Uncovering the potential of influencer marketing in B2B with Odgilvy's groundbreaking research.

South Africa - As reported by business execs across Africa, influencer marketing is becoming increasingly popular among business-to-business (B2B) brands, surpassing brand-only marketing by a surprising 67%. In response to the global growth, Ogilvy joined forces with research partner Opinium and LinkedIn to conduct the world's first global B2B influencer study, exploring how B2B marketers can harness the power of influencers to make a meaningful impact on business operations. The paper, titled "Business Influencers: the global rise of B2B Influencer Marketing," outlines the following perspectives for brands seeking to influence decision-making, drive growth and develop meaningful connections between''enterprises.

Spanning 11 markets including the US, UK, France, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kenya, South Africa, Singapore, Vietnam, Philippines and Malaysia, the research reveals insights gleaned from more than 500 surveys of senior marketers, supplemented by a series of interviews with brands that are leveraging B2B influencers.

"Engaging and attracting attention in these emerging spheres of influence is extremely valuable to businesses. Our research confirms this shift in the industry with proven results from trusted business leaders," says Sanesh Maharaj, Ojlvi South Africa's Head of Influence. "We see influential leaders and commentators moving into new media spaces to create business''communities, reformatting the way we share information, learn and discuss business issues. This transformation is redefining the future of stakeholder engagement. "

The global marketplace has grown more than 20x since 2016, with 62% of TikTok users making purchases based on app reviews and ads. This research highlights the significant influence of B2B influencer marketing on brand perception and purchase decisions.

"The South African B2B market is poised for exponential growth due to unique buying decision factors.

The creator economy is projected by Goldman Sachs to reach $500 billion by 2027. Leading social platforms such as YouTube (2.2 billion), Instagram (1.4 billion) and TikTok (1 billion) collect nearly 5 billion monthly active users. This growth is driven by daily content creators.

The report covers South Africa, Kenya and global markets, revealing key results such as:

'The data from this B2B study has provided us with invaluable insights into the opportunities that await our customers''and South African business in general. Ojlvi's influencer proposition allows us to go to new frontiers and gives us a distinct competitive advantage," says Samantha Presburi, executive director of Ojlvi Public Relations.

Businesses understand the value of true partnerships because they can dominate industry discussions by shaping their reputations. Moreover, in the ever-changing e-commerce landscape, entrepreneurs and businesses are using Influencers to increase sales and create entirely new ventures in the maker economy.

For more information about this research paper or to explore new business opportunities with Ogilvy Public Relations & Influence, please contact''at [email protected].