Employee advocacy can be a powerful strategy for organizations who want to amplify their brand presence, encourage authentic connections, and drive meaningful engagement across employees, customers, and prospects. This blog post will discuss what is employee advocacy, offer some recommendations of employee advocacy tools, and share three effective employee advocacy examples. Once you've brushed up on what is employee advocacy, take a look at personal branding examples and learn more about employee branding, both of which are important aspects of employee advocacy.
Understanding Employee Advocacy
Employee advocacy is the promotion of a company or brand by its employees, typically through social media and other communication channels. It goes beyond the traditional employer-employee relationship, and evolves team members into ambassadors who willingly share campaigns and other initiatives to their broader network. These organic, authentic promotional efforts can significantly bolster brand perception, increase customer trust, and magnify marketing efforts. Some organizations rely upon employee advocacy tools or platforms to accomplish their goals, while others opt for existing tools like Slack and email. Employee advocacy is part of a broader employee branding strategy, as discussed in this article.
Why Employee Advocacy Matters
1. Employee advocacy encourages trust
The number one reason that employee advocacy matters is due to the authenticity it brings an organization or brand. All of us are much more likely to trust a recommendation from someone we know over a corporatized marketing campaign. When employees share their genuine experiences, it builds a sense of trust and credibility with their audience—many of which are potential customers or employees themselves.
2. Employee advocacy amplifies the reach of a brand or campaign
Utilizing the collective reach of a group of employees on social media platforms can exponentially increase the visibility of a brand. Instead of relying solely on corporate accounts (which typically underperform when compared to personal accounts), tapping into the diverse networks of employees broadens the audience and extends the brand's reach to new demographics. What's more, employees have access to additional channels and platforms, like direct messaging and online communities, that brands are unable to access at all through their corporate-sponsored marketing efforts.
3. Employee advocacy increases engagement and satisfaction
Encouraging advocacy can also create a positive cycle when it comes to employee engagement. Employees that feel pride in their employer and are actively involved in sharing wins and campaigns often enjoy a increased sense of belonging and satisfaction. This, in turn, contributes to higher levels of employee engagement and retention, which can then improve company results.
The right ways to implement an employee advocacy program
1. Provide clear guidelines
It's important to establish clear guidelines on what employees can and cannot share. Once these guidelines are established, they need to be communicated clearly, and re-shared periodically. It's a good idea to provide training on social media etiquette, data privacy, and the overall company tone og voice and messaging to make sure that advocacy efforts align with the organization's goals and values. It's also important communicate that participation is optional, and in no way to connected to the perceived performance of each employee. (More on that below.)
2. Encourage authentic content
In order for an employee advocacy program to succeed, it needs to be authentic. Encourage employees to share their personal experiences, achievements, and insights related to the company. While it's okay to offer some general messaging guidelines, avoid being overly prescriptive about the tone of voice that each employee uses when sharing. This genuine content is more relatable and resonates better with the audience.
3. Offer recognition and incentives
Recognizing and rewarding employees for their advocacy efforts helps encourage them to continue engaging. Whether through an internal recognition program or direct incentives like gift cards and company swag, or other forms of acknowledgment, show employees that you appreciate their employee advocacy efforts, and that they aren't being overlooked.
The wrong ways to implement an employee advocacy program
1. Forced Participation
Employee advocacy should always be voluntary. Forcing employees to participate can lead to insincere and unconvincing promotion, potentially harming the brand's reputation. Worse still, it can create resentment among employees, and potentially lead to decreased engagement and retention.
2. Lack of employee advocacy guidelines
Failing to provide clear guidelines of what employees should and shouldn't share may result in unintentional breaches of confidentiality or a misrepresentation of the company. These issues can result in serious consequences for both the employee and the organization.
3. Ignoring feedback
Employee advocacy should be seen as a dynamic process. Ignoring feedback or failing to address questions or concerns raised by employees can lead to disengagement and a breakdown in trust.
3 awesome examples of effective employee advocacy
#IBMProud
The #IBMProud campaign encouraged employees to share personal stories, achievements, and experiences working at IBM. This campaign, which is an example of employee advocacy, not only amplified the brand's reach but also helped humanize the company, making it more relatable to a wider audience.
Adobe's "Social Shift"
Adobe implemented a comprehensive employee advocacy program, encouraging staff to share company news, achievements, and industry insights. The program included training sessions, recognition initiatives, and clear guidelines. As a result, Adobe witnessed a significant increase in social media engagement and a positive impact on its brand image.
Dell's social media training program
Dell took a proactive approach to employee advocacy by implementing a social media training program. The program, which is an example of employee advocacy, equipped employees with the skills and knowledge to effectively and responsibly engage on social platforms. This not only amplified Dell's online presence but also empowered employees to become confident advocates for the brand.
Effective employee advocacy can be a powerful tool for organizations who want to build trust, expand their reach, and encourage a positive brand perception. As demonstrated by the three examples discussed above, a well-executed employee advocacy program can propel a brand to new heights, leaving a lasting impact on both employees and customers alike.
