Influencer marketing has made its way into the B2B playbook, but many marketers are still applying B2C tactics on platforms like YouTube, TikTok and Meta. The problem? Those channels weren’t built for high-stakes, committee-based decisions.
B2B buyers aren’t just scrolling for entertainment – they’re turning to digital communities for clarity, credibility and insights that speak directly to their industry concerns. And when it comes to professional context, LinkedIn delivers, with 59% of B2B buyers saying they consume creator content on LinkedIn – more than on any other platform.
LinkedIn’s newest ebook, Collaborate with Confidence: Your Guide to B2B Creator Marketing on LinkedIn, explores what’s changing in the world of B2B creators, and how leading brands are staying ahead. This post distills key insights to help you get started.
Creator Content Is the New B2B Word-of-Mouth
B2B buyers are doing their homework, but they’re not just reading product sheets and analyst reports. They’re tuning into the voices they trust: the creators who are shaping conversations, demystifying solutions and making complex ideas feel personal.
This shift isn’t subtle, either. Our research found that:
- 82% say that content directly influences their decisions.
- 87% of B2B buyers say they prefer credible content from industry influencers.
- 79% engage with creator content at least once a month.
Buyers are leaning on creators to navigate every stage of the journey, from early discovery to final purchase. They’re using this content to validate beliefs, assess credibility, justify pricing and even spark conversations with sales teams.
Why? Because in a world of noise, creators offer something rare: human authenticity and trust.
The most effective B2B creators aren’t just talking about products – they’re contextualizing them, telling stories around them, and making them relatable to real business challenges. That’s what makes their influence stick. In fact, many buyers treat these creator voices as modern-day referrals: the digital version of a trusted colleague’s recommendation over coffee.
And unlike brand ads, which often feel polished but at times impersonal, creator content brings back the human voice B2B has been missing. It builds connection. It sparks dialogue. And most importantly, it moves people to purchase.
Why LinkedIn Is the Right Platform, Right Now
If creator content is becoming the new B2B word-of-mouth, then LinkedIn is the table where those conversations are actually happening. LinkedIn is where professionals go when they’re in the mindset to engage, not just scroll.
The rise of creator content on LinkedIn has been matched by a surge in short-form video, the format that B2B buyers say influences them most. Video uploads have grown 45% year-over-year, and 63% of buyers say video helps drive their decisions. Whether it’s a quick insight from a thought leader, a behind-the-scenes look at innovation, or a compelling customer story, creators are using video to turn expertise into action.
“We have an influencer in our circular economy team who’s become a LinkedIn Top Voice on sustainability and is a great example of an influencer who shares his expertise with his own personal thoughts and voice. He’s also a regular speaker at events, which flows naturally because people who are confident expressing themselves on LinkedIn are happy to express themselves in the non-digital world as well.” – Katrin Bach, Head of Digital Communications, Evonik
BrandLink Extends Creator Impact with Video
As video becomes central to how B2B buyers learn, evaluate, and act, LinkedIn's BrandLink video solution offers marketers another powerful way to align with trusted voices.
With BrandLink, brands can now place their message in pre-roll of premium video content from top publishers and respected creators, reaching audiences when their attention is already focused.
And the results show:
- 130% higher video completion rate
- 23% higher view rate compared to standard video ads
- Viewers are up to 18% more likely to become leads
BrandLink offers better performance and deeper trust, extending the impact of creator-driven video by helping your message show up in the right place, alongside the right people. Whether you're aiming to build brand awareness or drive conversion, BrandLink gives your video strategy a boost.
Thought Leader Ads: A New Way to Amplify What Works
There’s a growing recognition in B2B marketing that traditional ads can only take you so far, especially in a space where trust and relevance are the currency of attention. That’s where Thought Leader Ads come in.
This is an ad format purpose-built for this moment. They allow brands to amplify the voices that buyers actually trust in a way that feels native, human, and authentic. Instead of running yet another branded message, Thought Leader Ads elevate real people with real perspectives, shared in their own words, directly into the feeds of the audiences that matter most.
And the results speak volumes:
- 252% increase in click-through rates compared to single image ads
- 62% lower cost-per-click (CPC)
- 48% higher completion rates on lead gen forms
What makes Thought Leader Ads especially powerful is that they don’t sit squarely in the “paid” or “organic” camp. They fill a key gap in the marketing mix: amplifying credible content that already performs well organically, and delivering it to a defined audience with measurable impact. You get the relatability of a real voice, the reach of paid media, and the trust of creator content, all in one format.
The Whitespace Is Wide Open: This Guide Shows You How to Claim It
For all the momentum behind B2B creator marketing, this space is still wide open. The tactics are evolving. The benchmarks are still being set. And that means the brands willing to experiment now have a rare advantage: the chance to lead while everyone else is still figuring it out.
Whether you’re just starting to explore creator partnerships or looking to scale a strategy already in motion, now is the time to move. The window to differentiate is open, but it won’t stay that way forever.
That’s why we created Collaborate with Confidence: Your Guide to B2B Creator Marketing on LinkedIn.
Use this guide as a roadmap. Packed with strategic frameworks, practical how-tos, and success stories from brands who are already seeing results, you’ll learn:
- How to build and activate your own B2B creator strategy
- How to leverage Thought Leader Ads for reach, credibility, and conversion
- How brands like Lenovo, Adobe, and Evonik are driving real impact
Download the full guide now and start shaping what’s next in B2B marketing (before everyone else gets there!).
Topics: LinkedIn Ads
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