LinkedIn has released a new resource aimed at helping B2B marketers tap into the growing power of influencer partnerships on the platform.
The 22-page guide, Working with B2B Creators, offers practical advice, strategic frameworks, and data-backed insights into how professional creators can help drive influence, trust, and conversions throughout the B2B buying journey.
The release reflects LinkedIn’s broader push into the creator economy and its ambition to position itself as the leading platform for professional influence. According to the company, B2B buyers increasingly rely on credible content from experts as part of their decision-making process – and influencer marketing is becoming a critical channel.
“B2B buyers don’t just consume creator content casually or passively,” the guide states. “They integrate it purposefully into their buying process, leaning on it as a trusted form of endorsement at every important stage of discovery and decision-making.”
What B2B buyers want from creators
Drawing on data from a GlobalWebIndex (GWI) survey, the guide shows that B2B buyers are looking for insightful, authoritative content over entertainment. Educational value and depth of expertise consistently outperform style or flair when it comes to influencing business decisions. The preferred content formats? Video leads the way, followed by in-depth written posts and commentary – an insight that reinforces LinkedIn’s ongoing investment in video and thought leadership tools.
A step-by-step approach for marketers
The guide also provides a framework for identifying, selecting, and working with creators, with an emphasis on authenticity, audience alignment, and content relevance. Marketers are encouraged to focus on creators who already demonstrate strong engagement within their target verticals, rather than simply those with the largest followings.
Practical tips are included for running Thought Leader Ads and for evaluating creator performance, alongside case studies and content format recommendations.
Influencers and thought leaders: proceed with caution?
The guide lists several high-profile professional voices as examples of creator excellence, including prominent LinkedIn Top Voices and subject matter experts. However, some industry observers have noted that many of these figures are professional content creators rather than practising B2B executives – a distinction worth considering when selecting partners for campaigns.
While reach and engagement matter, the guide implicitly advises marketers to prioritise creators who bring genuine insight and credibility within their niche.
Strategic takeaway
Despite some debate over the value of ‘LinkedIn-famous’ voices versus practitioners, the guide represents a timely and useful resource for B2B brands seeking to formalise or scale their creator partnerships.
As B2B buyers grow more selective and peer-influenced, aligning with trusted voices could help brands accelerate awareness, trust and demand generation across the funnel.
The guide, Working with B2B Creators, is available to download now via LinkedIn (email sign-up required).
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