LinkedIn: Nearly 9 in 10 Australian B2B Marketers Say Future Growth Depends on Influencing Younger Decision-Makers
Millennials and Gen Z now make up 48% of Australian leadership roles
New research from LinkedIn reveals that nearly 9 in 10 (88%) Australian B2B marketers believe their company’s future growth depends on their ability to influence younger decision-makers, including Gen Z and Millennials.
This urgency reflects a shift in Australia's corporate makeup that has already happened. Separate LinkedIn platform data reveals that nearly half (48%) of all Australian leadership roles are now held by Millennials and Gen Z – up from 35% in 2016.
And 43% of Australian marketers say content from expert voices (employees, creators, or industry experts) is the most effective way to engage this evolving buyer group.
The data points to a new playbook for reaching critical Gen Z audiences – one that moves 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.
For example, Australian B2B marketers say Gen Z is most likely to engage with short-form and immersive videos (49%), as well as content from trusted voices (44%).
Andrea Rule, Director, Linkedin Marketing Solutions, said:
“Gen Z are paying attention, but they’ve also 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. 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."
“This approach has gained strong momentum, with LinkedIn Thought Leader Ad adoption growing nearly 40% year over year and the format delivering up to two times higher click-through rates than comparable single-image ads.”
Lindsay Bennett, Communications and Content Lead, Ideally, said:
“We’re moving into an era where the people around a brand can be just as influential as the brand itself. Younger buyers are looking for expertise, perspective and proof, which means executives, employees, customers and creators are becoming an increasingly important part of the marketing mix. The brands that do this well will embrace a diversity of voices and perspectives, rather than simply asking people to amplify the company line.”
Australia’s leadership bench is getting younger
Marketers’ instincts are backed by what’s happening in the workforce itself.
LinkedIn platform data shows the share of Australian leadership roles held by Millennials and Gen Z rose from 35% in 2016 to 48% in 2026.
The shift reaches the largest organisations: in Australia’s biggest enterprises, Millennials and Gen Z now hold 50.2% of leadership roles, up 14.2 percentage points since 2016.
And it is not just technology companies - often associated with younger founders, fast growing and flat structures, leading this surge: younger leaders hold 48.7% of leadership roles in Australian non-tech industries, ahead of tech at 44.2%.
Expert content helps turns attention into consideration
Expert voices do more than grab attention, they help buyers evaluate their options and make decisions at every stage of the journey:
74% of B2B marketers who currently work with expert voices say their content is more effective than traditional campaign types at turning awareness into consideration
33% say campaigns using expert voices have their greatest impact at the consideration stage, compared to 17% who see the biggest impact on awareness
LinkedIn research also reveals that professional relationships and trusted recommendations are increasingly shaping how Gen Z evaluates brands.
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 88% in Australia.
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 (75%) agree that brand credibility is becoming more important than brand visibility, while 76% say brands must show up in trusted professional networks to earn it. And investment is following: over the next 12 months, under half (46%) of CMOs*** expect their organisations to increase investment in AI search optimisation, while 45% expect greater investment in content from expert voices to build brand credibility and influence AI-driven discovery.
*Methodology
The research was conducted by Censuswide, among a sample of 6196 Marketers (Junior manager+) who are involved in B2B marketing across the UK, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Australia, USA, Netherlands, India, Singapore, France, Germany, Italy, and Brazil. The data was collected between 21.07.2026 - 06.08.2026.
566 Marketers (Junior manager+) who are involved in B2B marketing across Australia
Quotas: Generation - minimum quota of 150 respondents per market aged 18 to 29.
Job level x DM - minimum quota of 200 respondents per market that selected 'Director', 'Vice President (VP)', OR C-Level Executive' in and 'I help reach the final decision as part of a group/committee', 'I make the final decision with input from staff/management' or 'I am the sole decision maker'
Censuswide is a member of the Market Research Society (MRS) and the British Polling Council (BPC), and a signatory of the Global Data Quality Pledge. They adhere to the MRS Code of Conduct and ESOMAR principles.
**Engagement rates for video Thought Leader Ads vs. LinkedIn benchmarks
***CMO refers to those marketers whose seniority is C-Level Executive
