissions, such as revenue share, early product access, or exclusive resources that align with your brand values.
- Onboard influencers with a streamlined process, providing them with the tools, resources, and support they need to succeed– partner hub, marketing materials, and regular updates.
- Build long-term relationships by supporting influencers’ business growth and encouraging them to create organic content that aligns with your brand while addressing trending topics in your industry.
- Keep open communication and provide opportunities for feedback and collaboration so both parties benefit from the partnership.
Content guidelines while preserving authenticity
- Create a detailed creative brief outlining your campaign objectives, key messages, target audience, and preferred content formats. However, allow influencers to have creative freedom to maintain their voice and produce authentic content.
- Co-create content that highlights the influencer’s expertise and delivers value to your audience—webinars, whitepapers, case studies, videos, guest blog posts, or joint content pieces.
- Align on brand messaging and compliance requirements, but don’t be too prescriptive. The best content feels genuine and leverages the influencer’s unique style and perspective.
- Diversify content across multiple channels (LinkedIn, YouTube, industry blogs, podcasts) to maximize reach and engagement.
Measuring success beyond vanity metrics
- Move beyond vanity metrics (likes, impressions) and focus on business outcomes: lead quality, engagement rates, brand sentiment, conversions, and generating warmer leads.
- Track the influencer’s impact on the customer journey, awareness, consideration, and trust among decision-makers.
- Use analytics tools, social listening, industry events feedback, and influencer-specific KPIs (e.g., coupon codes, tracked links) to attribute results and optimize campaigns.
- Review and adjust your strategy regularly based on data to ensure alignment with business goals and maximize ROI.
Video content considerations for B2B influencer marketing
Why video is so effective for complex B2B offerings
Video works in B2B marketing because it simplifies complex products and services, making them accessible and engaging for decision-makers who face long, multi-stakeholder buying processes across a specific industry. Nearly two-thirds of B2B tech buyers say short-form social video content from relevant influencers helps inform their buying decisions.
Video combines visuals, audio, and storytelling to clarify technical details, demonstrate solutions in real time, and build emotional connections, something static content or text can’t do. This is especially important as B2B audiences expect concise, expert-driven insights to help them make informed decisions quickly.
Video formats for B2B influencer collaboration
The most effective video formats for B2B influencer campaigns are:
- Explainer videos. Break down complex offerings, highlight use cases, and answer common questions.
- Product demos. Show the product in action, help buyers visualize its value in their context.
- Customer testimonials. Build trust by featuring real clients sharing their success stories.
- Webinars and live streams. Enable interactive, in-depth discussions with experts and audiences, often featuring industry leaders to address specific challenges and enhance credibility.
- Short-form social videos. Deliver quick, impactful messages for platforms like LinkedIn and TikTok, where 63% of B2B buyers trust social video content from industry experts.
How professional video editing adds credibility to influencer content
Professional editing ensures influencer videos are polished, visually consistent, and on-brand. Professional editing adds credibility and enhances brand credibility by:
- Removing distractions and errors, keeping the focus on key messages.
- Enhancing storytelling with graphics, animations, and clear calls to action.
- Ensuring technical quality (sound, lighting, transitions) matches B2B expectations for professionalism, which is key to building trust and authority in complex sales environments.
How Vidpros supports B2B brands in maintaining quality across influencer collaborations
Vidpros helps B2B brands maintain high production standards across influencer partnerships by:
- Providing expert video editing services to ensure consistency in branding, messaging, and quality.
- Working with influencers to refine raw footage into on-brand content that resonates with professional audiences and helps expand reach.
- Streamlining post-production workflows so B2B campaigns can scale video output without sacrificing quality or credibility with Vidpros.
Capping off
The future of B2B influencer marketing points to increased AI integration for better targeting, cross-platform strategies to meet audiences everywhere, and the rise of employee advocacy programs that transform internal experts into brand advocates and influential voices. Incorporating these strategies into a comprehensive business plan is essential.
B2B marketers should align their marketing initiatives with specific business goals to secure budget approval and demonstrate the value of influencer partnerships in achieving objectives such as market expansion or product launches.
For your video-focused strategy, prioritize expertise over follower count and educational content that addresses specific pain points. Invest in quality production, build long-term influencer relationships, and measure meaningful metrics like lead quality and conversion rates rather than reach.
Vidpros can level up your B2B influencer content by ensuring professional, consistent video production across all partnerships. Our team specializes in simplifying complex offerings through straightforward, visual storytelling that resonates with business decision-makers, helping you scale your influencer program without sacrificing the quality B2B audiences expect.
