The Power of Thought Leadership Ads with Omni Lab Co-founders [Video]

If you’re using the internet these days, odds are you’ve been influenced at one time or another.

In the same way that influencers are convincing you to buy that new cool thing, they are also taking over spaces you’d never expect them. As these thought leaders enter the B2B SaaS space, companies must adapt and adjust their marketing strategies accordingly.

With an extensive tech and B2B background, Omni Lab Consulting founders Jonathan Bland and Jason Steele are no strangers to changing with the times. 

Whether they were selling security software to the US government or dipping their toes into little startups here, there, and everywhere, both knew they had a passion that would bring them back to the B2B marketing space. And both know that changing with the times is nonnegotiable.

As the latest in our Industry Insights series, I chatted with Jonathan and Jason to discuss how influencer marketing is shaking up the B2B industry and how companies can utilize this new medium effectively. 

Check out the full conversation below:

The rise of B2B influencers

Influencers are everywhere: Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, you name it. Wherever you consume media, you’ll find people who want you to buy something (most likely from a company that made them put #sponsored or #ad in the caption).

Well, the business world is being influenced, too. And according to Jonathan and Jason, certain industries are falling behind. “There's still so few brands that are actually taking full advantage of influencer marketing because it's much more popular in the C2C space,” Jonathan said. 

When it comes to B2B marketing, the usual methods we’re used to are being challenged by a new wave of influential voices. Companies are seeking more authentic and impactful ways to connect with their audiences. B2B influencers are proving to be important parts of this movement.

The evolution of B2B influencer marketing isn’t just a trend, it's a necessary change for companies that want to engage with their customers in a new way. Unlike traditional marketing strategies that can feel impersonal or detached, influencer marketing utilizes the trust and credibility that the influencers have already built with their audiences to convey messages more effectively and enhance brand awareness naturally.

Influencer marketing is particularly appealing because it uses a peer-to-peer element that B2B companies are not usually able to be part of. People are more likely to trust and be influenced by their own peers in the industry. This is where B2B influencers are coming in to provide insights, share personal experiences, and endorse products or services that they believe in. 

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More and more B2B companies are seeing the potential of influencer marketing. As Jonathan said, “B2B influencer marketing is a big opportunity, and thought leader ads is where that is all going to start.”

The importance of thought leadership ads

As companies continue to look for new ways to differentiate themselves from competitors in the market, thought leadership is becoming one of the most valuable tools for doing that by establishing credibility and trust.

Wondering what an expert in the industry thinks of thought leader ads? Hear more from Jonathan:

TL;DR: Thought leadership ads are effective for several reasons:

• Establishing authority: When companies share expert insights and ideas, they can position themselves as authoritative voices in the industry. 
• Communicating with the target audience: High-quality thought leadership ads directly reach audiences who are looking for specific information and insights. 
• Generating leads: Effective thought leadership content can attract high-quality customers. When a company shows its expertise and thought leadership, it naturally attracts businesses looking for strong and knowledgeable partners.
• Driving conversation: Thought leadership ads can often lead to unique discussions about the topic or trend. This not only boosts brand visibility but also attracts the attention of decision makers and leadership at potential customer businesses.
• Differentiating from competitors: In any market, presenting unique perspectives will help a company stand out. Having individual influencers speak out about their own use cases sets the company apart and creates unique value.

Thought leadership ads not only help position a company as a forward-thinking leader but also contribute to long-term brand building. As Jonathan said, “All this comes down to is how do we build a better brand? How do we be more credible? How do we steal some audience? “ This approach ensures that the ads resonate with the audience on a new level and achieve the main goal at the end of it all.

Types of influencers in SaaS marketing

Although thought leadership ads continue to make waves in B2B SaaS marketing, not all influencers are created equal. Understanding the two main types of influencers can help companies create stronger strategies and leverage resources more effectively. 

There are two main types of influencers in the B2B space: employee thought leaders and non-employee influencers. According to Jason, one is not necessarily better than the other. “I think that there's really a world where both need to exist because they serve a different purpose, and they're going to be received differently,” he said. 

Whether you’re working with an internal industry expert or just your average person who loves your product, both can be very valuable marketing tools if done correctly.

Employee thought leaders

Employee thought leaders are a powerful and often underutilized asset in SaaS marketing. These can be senior-level staff or highly equipped team members with a deep understanding and unique perspective on company products and industry trends. 

Using internal influencers can help companies put a face to the name and humanize their brand. People tend to trust other people more than faceless businesses. This makes employee thought leaders particularly valuable in the B2B space, where direct interaction with the consumer is quite rare. 

Non-employee influencers

When it comes to marketing, you want to utilize all the resources available, and that’s where external influencers come into play. As Jonathan said, “If you're the company putting out the content, there's always an inherent bias in anything you say.” So, how do you avoid only putting out content with an agenda?

Non-employee influencers bring a fresh and often more objective perspective to SaaS marketing. These can include industry analysts, external consultants, and domain experts who are not directly affiliated with the company but have significant influence within the industry. Their endorsements and insights can carry a lot of weight because they are seen as much more independent and unbiased. 

By collaborating with these external influencers, companies can tap into their networks and reach new audiences to enhance brand awareness in a way that feels more natural. Non-employee influencers can provide third-party validation, which is very rare and very valuable in the B2B space.

Tips for successful thought leadership campaigns

Launching a successful thought leadership campaign requires a lot of planning ahead. What are you looking to get at the end of this whole thing? 

According to Jason, it all comes down to two things:

But whether you plan to take his advice or not, there are a couple of things you’ll need to work on before getting that campaign off the ground:

• Define clear objectives. Setting specific, measurable goals for your campaign is key. Whether it’s increasing brand awareness or generating a specific number of leads, having clear objectives will guide your strategy and help you measure success in the long term.
• Use the right influencers. Whether internal or external, make sure to choose influencers who align with your brand values and have a strong presence in your industry. 
• Create strong content. Influencers can only do so much. Make sure you invest time into creating valuable, insightful content that addresses the pain points and interests of your target audience.
• Engage with your audience. Start conversations and engage with your audience through different channels of communication. Respond to comments, participate in discussions, and show that you value their input.
• Measure success. Track your campaign's performance through metrics like engagement rates and lead generation. Use this data to refine your strategy, improve future campaigns, and determine the success of the campaign.

The future of B2B marketing

What’s next for B2B marketing? Well, Jason said it best: “How does one answer that without using the words AI?”

As B2B marketing continues to grow, staying ahead of the trends is truly the only way to maintain a competitive edge. And just like almost every industry these days, data-driven analytics and AI are going to shake up B2B SaaS marketing.

Thought leadership and industry expertise will also continue to play an important role as businesses try to distinguish themselves in a crowded market. Jonathan and Jason see more and more entrepreneurs entering the space, so creating a competitive edge is more important than ever.

Jonathan sums it all up perfectly: “We can measure everything as best we can, but we need to start focusing on how we actually make our brand more well-known and entrusted. Thought leader ads is a tactic here.”

One more thought

As B2B marketing keeps changing, new and exciting opportunities present themselves to experts in the industry.

With these new opportunities, new questions arise. Should I use an employee thought leader? Should I collaborate with a B2B influencer? How do I determine the right choice at the right time?

While businesses navigate this new wave of marketing, the ability to adapt will become more important than ever. Whether it’s working to create an effective thought leadership ad campaign or embracing advancements in technology, businesses can only meet demands if they go with the flow. 

Watch the full chat on YouTube and subscribe to G2 Tea, our SaaS-y newsletter with tech insights and tidbits from industry professionals like Jonathan and Jason!