Why employee advocacy on social media matters to your brands success.

Why employee advocacy on social media matters to your brands success.

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Within crowded and competitive consumer and business markets companies are constantly searching for innovative ways to expand their brand reach and build trust with their audiences. One of the most powerful, yet underutilised strategies is employee advocacy. But what exactly does this term mean, and how can businesses effectively harness its potential?

What is employee advocacy?

In simple terms, employee advocacy involves encouraging your workforce to promote your brand through their own social networks. Imagine having a team of passionate, engaged employees regularly sharing your company’s latest updates, products, and values. Not only does this give your brand a human touch, but it also amplifies its reach in an authentic way. According to data from Sprout Social, the potential reach of employee-shared content is vast, and more importantly, trusted. People tend to believe their peers far more than they believe corporate messaging.

Unlike traditional advertising or corporate social media posts, content shared by employees often feels more genuine, approachable, and personal. Employees, after all, are seen as the experts in their fields, and their insights into the company and its offerings carry a certain level of credibility that’s hard to replicate.

Key elements of employee advocacy:

– Content sharing: Employees can share pre-prepared content like blogs, news updates, or event promotions.
– Personal experience: Encouraging employees to share their experiences with the brands products/services or values adds authenticity.
– Thought leadership: Employees can build personal brands by sharing industry insights and becoming thought leaders.

Why employee advocacy matters

The modern consumer is increasingly sceptical of traditional advertising. As a result, brands are looking for ways to build trust and authenticity. This is where employee advocacy shines. Here’s why it matters:

Increased brand reach:
The reach of your employees’ personal networks is often significantly larger than your company’s official social media accounts. Every share, comment, or like from an employee introduces your brand to a new audience.

Boosts engagement:
Content shared by employees tends to generate 561% more engagement compared to content shared through brand channels, according to recent research. That’s because it feels less like marketing and more like genuine enthusiasm.

Enhances trust:
In today’s digital age, trust is paramount. When your employees advocate for your brand, they’re putting their personal stamp of approval on it. This personal touch is much more likely to influence potential customers than impersonal corporate messaging. A study from Edelman revealed that people trust employees more than the company’s executives or advertisements.

Builds employee morale:
Employee advocacy doesn’t just benefit the company – it also benefits the employees. By being seen as trusted voices within their industry, employees can grow their personal brand, establish themselves as thought leaders, and feel more connected to the company’s mission.

Talent attraction and retention:
A company that has strong advocates is often perceived as a great place to work. Employees who speak positively about their employer can attract talent that fits the company’s culture, leading to improved recruitment efforts.

How to build a successful employee advocacy program

Employee advocacy is powerful, but it’s not something that happens on its own. Companies need a structured approach to get it right. Here’s how:

Create a culture of advocacy
Advocacy starts from within. Companies need to foster an environment where employees feel proud to represent the brand. This means clear communication of company values, offering support and training, and ensuring that employees feel empowered to share their thoughts. Encouraging a sense of ownership and pride is critical for a successful program.

Provide the right tools and resources

To make it easy for employees to advocate for your brand, provide them with pre-approved content they can share, such as blogs, articles, or videos. However, while giving employees content to share is important, make sure to also enable personalisation.

Incentivise participation

Not all employees will jump at the chance to share content. Incentivising advocacy can encourage participation. Whether it’s through a reward system for top advocates, recognition in team meetings, or even career growth opportunities, creating a sense of reward will make employees more likely to engage.

Measure and optimise

Like any marketing strategy, you’ll want to measure the success of your advocacy efforts. Track metrics like:

– Adoption rate (how many employees are sharing content).
– Engagement rate (how many likes, comments, shares their posts are getting).
– Traffic and lead generation (whether the employee-shared content is driving traffic to your site or converting leads).

By measuring these outcomes, you can identify what’s working, where to improve, and how to optimise your employee advocacy program for better results.

Examples of successful programs

Several companies have successfully implemented employee advocacy programs, demonstrating the impact of this strategy on brand growth and engagement.

For instance, Dell used its “Social Media and Communities” (SMaC) initiative to train over 10,000 employees on how to engage on LinkedIn. This effort resulted in 8x more engagement for employee-shared content compared to corporate posts, with 40% of Dell’s LinkedIn engagement coming directly from employees. This program not only enhanced Dell’s visibility but also positioned it as a thought leader in the tech industry.

Similarly, Adobe’s “Adobe Life” program allowed employees to share personal experiences and company-related content, contributing to a 30% increase in content reach and a 5% improvement in brand trust metrics. Adobe’s employee advocacy initiative effectively built trust and boosted the company’s reputation, particularly on LinkedIn.

Simpli.fi, a programmatic advertising platform, saw a 7x ROI after launching its employee advocacy initiative.

These case studies highlight how structured employee advocacy programs can deliver tangible results in terms of brand reach, trust, and overall engagement.

Final thoughts

Employee advocacy is a win-win for both the company and its employees. By harnessing the power of your workforce’s social media networks, you can not only expand your brand’s reach but also build trust with your audience in a way that feels organic and sincere. Employees, on the other hand, gain personal brand growth and recognition for their contributions, helping to create a stronger, more engaged team.

Investing in an employee advocacy program is a smart move for any company looking to thrive in today’s social media-driven landscape. Empower your team, and you’ll see the benefits ripple through your business and beyond.

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Our platform – Fetch, simplifies employee advocacy by offering easy access to pre-approved (on-brand) content and assets that employees can perosnalise and share. To find out more about how we can help your employees promote your brand confidently and effectively, while amplifying reach and engagement, contact us today.