Right, let’s dive in. So, I recently had a cracking chat with Freya, a marketing whiz who’s been instrumental in turbocharging her company’s growth using – wait for it – Facebook. Not just ads, mind you, but through a clever employee advocacy program. I was eager to pick her brains about how they turned their team into a legion of brand ambassadors on the world’s biggest social platform.
Finding the Right Frequency and Content
“It all started,” Freya explained, sipping her tea, “with the realisation that our employees are our most credible advocates. People trust people, especially their friends and family on Facebook, far more than they trust corporate messaging.” Makes perfect sense, doesn’t it? Think about it, if you saw a friend share something about a company they work for and genuinely endorse it, you’d be far more inclined to check it out than if you just saw an advert.
So, the first step, according to Freya, was building a program that made it easy and rewarding for employees to share relevant content. This isn’t about forcing employees to become billboards, but rather empowering them to share what they genuinely believe in, with their individual spin on it. Here’s the breakdown of the key ideas:
- Content is King (and Queen):“We don’t just throw any old marketing spiel at our employees,” Freya laughed. “We curate content that’s genuinely interesting, useful, or funny. Behind-the-scenes glimpses of the company, blog posts addressing common customer problems, even just sharing a positive customer review – these are gold dust.” The rule of thumb here is that it has to be something the employee themselves would genuinely find interesting enough to share.
- Making it Easy:“Time is precious,” Freya emphasized. “So, we use a tool that allows us to pre-approve content and make it easily shareable with just a few clicks.” This means employees don’t have to spend ages crafting the perfect post; they can simply choose from a library of approved materials and add their personal touch.
- Clear Guidelines, Not Strict Rules:It’s important to provide employees with guidelines about what they can and can’t say, but avoid being overly restrictive. Employees need to feel like they can be authentic and express their own opinions.
Training: The Secret Sauce
Of course, simply giving employees content to share isn’t enough. Freya’s team invested heavily in training. “We run regular workshops on social media best practices,” she said. “Things like how to craft engaging posts, how to use relevant hashtags, and how to respond to comments and questions.”
But the training goes deeper than just the technical aspects. “We also focus on brand voice and ethical considerations,” Freya explained. “It’s crucial that our employees understand the company’s values and are able to represent them authentically online. They need to be transparent about their affiliation with the company and avoid making misleading or exaggerated claims.” Ethical considerations are key.
Incentivising the Right Behaviour
Now, let’s talk about incentives. Freya’s company uses a points-based system. “Employees earn points for sharing content, engaging with posts, and referring new customers,” she said. “These points can then be redeemed for rewards like extra holiday days, gift vouchers, or even cash bonuses.”
But Freya was quick to point out that the incentives are not about rewarding mindless sharing. “It’s about encouraging genuine engagement and rewarding employees who are actively contributing to the company’s success.”
Measuring Success (and Adapting)
Finally, Freya stressed the importance of tracking results. “We use social media analytics to monitor the reach and engagement of employee-shared content,” she explained. “This allows us to see what’s working and what’s not, and to adjust our strategy accordingly. It’s an ongoing process of learning and refinement.” For example, if shares result in an increase in new qualified leads, that is very good for example.
Ethical Considerations and Community Guidelines: Employees should be transparent about their affiliation with the company. They should never engage in deceptive practices, such as creating fake accounts or spreading misinformation. It’s also important to be respectful of community guidelines and avoid posting anything that could be considered offensive or inappropriate. A breach of these guidelines should be taken seriously and dealt with accordingly.
The Bottom Line:
Freya’s experience shows that employee advocacy programs can be a powerful way to amplify brand reach, build trust, and generate new business on Facebook. But it’s not a magic bullet. It requires careful planning, ongoing training, and a genuine commitment to empowering employees to become brand ambassadors. It is also important to keep things authentic and transparent. Give it a try, and who knows, you might just unlock some Facebook gold of your own!
