In the rapidly transforming business ecosystem, companies are constantly seeking new ways drive higher sales by creating content and connecting with prospects in a meaningful manner.  

While traditional marketing methods, digital branding, and paid social media advertising have their merits, they often fall short in establishing a personal and meaningful relationships.  

Enter a powerful solution: employee advocacy. 

An employee’s post shared on social media garners a staggering 561% more engagement compared to the same post shared by the company.  

This statistic alone underscores the potential of leveraging employees as brand ambassadors to amplify a company’s message and reach a broader audience. 

Employee Advocacy vs. Paid Ads: What to Pick? 

The contrast between employee advocacy and paid ads is quite compelling. Imagine the scenario where a company’s employees become advocates, sharing content about the company within their personal networks.  

If we were to calculate the potential ROI in terms of exposure, the numbers speak for themselves.  

Example: With 100 employee advocates, each having a social network of 500 people, sharing 10 posts per month, and accounting for a network overlap factor of 0.7, the potential audience touchpoints could reach an impressive 350,000. 

What’s more remarkable is that this exposure comes with an investment equivalent to zero dollars. However, the return could be substantial, potentially translating to 500 paid customers. These figures highlight the undeniable potential of employee advocacy. 

Benefits of an Employee Advocacy Program 

The benefits of utilizing employees as brand ambassadors extend beyond numbers.  

Research has shown that campaigns driven by employee social media lead to a remarkable 700% increase in conversion rates.  

Having a solid employee advocacy program in place can boost a brand’s overall social engagement by up to 40%. 

The impact on trust and personalization is undeniable in this case. When employees share company content on their personal profiles, it establishes a level of authenticity and credibility that traditional advertising struggles to achieve.  

In fact, 84% of consumers prioritize recommendations from people they know over other forms of advertising. This personal touch not only extends the reach but also builds trust among the audience.  

Consequently, when a product or service recommendation comes from a trusted source, like an employee, 77% of consumers are more likely to make a purchase. 

Harnessing the Power of Employee Advocacy 

The influence of employee advocacy is particularly pronounced among younger demographics. Over 63% of individuals aged 18 to 34 trust an influencer’s opinion more than the brand’s own advertisements.  

Real-world success stories underscore this potential: ACI Worldwide reported a 130% surge in social media traffic and a 40% increase in converted leads through employee-shared content. 

It’s not surprising that nearly half of Chief Marketing Officers consider employee advocacy their most effective branding initiative.  

In fact, around 30% of brand engagement can be attributed to employees, who are 14X more likely to share brand content. 

Fostering Employee Engagement 

Effectively harnessing employee advocacy requires thoughtful and data-driven strategies in place that ensure results. Here are 5 strategies to turn employees into brand ambassadors: 

1. Establishing Formal Programs: Equipping employees with ready-to-share content helps them engage as thought leaders while promoting the brand. A well-defined social media policy can clarify permissible content sharing, and boost participation. 
2. Communicating Vision: Clearly communicating the company’s vision and values ensures that employees understand and align with the overarching goals. 
3. Identifying Brand Ambassadors: Recognize and empower enthusiastic employees who embody the brand’s ethos to make them loyal brand ambassadors. 
4. Content Strategy: Develop a comprehensive content strategy that resonates with both the brand and the employees, facilitating seamless sharing. 
5. Investing in Training: A structured reskilling program empowers employees to build their personal brand on social media, creating a win-win situation. 

The era of personalized brand experiences is here, and it’s driven by the authentic voices of a company’s own employees. 

By leveraging Draup’s advanced sales intelligence, businesses can gain a deeper understanding of their prospects and their pain points which enables personalization and hyper-targeted pitching. Employees can help bring in leads and sales reps can convert them using AI-driven sales intelligence.