LinkedIn’s AI campaign tool Accelerate is out in beta, supports videos

With 81% of B2B ads globally failing to gain adequate attention or drive recall, B2B marketers need more compelling ways to connect and engage with their buying groups who are turning to video, events, and industry experts for information. New research from LinkedIn finds that the content that influences buying decisions in B2B is evolving. It also reveals that real people and their networks are key in shaping brand reputation.

LinkedIn’s The Business of Influence research, which surveyed over 1,700 B2B tech buyers in the US, UK, and India, reveals how buyers look to receive information, with video standing out as the most compelling and trusted form of content in influencing buying decisions in B2B. 

66% of B2B buyers in India say that short-form social video content helps inform buying decisions, and the majority (83%) of those who consume video content say that video-focused influencer content is one of the most trusted forms of content in B2B.

LinkedIn data shows that video is now the fastest-growing format on the platform, with uploads up 34% year-over-year.

Creative, credible content from industry experts is on the rise in B2B

The research finds that 72% of surveyed buyers in India who consume B2B influencer content say that it helps build brand trust, and 70% say it creates awareness of different products and solutions. More than two-thirds (70%) of B2B buyers in India, who are aware of B2B influencer marketing, say that influencer content plays a critical role in the consideration stage of the IT buying process.

Nearly 56% of all B2B buyers surveyed say their use of B2B subject-matter experts in the tech buying process will increase over the next three years. As Gen Z joins the buyer group, influencer marketing is becoming more important, with 93% of Gen Z buyers in India, who are aware of B2B influencer marketing, saying they engage with B2B influencer content on a monthly basis, which is 14% higher compared to all other buyers. 

Capturing attention and engaging with the 95% of buyers who are out-of-market is one of the biggest challenges facing B2B marketers globally today, especially when 81% of B2B buyers choose to purchase from brands they already know on day one. LinkedIn data also shows that brands are turning to their community of more than 1 billion members to help stay top of mind with buyers - in the past year there has been a 23%+ jump in posts from chief executives, 14.4% increase in Live Video Events, and more than 220K newsletters are published on LinkedIn.

Sachin Sharma, director, LinkedIn Marketing Solutions, India, said, “The B2B buying journey is growing more complex with multiple stakeholders now in the mix. In this landscape, buyers tend to favour brands they already know and trust. This makes it critical for B2B brands to remain top-of-mind, engaging buyers across touchpoints – even when they’re not ready to make a purchase. Building strong memory recall is key to influencing future buying decisions, and nothing does that better than humanised storytelling. Authentic, expert-led videos that connect emotionally with buyer groups can capture attention, cultivate trust, and create the human connection that sets brands apart in a crowded market.”

Soumyajit Day, global head of digital experience optimization, Thoughtworks, said, "LinkedIn Accelerate has proven to be a valuable tool for piloting our campaigns. We have experienced 30% reduction in end-to-end campaign setup and launch time. Its user-friendly interface and scalability makes it an ideal solution for streamlining our campaign launches."

To help brands connect and engage with the buyer group who is turning to video, events, and expert voices for information, LinkedIn is introducing new features and programs:

Live Event Ads enhancements: With Live Video Events on LinkedIn up by 14.4% in the past year and Thought Leader Ads generating 2.3x higher click-through-rate (CTR) compared to single image ads, LinkedIn is introducing new features to allow marketers to maximise participation in their events. Coming this quarter, B2B marketers will be able to:
Promote a members' post about the Live Event hosted by a Company Page with a Thought Leader Ad that links directly to the event to drive more registrations, views and engagement
Offer a ‘sneak peek” with a 30-second video appearing on LinkedIn to allow people to preview during and post-event to help drive registration and attendance
Regionally target who they want to invite when setting up the event to promote a more personalised event experience

Accelerate, LinkedIn’s AI campaign creation experience, is now available globally in beta and supports video ads: With Accelerate campaigns showing up to a 42% lower cost per action, compared to advertisers who run a Classic Campaign with LinkedIn, the company is introducing new functionalities to help B2B marketers tailor their AI-generated campaign to achieve their marketing goals. This quarter, B2B marketers will have the option to add a video or document ad, like an eBook, whitepaper or customer testimonial, in addition to a single-image, when creating an advertising campaign with Accelerate. To help them better achieve their campaign goals, LinkedIn is also beginning to introduce new objectives, including ‘brand awareness’, ‘video views’, and ‘website conversions.’ 

All new formats and objectives will ramp gradually across the globe over the coming months. Accelerate beta is now available for lead generation and website visit objectives to all advertisers globally in all languages, with AI creative creation only available in English.

Sponsored Newsletters: As brands look to reach and engage new audiences through authentic brand storytelling, they’re looking to partner with credible and expert voices on the platform. With Sponsored Newsletters, they can now boost their own or any member’s newsletter article as a Thought Leader Ad and drive higher engagement and build thought leadership at scale. 
 
‘The Business of Influence’ research methodology
LinkedIn commissioned GWI to survey 1,716 B2B buyers and key business decision-makers responsible for purchasing IT, telecom, and technology products and services, in the US, UK, and India, on the impact of B2B influencers on the buying committee at various stages of the decision-making journey. Statistics cited are among respondents who use industry influencers in their purchase journey (91% of the overall sample). The research was conducted online for three weeks from May 22 to June 11, 2024.

Methodology
Members on LinkedIn with the CEO title, of companies with more than 5k employees, between January-April 2024.