Alison Battisby: Working with Thought Leaders & Influencers for Effective Social Media Content panel

2025

Apr 25

At SocialDay’s Social Media Marketing Festival 2025, we’re putting a spotlight on strategies that blend creativity with results — and when it comes to B2B influencer marketing, few know the space better than Alison Battisby, Founder of Avocado Social. Alison will be joining the panel “Working with Thought Leaders & Influencers for Effective Social Media Content”, where she’ll explore how to drive success by partnering with voices that matter.

About Alison Battisby

Alison is a seasoned social media consultant and trainer with over 15 years of experience helping brands master their digital presence. Her journey began in award-winning London agencies where she led projects for the likes of Tesco, Liberty of London, Pringles, and Plan UK.

In 2014, she launched Avocado Social with a mission to empower marketers to build thriving online communities. Since then, she’s worked with global companies on bespoke social media strategies, upskilling teams and staying ahead of the latest tools, trends, and platform shifts. Whether it’s launching impactful paid campaigns or crafting authentic influencer strategies, Alison brings a wealth of hands-on insight — and a passion for helping brands connect with purpose.

What to Expect from the Session: "Working with Thought Leaders & Influencers for Effective Social Media Content"

In this panel session, Alison joins Guy O’Brien to explore the power of thought leadership and influencer partnerships in the B2B space. Together, they’ll unpack what successful collaborations look like in a more professional setting — from choosing the right influencers to pitching the value of this strategy internally.

Expect real-world examples, smart positioning advice, and ideas for how to weave influencer activity into a wider, high-performing social strategy.

Key Areas of Focus

How B2B brands can work with influencers and thought leaders
Understanding the nuances of authority, trust, and credibility in the business world
How to position influencer marketing within your organisation
Tactics for getting buy-in from managers, stakeholders, and clients
Getting started with LinkedIn paid ads
Tips on budgeting, creative assets, and using ads to complement influencer-led content
Blending organic and paid
Building a cohesive strategy that amplifies reach and delivers measurable ROI

Key Takeaways

Learn how to identify and engage B2B influencers that align with your brand
Understand how to present influencer marketing as a strategic growth lever
Discover how to combine LinkedIn paid ads with influencer campaigns for maximum impact
Leave with actionable insights you can bring straight to your next strategy meeting

Alison’s Perspective on Social Media Trends

The rise of AI, especially tools like ChatGPT’s image generator, has been a major moment for Alison. She’s keeping a close eye on how these advancements can streamline content creation — but also notes the critical conversations around privacy, ownership, and consent that must evolve alongside the tech.

A Social Media Moment That Mattered

Some of Alison’s best moments come from the results. Seeing a brand achieve 10x ROAS on a campaign she’s led is always a highlight. Her expertise in paid strategy — especially on platforms like LinkedIn — has helped countless businesses unlock real growth.

Favourite Campaign of the Year

Alison loves when social comes to life through experience. One of her recent favourites was the NEOM sweet shop launch, which blended experiential moments with strong social storytelling — the kind of creative synergy that sticks with audiences online and off.

What Alison Hopes for the Future of Social

Alison would love to see greater transparency around data use, more protection for under-16s, and a continued focus on ethical social strategy. As marketers gain access to more powerful tools, she believes it’s equally important to foster trust, consent, and user wellbeing.

Connect with Alison Battisby

Want more insights from Alison or curious about working with Avocado Social? Find her here:

Instagram: @avocadosocial
Website: avocadosocial.com
LinkedIn: Avocado Social

Alison joins a lineup of leading industry professionals at SocialDay's Social Media Marketing Festival 2025, where top minds in social media marketing will share their insights and expertise.