As the way consumers interact with brands continues to evolve, there has been a notable shift from traditional advertising to more influencer collaborations. As you scroll Facebook, Instagram or, most recently, TikTok, there is a consistent slew of influencers sharing their experiences with beauty, health and lifestyle brands to their followers.  

While this trend has proven extremely effective in the B2C space (according to the Influencer Marketing Benchmark Report 2021, 90% of marketing experts find influencer marketing to have a substantial impact), is this tactic worth exploring for fintech PR and marketing?  

Just like a fitness enthusiast is likely to trust their favorite Peloton instructor’s take on a new protein powder, banks and credit unions place value into trusted industry influencers’ opinions about new technologies and trends. This influencer sphere is an increasingly important audience for even the B2B space, one that PR and marketing efforts should address moving forward.  

So, where to even begin? The first step is identifying who the most impactful influencers are for your business. While many individuals carry significant weight in the financial services industry, some will be more relevant than others for your niche. This is where leaning on your PR team will be key, tapping them to help identify which potential influencer partnerships would most effectively engage your target audience.  

Next, start reaching out to these influencers to make sure they are aware of who your company is and the impact your technology has on the market, as well as to explore what partnership opportunities there might be. Maybe that looks like having your CEO as a guest on the influencer’s podcast, having the influencer moderate an upcoming webinar of yours, or having them co-author a whitepaper or blog. Once an engagement has been decided on, your PR team can help determine the best way to amplify the partnership or project, whether that includes social media activity, a press release or even direct media outreach.  

While some view influencer relations as a consumer-facing fad, if done right, working with influencers can provide meaningful benefits to your B2B PR and marketing programs. By leaning on your PR team to help understand which influencers to work with and how to maximize value, your company can gain strong validation in the market and better engage with target audiences.  

Interested in learning more about how influencer relations can enhance your PR and marketing efforts? Contact us.