Although most businesses now realize that social media can play a significant role in their marketing and employer branding, few recognize the value of their employees and the role that they can play in the business’s social media efforts.
The average person has five social media accounts, so it is highly likely that employees are already very active online and would be willing to become a social media advocate for the company. Not only are your employees a more trustworthy source than official company accounts, but getting them involved in sharing brand-related content can also expand your reach significantly.
Everyone Social has put together an infographic looking at how businesses can amplify their brand voice by encouraging employees to be vocal on social media. Here’s how your company could benefit from employee advocacy:
How are businesses using social media?
- On average companies post: 1-2 times a day on Facebook; 4-15 times a day on Twitter and 20 times per month on LinkedIn
- 50% of employees are posting about their employer on social media, and of this 50% 1/3 of the posts are positive
- 39% of employers ask their employees to keep an eye out for social media posts about the company
How are employers helping employees to get involved in social media?
- 13% provide employees with one or more social media account
- 35% provide access to social media at work
- 55% of employers provide readily available tools for employees to use on social media
How can social media affect employee engagement?
- Employees with the most extensive online networks are 7% more productive than their colleagues.
- Employees of socially engaged companies are 20% more likely to stay at the organization.
What are the benefits of employee advocacy on social media?
- Content shared by employees receives 8x more engagement than that shared by official brand channels
- Brand messages reach 561% further when shared by employees, then by official brand channels
- 90% of consumers said that they trust social media and word-of-mouth recommendations by friends and family more than other advertising.
More on this topic at Employee Advocacy: The Ultimate Handbook.
