It’s an undeniable fact that social media is an infinitely powerful tool that has engendered a paradigm shift in the way that businesses market their content. Many businesses are investing significantly in social media and content marketing. In this B2B Benchmark Report by the Content Marketing Institute and MarketingProfs shows that:

• 88% of B2B companies are utilizing content marketing
• 76% plan to create more content in 2016.
• 28% of marketing budgets go to content marketing

But there’s a downside. This creates a huge marketing challenge as businesses struggle to gain traction in an increasingly noisy world. The good news is that there’s a way to beat this. Employee advocacy offers a prime opportunity for businesses to get their voice out there and to strengthen their brand by using their most fundamental resource. Yep, You guessed it! Your employees are what will make the difference between an underwhelming content marketing strategy and one that is equipped to funnel through the ear-splitting noise. If you’re thinking about purchasing an employee advocacy program to maximize your sales and marketing power, then bravo! You are already ahead of the curve. Such a complex and holistic approach to marketing must be approached with a strategic alliance and sufficient investments. However, the true essence of employee advocacy continues to elude many, making it quite difficult to generate support for the initiative. Here are some helpful insights:

Community & Culture Are Crucial for Employee Advocacy

Companies need to generate enough buzz about the holistic benefits of the employee advocacy program so that everyone involved would be compelled to rally around the cause. To scale a program that encompasses a multifaceted approach, there needs to be a deliberate attempt at fostering an entire culture centered upon driving its success. This doesn’t mean that you have to go all in one time. Rather, employee advocacy requires small and consistent steps. Start with a few employees who are motivated and will champion the program by not only doing their part but bringing other employees on board.

True Leaders Serve Their Employees

Leaders of top-performing businesses serve their employees by encouraging their endeavors and investing in their personal development. When time and effort are invested in the personal brand of the employee, they are more likely to commit to making the program a success. The success of your employees can then be leveraged to market and boost the company’s brand voice. It also adds a human element to your business which increases authenticity and engagement ten-fold.

Content Is King

Beyond brand awareness, employee advocacy has instrumental implications for content sharing and engagement. It is no secret that a business looking to evolve into a powerful social-influencer needs a clear content strategy that is geared towards scaling content sharing. Superior quality content delivered at a consistent pace is what will provide the infrastructure for all the efforts of your employee's. The success of an employee advocacy program is dependent on content that is unique, valuable and above all, shareable. Employees should also have the ability to tailor the information that they’re promoting to suit their own unique voice so that there is a level of authenticity. People are more likely to engage with genuine human interaction rather than the contrived dispatch of a marketing team.

Let Your Employee Advocacy ROI Do The Talking

The initial investment in setting up an advocacy program will result in significant returns. A report by Deloitte noted that customers referred by advocates have a 37% higher retention rate. Similarly, Sales For life reported gaining 507 new subscribers to their email lists within 3 months of purchasing an employee advocacy program. Out of these subscribers, at least 10 of them turned out to be qualified leads with the potential to generate a six-figure revenue. No doubt, the mathematics bear testament to the fact that employee advocacy has significant ROI. In an article published by Diginomica, trained employees were reported to have 3x more likelihood to share content at twice the average rate. They also saw 50% more engagement with their content and twice the click-through rate. Wow. Not a bad return on investment. Smart brands are becoming increasingly aware of the astronomical benefits of fortifying their bottom line with increased social media awareness. The exponential impact that an employee advocacy program can have on your business in terms of ROI is massive. Are you ready to breathe life into your business with this new wave of innovative marketing technology? Allow your brand voice to resonate with the masses by investing in an employee advocacy program.