Why B2B marketers need to rethink thought leadership for the hidden buyer era
New Edelman–LinkedIn report shows how overlooked stakeholders are shaping B2B buying—and what content they actually trust
The 2025 Edelman–LinkedIn B2B Thought Leadership Impact Report spotlights a critical yet often overlooked player in B2B purchasing decisions: the hidden buyer.
These internal influencers—spanning finance, legal, compliance, procurement, and operations—may not be the end users or signatories, but they wield significant power in shaping outcomes. Notably, over 40% of B2B deals stall due to internal misalignment, frequently driven by these hidden stakeholders.
This article delves into how high-quality thought leadership can engage these elusive decision-makers, transforming them from silent skeptics into powerful advocates.
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Key takeaways from the 2025 Edelman–LinkedIn B2B Thought Leadership Impact Report:
- Hidden buyers are influential: Over 40% of B2B deals stall due to internal misalignment, often involving hidden stakeholders.
- Thought leadership reaches them: 95% of hidden buyers say strong thought leadership makes them more receptive to sales outreach.
- They value bold insights: 86% prefer content that challenges assumptions, and 91% seek insights revealing unseen challenges or opportunities.
- They can become advocates: 79% are more likely to champion proposals from vendors who consistently produce high-quality thought leadership.
Falencia Naoenz
Hidden buyers: the silent influencers in B2B decisions
Hidden buyers are internal stakeholders who, while not the primary users or final signatories, significantly influence purchasing decisions. They often operate in departments like finance, legal, compliance, procurement, and operations.
Despite their critical role, they are frequently overlooked by traditional sales and marketing efforts. Notably, over 40% of B2B deals stall due to internal misalignment, often involving these hidden stakeholders.
These individuals are not passive participants; they actively seek out information to inform their perspectives. In fact, 63% of hidden buyers spend more than an hour per week consuming thought leadership content, nearly equal to the 64% of target buyers who do the same.
However, they are less likely to engage directly with sales teams, with 71% reporting little to no interaction with sales representatives.
Atikah Amalia
Thought leadership: a strategic tool to engage hidden buyers
Given their limited interaction with sales, thought leadership becomes a crucial avenue to reach hidden buyers. High-quality thought leadership content serves as a "Trojan horse," building credibility and drawing these stakeholders into the conversation.
Notably, 95% of hidden buyers say that strong thought leadership makes them more receptive to sales and marketing outreach.
Moreover, thought leadership is more effective than traditional marketing materials in demonstrating a vendor's potential value. Specifically, 71% of hidden decision-makers believe thought leadership is more effective than conventional marketing or sales materials at showcasing a vendor's capabilities. Additionally, 64% trust thought leadership content more than marketing materials and product sheets when assessing competencies.
Crafting thought leadership that resonates
To effectively engage hidden buyers, thought leadership content must be bold, insightful, and tailored to their preferences. These stakeholders favor content that challenges assumptions and offers fresh perspectives.
In fact, 86% of hidden decision-makers prefer content that challenges their assumptions, and 91% value insights that help them uncover challenges or needs they hadn't recognized.
Additionally, the format and tone of the content matter.
Hidden buyers appreciate content that is stylish, straightforward, and human. Specifically, 60% associate a unique format or style with high-quality thought leadership, 57% favor quick takeaways over deep, academic-style content, and 65% prefer a more human, less formal tone over an intellectual one.
Empowering hidden buyers to advocate for your brand
Engaging hidden buyers through thought leadership not only informs them but also empowers them to advocate for your brand within their organizations. During the RFP process, 79% of hidden decision-makers are more likely to advocate for proposals from companies that consistently produce high-quality thought leadership.
Furthermore, 51% of hidden decision-influencers say that high-quality thought leadership helps them convince C-level executives to support their choice of vendor, and 52% say it helps them persuade other decision-makers involved in the vetting process.
In a crowded marketplace, thought leadership serves as a strategic tool to differentiate your brand, build trust, and win deals by engaging the often-overlooked hidden buyers.
