Episode 7 Joel Harrison of B2BMarketing.net and Katy Howell of Immediate Future: The Problem with B2B Influencer Marketing

In this episode of The Problem with B2B Marketing, Kevin Sutherland is joined by Joel Harrison of B2BMarketing.net and Katy Howell of Immediate Future to discuss the problem with influencer marketing.

As the B2B creator economy gains momentum, brands are rethinking how they connect with professional audiences. With LinkedIn becoming more conversational, the traditional “stuffy” approach to thought leadership is shifting toward a more human, expert-driven model. But what does this mean for B2B brand building and marketing comms?

Trust in business communications is at an all-time low, and the explosion of AI-generated content isn’t helping. So, where does that leave B2B brands looking to build credibility? In this episode we explore the evolution of B2B influencer marketing, why it’s not actually new, and how brands can leverage trusted voices to cut through the noise.

Key Talking Points

• The concept of influencer marketing has always existed in B2B, from PR editorial to thought leadership
• The challenges of working with individual influencers versus traditional media platforms
• How B2B media publications are adapting to the influencer era 
• The role of subject matter experts within organisations and how businesses can nurture and empower them 
• The blurred lines between thought leaders, internal influencers, and those who build their personal brands outside their employer’s umbrella
• Why niche expertise matters more than broad industry influence when selecting collaborators
• The growing importance of long-term collaboration over transactional relationships in B2B influence strategies
• The tricky topic of risk: How can brands ensure they partner with the right influencers? What does due diligence look like?
• Why AI-generated content is making thought leadership harder, not easier—and how brands can stand out with original, evidence-backed insights
• How a Fujitsu influencer-led campaign generated an attributed pipeline of £38M
• And perhaps most crucially, can marketers prove the ROI of B2B influencer campaigns?

With LinkedIn doubling down on the creator economy and formal influencer platforms emerging in the B2B space, the question is no longer whether influencer marketing is relevant—it’s how brands can make it work effectively.

Tune in to hear our take on where B2B influencer marketing is headed and what smart CMOs should be doing to stay ahead.

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