Author name: Molly Ferncombe

A new study from the Influencer Marketing Hub 2025 B2B Benchmark Report shows that B2B brands using always-on influencer marketing outperform those relying on one-off campaigns. Long-term creator partnerships drive stronger credibility, engagement, and measurable results. Ryan Bares, Global Social Influencer Marketing Manager at IBM, notes that this approach depends on “continuous engagement with influencers to foster authentic, long-term relationships.

As B2B marketing enters 2026, standing out requires more than producing content. Research from Ascend2, TopRank Marketing, and insights from Cindy Anderson, CMO at IBM Institute for Business Value, and David Chen, VP of Marketing at Ascend2, shows that evidence-based thought leadership, amplified by trusted influencers and delivered across channels, drives engagement, credibility, and measurable results. Organisations that combine original research, interactive experiences, and full-funnel measurement are best positioned to earn buyer trust and influence decisions

Artificial intelligence is helping B2B marketers tackle long-standing challenges, from identifying niche influencers to optimising content and tracking performance. The Influencer Marketing Hub 2025 B2B Benchmark Report shows that teams applying AI strategically outperform manual approaches, building stronger engagement, more credible partnerships, and measurable results, all while preserving the authentic insights that make influencer marketing effective

User-generated content is reshaping B2B marketing. Research from G2, Bazaarvoice, Execfluence and TrustRadius reveals that 89% of buyers check review sites before purchasing, whilst Stackla data shows brands achieve 29% higher conversions with UGC. Studies from Forrester, Sopro, and Impression Digital demonstrate that peer reviews now outweigh vendor messaging, with B2B buyers trusting customer content 16% more than traditional marketing materials