When you hear the word “influencer,” do you think about reality TV stars and trending skincare products? What about cybersecurity? The reality is that B2B influencers exist, and they’re creating entirely new ways for organizations to validate their products and solutions. Influencers lend a level of authenticity that brands simply can’t unlock solo.
With the experts at Sapio Research and Code Red Communications, we polled 200 IT security practitioners to learn what it takes to earn their trust—and why influencers are so good at it.
Keep reading for a sneak peek at some of the top results from our survey, “Trust Matters: The Role of Influencers in Cybersecurity Marketing.”
What is a cybersecurity influencer?
Most cybersecurity influencers are practitioners working in the industry. They don’t have millions of followers, instead, they have truly “been there, done that” and want to share what they’ve learned. Not only are their audiences willing to listen, but they actively seek out influencer content to better understand everything from cybersecurity attacks and trends to what products to buy. A whopping 91% of our respondents use influencer content to guide their cybersecurity choices, so it’s clear these voices carry serious weight in the industry.
“In cybersecurity, true ‘influencers’ aren’t influencers at all. They’re practitioners with battle scars and deep experience who happen to have earned attention by sharing what they’re interested in,” said Mike Privette, Founder and Cybersecurity Economist at Return on Security. “The thing to remember is that trust in this industry isn’t manufactured through polished content. Trust is earned and accepted through technical credibility and honest communication.”
Authenticity and transparency matter
Never underestimate the power of word-of-mouth marketing. Personal reputation matters, and opinions travel fast. According to our findings, 81% of security professionals won’t follow a cybersecurity influencer unless they have an established reputation in the industry.
Influencers earn their reputations through honesty and independence. Therefore, the most effective collaborations are those in which the influencer’s mission is aligned with the brand they’re promoting. Just as journalists must remain unbiased, influencers must maintain their objectivity if they are to continue to be trusted by the industry.
“Security buyers are skeptical by nature. A trusted voice can get them to listen when a sales deck never will. The right influencer is a practitioner who can translate complex tech into what buyers actually care about.” – Matt Johansen, Founder of Vulnerable U
When engaging with an influencer, make your priorities clear and focus the engagement on collaboration—not control. We recommend prioritizing transparency early on and clearly establishing all content expectations, pricing negotiations, timelines, and preferred workstreams upfront. That way, influencers have the flexibility they need to create authentic, engaging content that still fits within your brand’s parameters.
Introducing influencers into your brand’s sphere as partners rather than seeking a paid advertising campaign also bodes well for future business. According to our survey, 83% of IT security practitioners are more inclined to work with a cybersecurity vendor if they are already familiar with their brand. The right influencer can help you get in front of these audiences in a less advertorial way.
Prioritize expertise over reach
A macro influencer with millions of followers might sound appealing, but your time is actually better spent identifying the top nano- and micro-influencers within your specific category and collaborating with them on hypertargeted campaigns. Nano-influencers are defined as having 100 to 10,000 followers, while micro-influencers have 10,000 to 100,000 followers.
Despite their smaller follower counts, these influencers typically have much higher audience engagement than their macro counterparts. A recent study published in the Harvard Business Review found that nano-influencers yield an average return of more than $1,000 for every $50 spent, whereas macro-influencers cost over $1,000 on average but only deliver a $6,000 return.
Nearly 3/4 (74%) of IT security practitioners discover influencers while researching specific issues they are dealing with, so getting strategic with your target market and buyer persona is more important now than ever. Not only can these niche experts help you establish an effective influencer marketing program, but they can also drive potential future revenue for the business.
Phillip Wylie, Host of the Phillip Wylie Show, supports influencer marketing as a way to reach professionals who may not be familiar with the brand. He shares, “Influencers are skilled in content creation and communication. They know what is important to them as security professionals and communicate it in a more relatable way.”
Influencers Complement Traditional PR and Marketing
With 91% of security leaders regularly engaging with content from influencers, today’s cybersecurity marketers are at the precipice of a massive shift. By building relationships with experienced, trusted creators, organizations can participate in frontline conversations through a different lens than traditional media.
“Trust is at the core of truly connecting with your intended audience. This is even truer in the AI era, where audiences often reject such content.” – Darwin Salazar, Founder of The Cybersecurity Pulse
While the momentum for influencer marketing is growing at a rapid pace, there is still space for traditional media. Over 50% of our survey respondents still rely on trade publications for industry news. Rather than replacing traditional PR programs with influencer marketing, we recommend treating influencers as an enduring partnership to enhance existing activities. This will expand your company’s public presence while creating an “it” factor that converts potential audiences into followers and prospects into customers.
For more information on how influencer marketing can supplement your public relations and marketing program, visit our solution page. And for even more insight on what’s working in cyber marketing and what’s coming next, check out our Lay of the Brand podcast episode with Gianna Whitver of the Cybersecurity Marketing Society.
