Using content marketing to support employee advocacy and brand ambassadors involves creating and sharing valuable, engaging content that employees and brand ambassadors can easily share and amplify. Here’s a detailed guide on how to leverage content marketing for this purpose:
1. Develop a Clear Strategy
Define Objectives:
- Awareness: Increase brand visibility and reach.
- Engagement: Boost interaction and engagement with your content.
- Conversions: Drive traffic, leads, and sales.
Identify Key Audiences:
- Internal: Employees who will become advocates.
- External: Brand ambassadors and their audiences.
2. Create High-Quality, Shareable Content
Types of Content:
- Blog Posts: Insightful articles relevant to your industry.
- Infographics: Visual content that simplifies complex information.
- Videos: Engaging video content such as tutorials, behind-the-scenes, or interviews.
- Social Media Posts: Short, impactful messages and visuals tailored for each platform.
- Case Studies: Success stories that demonstrate the value of your products or services.
Content Guidelines:
- Consistency: Maintain a consistent brand voice and visual style.
- Relevance: Ensure content is relevant to your audience and provides value.
- Engagement: Create content that encourages interaction and sharing.
3. Equip Employees and Ambassadors with the Right Tools
Provide Training:
- Social Media Training: Educate employees on best practices for sharing content on social media.
- Brand Messaging: Train employees on key brand messages and how to communicate them.
Develop a Content Library:
- Central Repository: Create an easily accessible repository of shareable content.
- Regular Updates: Keep the content library updated with fresh, relevant content.
Utilize Advocacy Tools:
- Platforms: Use employee advocacy platforms like LinkedIn Elevate, Hootsuite Amplify, or Sociabble to streamline content sharing.
- Ease of Use: Ensure the tools are user-friendly and integrated with employees’ daily workflows.
4. Encourage and Incentivize Participation
Create a Culture of Advocacy:
- Leadership Support: Encourage company leaders to participate and lead by example.
- Recognize Efforts: Publicly recognize and reward employees and ambassadors for their advocacy efforts.
Incentives:
- Gamification: Implement gamified elements like leaderboards and badges to motivate participation.
- Rewards: Offer tangible rewards such as gift cards, extra time off, or professional development opportunities.
5. Foster Community and Engagement
Internal Communities:
- Forums and Groups: Create internal groups or forums where employees can share ideas and support each other.
- Regular Updates: Keep employees informed about new campaigns, content, and company news.
External Ambassadors:
- Exclusive Content: Provide brand ambassadors with exclusive content and early access to new products.
- Engagement: Regularly engage with ambassadors through feedback sessions, Q&As, and recognition events.
6. Measure and Optimize
Track Key Metrics:
- Engagement: Monitor likes, shares, comments, and overall engagement.
- Reach: Measure the increase in reach and impressions.
- Conversions: Track traffic, leads, and sales generated from advocacy efforts.
Feedback Loop:
- Collect Feedback: Gather feedback from employees and ambassadors on the content and tools provided.
- Continuous Improvement: Use the feedback to refine and improve your content marketing and advocacy strategies.
Example Implementation
Content Creation:
- Blog Post: Write an article about industry trends and ask employees to share it with their networks.
- Infographic: Create an infographic summarizing key data points from a recent report and encourage sharing on social media.
- Video: Produce a behind-the-scenes video of a product launch and distribute it to brand ambassadors for promotion.
Advocacy Tools and Training:
- Training Session: Host a webinar to train employees on effective social media use and brand messaging.
- Content Library: Develop a Google Drive or similar repository where employees can easily access shareable content.
Incentives and Community Building:
- Gamification: Launch a points-based system where employees earn points for sharing content and can redeem them for rewards.
- Recognition: Feature top advocates in the company newsletter and on social media channels.
By systematically creating valuable content, equipping employees and ambassadors with the right tools, and fostering a supportive community, you can effectively leverage content marketing to enhance employee advocacy and brand ambassadorship.