6 Steps for starting your Employee Advocacy Program

in Influencer Marketing

Employee advocates are able to promote your brand with more authority and authenticity than average consumers because they already understand your product. However, only a few companies are taking advantage of creating an advocate program. Following these six steps listed below will help you succeed in launching an Employee Advocacy program.

#1 Have Clear Goals

An employee advocacy program should not be thought of as an event, to be successful it needs to be a well oiled and fully functional machine. Even if your employee advocacy program produces instant results, you will still need plenty of patience to reap the full benefit. Start by laying down clear and achievable goals. What is the purpose of the program and how do you plan on accomplishing these goals?

#2 Have Measurable Metrics

Choosing the right metrics to measure allows you to keep track of the progress of your Employee Advocacy program.

Identify your Key Performance Indicators. Some examples might include: amount of post shared, clicks, comments and conversions, and your brand’s performance during the lifecycle of the program.

You will also need to stay flexible, as things can change over time due to the business climate or technology.

#3 Take Employee Training Seriously

While some employees are gurus on social media, others may be completely new to it. This is why it’s important to provide adequate training for those who are passionate about helping, but may not understand the aspects of social media.

The basic objective of the program is that employees promote your company using their social media accounts. However, if some employees don’t understand the best way to do this, you won’t be able to take full advantage of the program.

#4 Build a Team

Employee Advocacy programs are different than ambassador or affiliate programs. Because they demand more than your average affiliate program, you will need a team to help you manage your budget and strategy.

Your program will run smoother if there are clear expectations. Suggest social posts and events to attend, as well as an easily accessible schedule for team members to follow.

#5 Conduct Regular Follow-ups

While some employees will catch on quickly with the program, others may not fully understand the actual value that they are providing. Follow-ups allow you to identify those employees that may be struggling as well as those that are performing well.

Follow-ups also ensure that your employees understand that what they share can damage the reputation of your company. By conducting follow-ups, you’ll be able to avoid these costly mistakes.

#6 Tweak and Refine

Employee advocacy programs are still very new and unique for brands. You will need to continue to tweak and refine your program in order to see its beneficial results.

As you don’t have the solution to every challenge, it’s important to seek the input of your employees and colleagues in order to improve. Constant communication also ensures that your employees are up to date with the direction that your brand is headed.