When you think about influencer marketing, you probably picture social media stars promoting skincare or tech gadgets. But there’s a new flavor of influence emerging that’s reshaping how companies engage and activate their partner ecosystems. It’s less about celebrity and more about credibility. And for partner marketers, it’s quickly becoming a game-changing strategy.
Influencer marketing was a hot topic at the Partner Marketing Visionaries Summit 2025, but its rise is also echoed in the data. According to data from Sprout Social’s Q1 2025 Pulse Survey, 67% of B2B brands use influencer marketing to increase brand awareness, 54% use it to increase credibility and trust, and 58% leverage an always-on influencer marketing approach. Additionally, Merritt Group recently conducted a survey and found that 91% of IT security practitioners use influencer content to guide their cybersecurity decisions. If you’re not already exploring influencer marketing, you’re falling behind.
Why it works differently in partner marketing
Source: ChatGPT
In B2C marketing, influencers move product. In B2B, they build credibility. But in partner marketing, influence is all about trust within a shared ecosystem—whether it’s resellers, distributors, managed service providers (MSPs), systems integrators (SIs), alliance partners, and beyond.
The most effective “influencers” aren’t TikTok stars or keynote speakers—they’re partner sellers, engineers, and marketers who know your solution, work directly with your customers, and have earned the respect of their peers. This could take the form of a partner sales rep sharing a LinkedIn post about how your solution helped close a big deal, a partner engineer who validates your integration in a webinar, or a marketing lead who co-creates a campaign and champions it within their organization.
Where and how to activate influence
Influencer marketing shows up in partner programs in two key areas: how you market to your partners, and how you market through them.
- To-partner campaigns: Use peer influence to drive partner enablement and engagement. Highlight top-performing partners in email newsletters, feature their success stories in onboarding videos, or invite them to share tips in a podcast. The goal? Let partners hear from people they trust and not just your corporate voice.
- Through-partner campaigns: Embed influential partner voices directly into your go-to-market content. That could be a joint blog post with a respected partner architect, a testimonial from a field seller, or a CEO quote in a campaign launch video. These touches add authenticity and build confidence with buyers.
Influencer marketing tactics that drive impact
Ready to bring influencer strategy into your partner program? Get started with our essential checklist for pitching B2B influencer campaigns. Then, consider some of these partner-specific tactics to find and elevate your strongest advocates. Remember, you can always start small and scale your program as you build out your infrastructure and resources.
- Partner advisory boards: As shared in the recent Partner Marketing Visionaries Summit 2025, mini-partner advisory boards can be great for initiatives like product launches, as they allow early engagement with those who can become your strongest references.
- Co-created content: Collaborate with partner SMEs to produce thought leadership content like whitepapers, webinars, or blog posts. Their perspective adds depth and joint credibility.
- Partner spotlights: Launch a series that profiles successful partners, told in their own words. Make it snackable and shareable in the form of a blog, video, or social post.
- Advocate program: Identify influential voices within your market or partner base and give them early access to campaigns. In return, ask for testimonials, event participation, or social shares.
- Social proof everywhere: Weave partner quotes, LinkedIn posts, and videos into your sales decks, landing pages, and campaign materials. Validation from a trusted peer speaks volumes.
Whatever approach you take or influencer tactic you employ, remember to ensure attribution along the way. Set the rules of engagement up front and clearly define your KPIs so that UTM codes and campaign tracking metrics clearly draw the line between effort and impact.
The bottom line for partner marketers
Influencer marketing in the partner world isn’t about flashy endorsements. Instead, it’s about amplifying authentic voices that drive action to and through the channel. By recognizing the power of partner-based influence and integrating it into your strategy, you can lean into more meaningful, human-centered partner engagement that drives greater loyalty and results.
Ready to boost your partner marketing efforts and create stronger, more productive relationships? Explore our partner marketing and influencer marketing services to learn how we can help you effectively engage distribution, strategic IT partners, and systems integrators.
