In these times of tight budgets and competitive business environments, marketing teams are turning into adaptable movers, expertly finding creative ways to do more with less and still provide value to their audience. One of those creative strategies is employee advocacy. This powerful and cost-effective strategy harnesses the potential of employees to improve brand awareness, trust, and more.
In this blog, we go into the three main benefits of employee advocacy, and show you why it’s a valuable part of a well-rounded marketing strategy, especially in times of tight budgets.
As members of various online and offline communities, employees are ideal spokespersons for your company. They can generate buzz and organic conversation around your brand in places you maybe haven’t thought about yet (pilates class, anyone?). Since people are more likely to trust recommendations from friends, family, and others in their community, employee advocacy builds your brand’s credibility and increases trust in your brand.
When looking at the numbers, having employees who actively support your brand is a low-cost alternative to traditional advertising. Though work can be a struggle sometimes, people are generally likely to share positive experiences they’ve had with their company and products. Word-of-mouth marketing is still a highly effective, yet inexpensive, way to spread the word on those experiences. This helps marketing teams achieve their goals without having to spend more on paid advertising.
Employee advocacy can also improve your company's SEO and online presence. As employees share content about your brand on social media and other channels, they are creating valuable backlinks to your website. This helps improve your search rankings and increases your visibility online. Make sure you include some form of training here, since simply pressing the “repost” button isn’t enough when it comes to creating truly valuable backlinks. Encourage your employees to add their own vision, takeaways, or knowledge to the original post in order to add that extra layer of personalization.
In summary, employee advocacy is a powerful tool for marketing teams working with limited budgets. Not only does it boost brand awareness, credibility, and trust, but it also helps companies work more efficiently and effectively, engages employees, and improves their SEO and overall reach. By leveraging the potential of your employees, you can give your brand the boost it needs – without breaking the bank.
Looking for cost-effective ways to expand your brand's reach? Schedule a demo with Marvia to learn how employee advocacy can become your secret weapon.