Key takeaways
- Nearly 90% of B2B marketers say their company’s future growth hinges on influencing Gen Z and Millennial decision-makers, and 42% point to expert voices as the most effective way to reach them.
- Credibility now outweighs visibility for 73% of marketers, pushing 55% of CMOs to increase AI search optimization spend and boosting expert-led content that turns awareness into consideration.
The future of B2B growth depends on a generation that’s increasingly difficult to influence through conventional marketing alone.
Research from LinkedIn released Sept. 2 found that nearly 90% of B2B marketers believe their company’s future growth depends on the ability to influence Gen Z and Millennial decision-makers. To accomplish this, 42% say content from expert voices (employees, creators, or industry experts) is the most effective way to do it.
The report reveals that professional relationships and trusted recommendations are increasingly shaping how Gen Z evaluates brands as 84% of marketers believe Gen Z buyers are more likely to consider a brand that is validated by someone in their professional community, and this sentiment rises to 89% in the U.S.
Gen Z Raising the Bar on What Earns Their Trust
Davang Shah, VP of Marketing at LinkedIn, said a key from the survey is the Gen Z has raised the bar for what earns their trust.
“ Today’s buyers look to their community of peers and experts to help them make decisions, and that’s why focusing on just visibility without credibility in your marketing strategies falls short,” said Shah. “Right now, there is no more valuable currency in the world than trust. The brands that win will show up creatively, through the people and channels their audiences trust most.”
Credibility Beats Visibility as AI Remains Top of Mind for Marketers
As AI changes how buyers discover brands, B2B marketers are under pressure to earn trust, not just attention. Nearly three-quarters (73%) agree that brand credibility is becoming more important than brand visibility, while 78% say brands must show up in trusted professional networks to earn it.
Investment is expected to rise over the next 12 months, over half (55%) of CMOs expect their organizations to increase investment in AI search optimization, while 46% expect greater investment in content from expert voices to build brand credibility and influence AI-driven discovery.
Expert Content Goes Beyond Awareness, Turning Attention into Consideration
The research from LinkedIn points to a new playbook for reaching critical Gen Z audiences, moving beyond standard brand messaging and builds credibility through experts sharing what they’ve learned, creators offering practical advice, or business leaders joining conversations with their customer base.
Expert voices do more than grab attention, they help buyers evaluate their options and make decisions at every stage of the journey:
- 64% of B2B marketers who currently work with expert voices say their content is more effective than traditional campaign types at turning awareness into consideration
- 39% say campaigns using expert voices have their greatest impact at the consideration stage, compared to 26% who see the biggest impact on awareness
- Gen Z is most likely to engage with short-form and immersive videos (49%), as well as content from trusted voices (42%).
This research was conducted by Censuswide in July 2026 among 18,050 respondents who work full time and part time (aged 18-80)* between July 20 and August 11, 2026. Markets included the United Kingdom, the United States, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, India, Singapore, Australia, Brazil, UAE and KSA.
