A Guide to Employee Advocacy on Social Media

a-guide-to-employee-advocacy-on-social-media

[[p]]Imagine if every employee in your organization became a passionate advocate for your brand, sharing their unique perspective and amplifying your reach online.&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]]Employee advocacy is more than a buzzword: it&rsquo;s a powerful strategy to leverage your company&rsquo;s individual voices to build brand presence, connect with new audiences, tackle [[a href="https://digitalmarketinginstitute.com/blog/finding-the-right-balance-as-a-manager" target="_blank"]]social issues[[/a]], and even help achieve your business goals.&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]]In this blog, we&rsquo;ll uncover the benefits of employee advocacy for both companies and employees, guide you through how to do it, and share best practices from top brands.&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]]Ready to turn your team into your most valuable marketing asset? Let&rsquo;s get started.[[/p]]

[[p]]We&rsquo;ll explore the following questions:[[/p]]

[[ul]]
	[[li]][[a href="#heading_77125"]]What is employee advocacy?[[/a]][[/li]]
	[[li]][[a href="#heading_77127"]]What are the benefits of employee advocacy for a company?[[/a]]&nbsp;[[/li]]
	[[li]][[a href="#heading_77129"]]What are the benefits of employee advocacy for employees?[[/a]][[/li]]
	[[li]][[a href="#heading_77132"]]How does employee advocacy work?[[/a]][[/li]]
	[[li]][[a href="#heading_77134"]]How can companies encourage employee advocacy?[[/a]][[/li]]
	[[li]][[a href="#heading_77149"]]What are good examples of successful employee advocacy campaigns?[[/a]][[/li]]
[[/ul]]

An employee sharing a photo of themselves working remotely on a laptop under a parasol in an exotic location and tagging their company can be far more impactful than the company simply stating it’s a great place to work.

[[p]]Employee advocacy is the promotion of a company by its employees. Employees can advocate for the brand through their own personal social media channels, or through [[a href="https://digitalmarketinginstitute.com/blog/a-guide-to-word-of-mouth-marketing" target="_blank"]]word of mouth[[/a]] and other traditional networks. With 50% of employees already posting about their organizations on their channels anyway, it makes sense for organizations to leverage this opportunity.&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]]More than 30% of high-growth firms have implemented employee advocacy programmes, according to Neal Schaffer.&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]]An employee advocacy program can be as simple as employees re-posting their organization&rsquo;s posts, recommending its products or services, or creating their own posts to show the brand in a positive light.[[/p]]

[[p]]Employee advocacy can bring many benefits to a business.&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[ul]]
	[[li]][[strong]]It puts a human face on a brand: [[/strong]]Employees may share success stories related to their work, and showcase how the organization helped them achieve their goals. This helps amplify a positive brand message from trusted (human) sources.&nbsp;[[/li]]
	[[li]][[strong]]It increases reach and awareness: [[/strong]]Employees can become brand ambassadors, engaging with the company&rsquo;s social media content by liking, commenting on, and sharing the content. 65% of companies that implemented employee advocacy programs had an increase in brand recognition, according to LinkedIn.[[/li]]
	[[li]][[strong]]It enhances credibility: [[/strong]]Messages shared by employees often have more impact than those coming directly from an organization. As Luan Wise points out, &ldquo;People will click through content from a personal profile more than they will from a company page.&rdquo;[[/li]]
	[[li]][[strong]]It&rsquo;s a cost-effective form of marketing: [[/strong]]Employee advocacy is cost-effective because the organization can use an existing talent pool to spread the word.&nbsp;[[/li]]
	[[li]][[strong]]It improves employee engagement: [[/strong]]An employee advocacy program can boost morale and engagement. This can lead to a 40% reduction in absenteeism, and a nearly 60% reduction in employee turnover, according to Gallup.&nbsp;[[/li]]
	[[li]][[strong]]It helps to attract top talent: [[/strong]]Given that nearly 80% of job seekers use social media as part of their job search, employee advocacy can become a powerful recruitment tool. &Oacute;rla Stack points out, &ldquo;When team members share their&nbsp;positive experiences about the workplace, it helps strengthen&nbsp;the company&rsquo;s employer brand making it attractive to top talent.&rdquo;&nbsp;[[/li]]
	[[li]][[strong]]It can lead to increased sales: [[/strong]]By increasing reach and brand recognition, employee advocacy programs can help to ultimately increase sales.[[/li]]
[[/ul]]

[[p]]Employee advocacy programs offer numerous benefits to employees, enhancing their professional development, workplace satisfaction, and personal brand. Here are some key advantages:[[/p]]

