An Employee Advocacy Program is a must in today’s economy. It’s a critical part of the company’s marketing plan and key to its success and longevity within its respective industry. Now more than ever, people are looking towards influencers for genuine advice and insight. In this case, influencers are your employees. Employee Advocacy Programs can determine the perception of a company’s reputation. These programs garner more reach and influence than most of the traditional marketing efforts.
Before filling out an application or buying a product and/or service, a prospective employee/customer can look up your company’s rating on popular websites. It’s imperative to paint a true picture of your company’s environment and what better way to do that than through the mouths of your own employees.
Don’t worry if you don’t have an Employee Advocacy program in place. Here at KWSM, we thought of a few helpful tips to get your program up and running.
Here are 3 Simple Cost-Effective Ways to Begin your Employee Advocacy Program in the Workplace:
Post and Re-post Positive Social Media Content
First and foremost, announce the initiative and its importance to the company. Each company should have a social media policy in their handbook. Simply speak to the policy and the addition of the new employee advocacy program. They already use social media; why not encourage them to use their platforms to the company’s benefit. Make it fun and give incentive points for positive posts using relevant hashtags. Encourage posting team-building exercises, workshops, team meetings, employees using the product and/or service, and anything related to the company culture that speaks to your core values. Posting and re-posting these activities will garner a positive reputation and in turn, have a positive impact on your customers and prospective employees.
Blog! And Blog Some More
Blogging is the most important tool in your EAP and Digital Marketing Toolkit. Your employees should be your subject matter experts. By generating subject matter content, the company will not only increase your SEO rating organically but also transform your employees to thought leaders in your respective industry. Consumers will begin coming to your page for insights and the newest trends in your respective fields. Cadence and topic are the two most important things to keep in mind when creating a blog schedule. Post frequent and relative content to highlight the company’s product and/or service, industry news, case studies, and any other relevant hot topics within the industry. Don’t forget to share on all company social media channels and encourage re-posts and re-tweets.
Highlight and Promote Positive Employee Testimonials and Reviews Online
Before you go out to eat or see a movie, chances are you’ve already Yelped it or checked the Tomatometer on Rotten Tomatoes. We live in a rate and review era, and it’s not slowing down any time soon. Companies need to be aware of these trends and promote positive testimonials and reviews from their biggest asset, their employees. Companies are moving away from the lengthy consumer case studies and are taking snippets to post on their website as a positive testimonial. Why not use small positive employee testimonials on the About Us and Careers page. Promote and encourage leaving positive reviews on the companies products and/or services and experiences. Positive testimonials and reviews are great content for social media. Use these posts to generate positive exposure for your company and services.
At its core, an Employee Advocacy Program promotes the company in a positive light. By putting this program in place, companies can learn and grow with their employees and build stronger, more genuine relationships with their customers. Use this blog to help set up your company for success!
Did you know? Nearly all small businesses (95%) will increase their spending on digital marketing this year, indicating that digital marketing is a valuable, high-return investment.
If you’re looking to invest more in digital marketing for your business but don’t know where to start, give us a call. KWSM is a full-service digital marketing agency, and we specialize it transforming small businesses through online marketing.
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