MatchZINE – The MarTech Magazine

B2B Influencer Marketing for LinkedIn – These are the 3 ways to find the right ones

Are you looking for influencers who don’t wow with beach selfies, but with expert knowledge about your industry? Who might know more about filtration systems than Instagram filters? Then log in to LinkedIn and use this guide to research B2B influencers.

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22, 756, 790, 830. The first number is from November 2020, the last from May 2022. A year and a half lie in between, showing an increase of 15 percent – the figures represent the millions of users that the largest business network LinkedIn has worldwide. Around 18 million of them are from Germany. The platform is booming, making it equally attractive for B2B companies and B2B influencers. We show you how you can benefit from B2B influencer marketing on LinkedIn and how to find the right influencers.

  • Dieser Artikel wurde am 31. March 2026 aktualisiert.

B2B influencers in focus

What is B2B influencer marketing?

Let’s start with the basics: influencer marketing has now become an integral part of the day-to-day work of many marketing managers. Companies pay users who use their reach on social media to promote a brand or product. In the B2C space, this has long been common practice; countless influencers have been able to build careers this way and earn a living.

It works the same way in the B2B environment! Here, it’s thought leaders and experts that you win over for your brand. On Instagram, TikTok & Co., the target audience is smaller; the platform of the moment is LinkedIn. As the world’s largest business network, it’s the place to be for successful B2B influencer marketing.

Why is B2B influencer marketing becoming more important?

In marketing, you keep breaking new ground. Trends come and go, concepts are tested, ideas are discarded. Trial and error is part of everyday life, especially in smaller companies. B2B influencing isn’t an entirely new trend, but the topic is becoming more and more important on LinkedIn.

B2B influencers are thought leaders in their community on LinkedIn. Their word carries weight; it’s not uncommon for dozens or hundreds of followers to discuss under the posts.

Because the communities are so strong, B2B influencing works so well. LinkedIn is a paradise for networking and lead generation. Successful influencer campaigns can boost sales, push products, and raise awareness for companies. And it doesn’t always have to be a single post: joint webinars, high-quality Content, critical discussions as part of a collaboration—anything is conceivable and doable.

LinkedIn Influencer

What ways are there to find B2B influencers on LinkedIn?

But how do you find the right people for your ideas and your brand? There are three key ways:

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Ideally, you don’t just take one of these paths; instead, you build your research on several pillars. LinkedIn has simply become too big over the last few years. Let’s take a detailed look at the three ways:

Tools & software for B2B influencer marketing

You wouldn’t be reading MatchZINE if there weren’t suitable MarTech tools for today’s topic. With all these platforms and pieces of software, you can compare, find, and analyze B2B influencers. Just don’t make the mistake of automatically assuming that a large reach equals the best fit.

Read more about influencer marketing software here.

What matters is that they fit you and your brand. And sure, their target audience should also be your target audience—at least for the most part. Not sure what you need to look out for? Luckily, there are experts for that!

Agencies for B2B influencer marketing, especially LinkedIn

If you want professional support, choose an agency. Influencer marketing agencies have been established for several years now. What’s remarkable is that there are now some agencies that focus exclusively on B2B influencers on LinkedIn and handle the entire process of your B2B influencer marketing on the platform for you.

From selecting potential influencers to developing a campaign concept and executing it. All-inclusive, please. However, there is the (small) risk that an agency will only offer you the LinkedIn influencers it already has in its portfolio. But the larger your selection, the higher the chance of finding the right B2B influencer for your brand.

Are you currently looking for an influencer agency? For LinkedIn or in general? Use our Match Assistant for agencies.

Do-it-yourself research – building relationships with the relevant influencers

You prefer to take matters into your own hands? Let’s go. To do so, analyze your industry, your target audience, and who is interested in what you do. Start researching who the thought leaders in your industry or niche are, who is already generating a large reach on LinkedIn, and who fits you.

A good start is the simple LinkedIn search by keywords or job title. Better are LinkedIn groups: Who is particularly active in a relevant group and has a high reach as well as lots of engagement on their posts? Another good option is searching for articles on LinkedIn: Who writes about my topics? And if you want to invest some money, you can run LinkedIn ads.

You may also find users through one of these routes who haven’t entered into any collaborations yet. You benefit from first-mover effects, stand out from other companies, and prevent being the 26th brand an influencer partners with.

How to approach suitable B2B influencers

Have you found what you were looking for? Now it’s time to get serious. One tip: Don’t write a super long email or LinkedIn message—get straight to the point. What you should definitely have ready is a clear plan for the campaign and the collaboration you’re aiming for. In many cases, you’re certainly not the first person to reach out with an inquiry.

Also, do your homework beforehand about who you’re dealing with, mention his or her work, and show how you can deliver added value with your company. For them, but also for the target audience. Talk to each other, exchange ideas. You’ll quickly notice whether it’s a good fit or not—and vice versa.

Conclusion: Successfully using B2B influencers on LinkedIn

Influencers are firmly anchored in the marketing mix of B2B companies. Use opinion leaders, experts, and pioneers from your industry for networking, lead generation, and to gain greater brand awareness overall. Whether easily with a MarTech tool, with a professional agency by your side, or on your own: Start your search now and find your perfect match for your B2B marketing on LinkedIn.

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Matching: Agencies and Tools for Your B2B Influencer Marketing

Are you looking for B2B influencers for your marketing, or would you like to tackle your current challenges on LinkedIn & Co. with consulting or an agency? We have already supported numerous mid-sized companies and corporations in identifying the right partners for their projects.

On the Matchilla platform, you get access to the most relevant software providers and agencies in B2B influencer marketing and can match them according to your specifications. Just give it a try.

Register with Matchilla with no obligation and match tools or agencies for your B2B influencer marketing
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About the Author

Till Zier is CPO at Matchilla. Prior to that, he spent years as the Managing Director of a corporate influencer agency and is also active on LinkedIn & Co. himself, including a large reach. He shares his expertise and know-how in his articles in the MatchZINE and is also available as an expert on the Matchilla platform when it comes to B2B influencer marketing.

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