[[ul]]
	[[li]][[strong]]Skills enhancement: [[/strong]]Employees who take part in advocacy programs often receive training in social media, content creation, and personal branding.&nbsp;[[/li]]
	[[li]][[strong]]Greater industry knowledge: [[/strong]]76% of employees believe that this type of social sharing helps them stay updated on industry trends, according to Hinge Research Institute.&nbsp;[[/li]]
	[[li]][[strong]]Recognition and career progression: [[/strong]]By becoming a visible advocate for their company, employees can establish themselves as active thought leaders in their sector.&nbsp;[[/li]]
	[[li]][[strong]]Increased networking: [[/strong]]LinkedIn is the established way to grow a professional network. More than 85% of employees, according to Hinge, have credited employee advocacy programs with expanding their professional network.&nbsp;[[/li]]
	[[li]][[strong]]Personal brand development:[[/strong]] Employees can build a strong personal brand by sharing and commenting on company posts, and add their insights into the latest developments in their industry.&nbsp;[[/li]]
	[[li]][[strong]]Greater credibility: [[/strong]]By cultivating a personal brand and nurturing thought leadership, employees can establish themselves as credible authorities within their professional community.[[/li]]
	[[li]][[strong]]Increased motivation: [[/strong]]Employee advocacy programs can increase employees&rsquo; sense of belonging and motivation. They feel empowered to express themselves and promote the company&rsquo;s values and achievements.[[/li]]
[[/ul]]

By posting on LinkedIn as an employee you become more valuable to the company you work for. You also show future employers that you are an active advocate for your workplace.

[[p]]Effective employee advocacy programs don&rsquo;t just happen organically. Companies need to provide proper training, guidelines, content resources, and incentives for employees to share approved company messaging in their own voice across their networks.&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]]Luan Wise explains, &ldquo;You&rsquo;ve got to not only pitch it to them. You&rsquo;ve then got to empower them and you&rsquo;ve got to show them exactly how to do it.&rdquo;[[/p]]

[[p]]Getting employees involved in interacting online with your company brand online can be done in simple stages.&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[ol]]
	[[li]]Ask employees to [[strong]]like [[/strong]]a company post.&nbsp;[[/li]]
	[[li]]Ask employees to [[strong]]share [[/strong]]a company post on their own social networks.[[/li]]
	[[li]]Ask employees to [[strong]]comment on[[/strong]] a company post.&nbsp;[[/li]]
	[[li]]Ask employees to share a company post, but [[strong]]add their own thoughts[[/strong]] when sharing the post.&nbsp;[[/li]]
	[[li]]Ask employees to share a company post, but [[strong]]use it as a conversation starter[[/strong]] by asking a question about the post or asking people to comment on the shared post.&nbsp;[[/li]]
[[/ol]]

[[p]]Each of these does require a little more effort than the previous step but companies can consider ways to make it attractive, such as gamifying the process. They might create leaderboards or league tables to encourage employees to get actively involved.&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]][[strong]]Pro tip: [[/strong]]Set aside time to do some of these steps as a part of your work day or week. Find a routine that&rsquo;s sustainable and works for you.[[/p]]

[[p]]Even if many of their employees become active advocates, companies shouldn&rsquo;t just rely on them to do all the heavy lifting! They need to lay the groundwork for a successful advocacy program. Here are some tips.[[/p]]

[[p]]It&rsquo;s important to give employees the tools and knowledge that they need to succeed. Educate your team on best practices for social media and brand promotion. And provide clear guidelines and templates for sharing content, including tone, frequency, and types of content that align with the company&rsquo;s brand.[[/p]]

[[p]]Develop content that is engaging, thought-provoking, and likely to start a conversation. Make sure the content is relevant to your industry and valuable to your audience. This could include company updates, industry news, thought leadership articles, and employee stories.&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]]Use images, videos, infographics, and other visual content to make your content stand out and increase engagement.[[/p]]

[[p]]Make it easy for employees to share this content. For example, you could provide pre-approved content, templates, and graphics that employees can easily share.[[/p]]

[[p]][[strong]]Pro tip:[[/strong]] Maintain a regular posting schedule on your own side to keep your whole audience engaged and informed.[[/p]]

[[p]]It&rsquo;s important to nurture an advocacy culture and create the kind of positive work environment that encourages people to promote the company. Be sure to clearly communicate the benefits of advocacy to everyone.[[/p]]

[[p]]Happy and engaged employees are more likely to participate in advocacy. So ensure that the company culture is inclusive and supportive, making all employees feel valued and willing to advocate.[[/p]]

[[p]]Motivate employees to share personal stories and experiences related to their work, projects, and achievements. And have them add their personal insights or experiences when sharing company content to make their posts more authentic and relatable.&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]]Leading from the top is important when implementing any organizational program. Leaders should openly discuss the importance of employee advocacy and its benefits for the company and employees. Encourage executives and leaders to be active on LinkedIn, share content, and engage with employees. And make sure that [[a href="https://digitalmarketinginstitute.com/blog/7-awesome-digital-marketing-linkedin-profiles-for-you-to-learn-from" target="_blank"]]executive LinkedIn profiles[[/a]] have been optimized.[[/p]]

[[p]]One way to encourage employees to get involved is to recognize and reward those who actively participate in advocacy. This could be done using internal newsletters, social media shout-outs, or awards.[[/p]]

