Right, so I just wrapped up a cracking chat with Adam, the head of social strategy over at ‘Innovate Solutions’, and let me tell you, my brain is buzzing! We were diving deep into how they’re leveraging X (formerly known as Twitter, of course) to turn their employees into bonafide brand advocates. It wasn’t your typical corporate jargon-fest; more like a relaxed pub conversation about making X work, really work, for driving new business.
Adam started by painting a picture of their previous approach – fairly standard, relying heavily on the marketing team to push out content. But they felt like something was missing. Authenticity, genuine connection, and the raw passion of their employees who truly believed in what they were doing. That’s where the employee advocacy program came in, and X was central to it all.
Laying the Foundation: Training and Resources
First things first, they realised that simply telling employees to tweet about the company wouldn’t cut it. They needed to equip them with the right tools and knowledge. “Think of it like this,” Adam said, leaning back in his virtual chair, “we’re giving them the map and compass, not just chucking them into the wilderness.” So, Innovate Solutions created a comprehensive training program. It covered the basics of X, like hashtag usage and engaging in conversations, but also dived deeper into things like:
- Brand Voice: Understanding the nuances of their brand’s personality and how to reflect it in their own voice.
- Content Creation: Tips and tricks for creating engaging content, from short videos to thought-provoking threads. They even have internal workshops on crafting compelling visuals for X.
- Social Media Guidelines: Clear, easy-to-understand guidelines on what’s acceptable and what’s not. Adam emphasised the importance of empowering employees to share their own perspectives while staying within reasonable boundaries.
- X Spaces 101: A beginners guide to hosting and using X Spaces.
Recognising and Rewarding Advocacy
Adam was clear that the training was one half of the battle, the other half was nurturing an environment of support and appreciation. To ensure the program wasn’t just another corporate initiative gathering dust, they put in place a multi-faceted recognition and reward system. Their internal recognition program uses X analytics to gauge how well employees are representing the business with prizes for the top performers. This is measured against views, impressions and engagements. This encourages organic conversations about industry specific topics with employees using the tools available to them. These rewards span from company wide shout-outs to gift vouchers and even extra holiday time for top contributors.
Fostering Transparency and Trust
Underpinning everything was a culture of transparency and trust. Adam stressed the importance of being open with employees about the company’s goals and how their contributions on X could help achieve them. This includes regular updates, feedback sessions, and opportunities for employees to share their ideas and concerns. The results were impressive, and the employees were really driving business growth.
Understanding Your Target Audience on X
Adam was keen to stress that knowing your target audience on X is paramount. Who are you trying to reach? What are their interests? What kind of content do they engage with? Without this understanding, your employee advocacy efforts will fall flat. They use X analytics and social listening tools to identify key trends and conversations within their industry. They then encourage employees to create content that addresses these topics and engages with relevant hashtags and accounts. Critically, this involves not just pushing product updates but answering questions, sharing expertise, and providing valuable insights.
Innovative X Ideas
We then chatted specifically about innovative ways Innovate Solutions are using X to generate new business, and not just brand awareness. Employee-led X Spaces, as we mentioned, are a big hit. Employees can host these Spaces to discuss industry topics, answer customer questions, and share their expertise in real-time. This creates a more personal and engaging experience for potential customers. Adam said that these Spaces often generate leads and foster a sense of community around their brand, this happens because it is hosted by an approachable and relatable employee. Employees sharing company news and product updates is also important for relaying the correct information. The business encourages employees to share personal experiences related to the brand, which has proved to be very effective as people like to hear from real people.
Turning the Tide
So, what’s the secret sauce to a successful X-driven employee advocacy program? Well, if my chat with Adam taught me anything, it’s that it’s not just about pushing out content. It’s about empowering your employees to become authentic voices for your brand, providing them with the training and resources they need to succeed, and fostering a culture of transparency and trust. You need to recognise and reward those employees that put in the effort, to ensure you are not just paying lip service to their efforts. Most of all it’s about being aware of the target audience and knowing how to interact with them in a way that helps your business but also builds customer relationships. Get that right and you’re golden!