[[p]]You could add an element of gamification by offering incentives such as bonuses, gift cards, or time off, or even contests or challenges.[[/p]]

[[p]]Using LinkedIn for employee advocacy can significantly enhance a company&rsquo;s brand presence and engagement, and enables companies to track the effectiveness of their employee advocacy initiatives.&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]]Here are some key tips to leverage LinkedIn:[[/p]]

[[ul]]
	[[li]][[strong]]Create a strong Company page: [[/strong]]Ensure your company page on LinkedIn is fully optimized, with compelling descriptions, up-to-date information, and branded visuals. Encourage all employees to follow the Company page and ask employees to like, comment on, and share company posts to increase their visibility. You can also highlight employee achievements and stories here.&nbsp;[[/li]]
	[[li]][[strong]]Help employees craft effective LinkedIn profiles: [[/strong]]Managers have a [[a href="https://digitalmarketinginstitute.com/blog/finding-the-right-balance-as-a-manager" target="_blank"]]key role[[/a]] to play in encouraging employee advocacy. Help employees develop the skills needed to be effective advocates on LinkedIn. Provide training to ensure that they have optimized their LinkedIn [[a href="https://digitalmarketinginstitute.com/resources/presentations/linkedin-practical-tips-to-improve-your-personal-profile" target="_blank"]]profile[[/a]] and [[a href="https://digitalmarketinginstitute.com/blog/5-key-elements-of-a-killer-linkedin-summary" target="_blank"]]summary[[/a]].&nbsp;[[/li]]
	[[li]][[strong]]Track and measure performance: [[/strong]]Use LinkedIn&rsquo;s analytics tools to track engagement, reach, and other key metrics (such as engagement, reach, and the number of shares). Also, gather feedback from employees to understand what&rsquo;s working in the program and what can be improved.[[/li]]
[[/ul]]

LinkedIn isn’t just about posting. When you post, you want to be thinking about generating that kind of engagement for meaningful value to you and others and everyone in your network as well.

[[p]]Dell implemented its employee advocacy program by launching a formal social media initiative that required each participant to complete four hours of social media training. They chose EveryoneSocial as it&rsquo;s a platform with a unique ability to bring in content that aligned with employees&#39; personal interests, not just corporate communications. Dell&#39;s strategy focused on encouraging employees to post 80% about informative, helpful, and personally interesting topics, with only 20% dedicated to company-related content.[[/p]]

[[p]]The program has been highly successful, with more than 10,000 Dell employees regularly using EveryoneSocial to share content. Over one year, Dell drove over 150,000 shares within the platform, resulting in 45,000 clicks to Dell&#39;s website and reaching an audience exceeding 1.2 million. Notably, employees using EveryoneSocial in Dell outperformed those who didn&#39;t, demonstrating the program&#39;s effectiveness.[[/p]]

[[p]]Dell learned the importance of a human-centered approach to employee advocacy, focusing on content that employees find valuable, and the benefits of using a dedicated platform. The program has not only made employees feel more connected to Dell&#39;s strategy but also brought them closer to customers, benefiting the business. Dell&#39;s experience also highlights the value of ongoing training and close collaboration with the platform&#39;s customer success team to ensure optimal user experience and sustained growth.[[/p]]

[[p]][[a href="https://digitalmarketinginstitute.com/resources/case-studies/starbucks-connecting-people-through-coffee" target="_blank"]]Starbucks[[/a]] implemented an employee advocacy program to enhance its brand reach by empowering its workforce to become brand ambassadors. Recognizing the value of employee engagement, Starbucks&rsquo; comprehensive strategy included fostering a culture of brand advocacy, providing social media guidelines, and creating platforms like Starbucks Stories and the #ToBeAPartner hashtag. These initiatives encouraged employees to share their positive experiences and creative content on social media. Additionally, Starbucks organized campaigns such as the "White Cup Contest" to further engage employees and customers in content creation.[[/p]]

[[p]]By leveraging employees&#39; personal networks and fostering a culture of engagement, Starbucks has successfully increased its social media reach and brand visibility. The use of social media guidelines and a library of approved content ensured consistency and protected the brand&#39;s reputation. Employee-generated content, boosted by social media contests and collaborations with influential employees, resulted in higher engagement levels and a more positive brand sentiment. By measuring and analyzing the results, Starbucks was able to refine the advocacy program, ensuring sustained success.[[/p]]

[[p]]From Starbucks&#39; experience, several key lessons can be learned. First, fostering a culture of brand advocacy is crucial. After all, when employees are genuinely enthusiastic about their workplace, they naturally promote the brand. Second, providing clear guidelines and resources helps maintain consistency and protects the brand&#39;s integrity while still enabling employees to share authentic content. Third, interactive campaigns and social media contests can effectively engage both employees and customers, creating a collaborative environment that amplifies the brand&#39;s reach.&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]]By embracing these strategies, companies can successfully implement employee advocacy programs that drive growth and cultivate a strong, positive brand image.[[/p]]

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A Guide to Employee Advocacy on Social Media

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