Boost your brand with corporate influencers – discover top 5 trends
Why a corporate influencer programme is the new gamechanger in corporate communication
Corporate influencers are employees or managers who appear on the company’s social media channels as ambassadors of the brand and thus positively influence the image of the organisation. The idea is that the influencers provide authentic and personal insights into the working world and the corporate culture and thus establish a connection with potential customers and employees. This form of marketing is particularly relevant due to the increasing importance of social media and employer branding.
Brand and advertising ambassadors are becoming increasingly important in corporate communications. According to a study by Edelman Trust Barometer from 2021, employees have a higher credibility as company ambassadors than CEOs or PR managers. “Employees are the most trusted spokespeople on every issue – more than NGOs, government officials or even CEOs,” the study concludes.
The renowned magazine Forbes also predicts a strong increase in corporate influencer programmes in the coming years. According to an article from 2021, the demand for corporate influencer programmes will continue to rise in the coming years as companies increasingly rely on the opinions of their employees and want to use their reach on social media platforms.
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Employer Brand Ambassador – Success factors for a successful corporate influencer programme
Corporate influencers are on the rise and the companies that adapt to this development and set up appropriate programmes have a clear competitive advantage. Some trends are highlighted below:
- Credibility and trust: More and more people use social media as a source of information and rely on recommendations from people they know and trust. Ambassadors can help build trust and credibility for the brand.
- Humanisation: A brand is often perceived as impersonal and inaccessible. However, by engaging employees, a brand can be humanised and made more accessible. Ambassadors can interact with the target group in a personal and authentic way and thus build a stronger bond.
- Employer branding: Not only ambassadors for the brand, but also for the company as an employer. They can contribute to improving the company’s image as an attractive employer by sharing insights into their daily work or personal experiences. In addition, personal branding can serve as an effective complement to employer branding, as engaged and authentic employees can act as strong brand ambassadors – read more here.
- Reach: Promotional ambassadors often have a strong online presence and can achieve a wide reach. By sharing content through their social networks, they can reach more people than a corporate account. A study by LinkedIn found that employee posts get on average 2x more engagement than brand posts.
- Engagement: Ambassadors often have a wide reach and can help increase brand and company awareness. They can also increase engagement through targeted interactions with their community.
- Authenticity: Corporate influencers can show a more human side of the company and thus strengthen the trust of the target group. Through their authenticity, they can also help to improve the image of the company.
Why it is imperative to address the issue strategically
In view of the many advantages, it is important that the topic is approached strategically. This is the only way to adequately train, coach and educate employees. To build a successful programme, the following steps should be followed:
- Defining the goals: Before setting up a corporate influencer programme, clear goals must be defined. What should be achieved? Should employees be won over as ambassadors for the brand? Should the employer brand be strengthened? Should more followers be reached on the social media channels? By setting goals, the success of the programme can be measured later.
- Selection of employees: Not every employee is suitable to be an ambassador. Therefore, certain criteria should be taken into account in the selection process, such as affinity with the topic, the ability to communicate authentically and the willingness to get involved.
- Training and education: Ambassadors should not just be thrown in at the deep end. They need targeted education and training to improve their communication skills and ensure that they can convey the brand message in an authentic and professional way.
- Coaching and support: Promotional ambassadors also need ongoing coaching and support to ensure they are effective in their role as brand ambassadors. Regular interaction with a mentor or coach can help overcome potential challenges and obstacles and maximise the success of the programme.
- Integration into the corporate strategy: A successful corporate influencer programme needs to be integrated into the corporate strategy. It should not just be seen as a separate initiative, but as part of a holistic approach to improving brand awareness and increasing employee engagement and satisfaction.
- Measuring success: Finally, it is important to regularly measure and evaluate the success of the Ambassador Programme. This can be done by using metrics such as reach, engagement rate and follower growth. In this way, the programme can be continuously improved and optimised to achieve the best possible results.
By taking a mandatory strategic approach to a corporate influencer programme and adequately training, coaching and coaching employees, companies can benefit from the many advantages such a programme offers.
Conclusion – It is an important building block
Corporate influencing is an important building block for successful marketing and employer branding
To successfully implement a brand ambassador programme in an organisation, the most important thing is to have the right strategy. Companies should be aware that this is a long-term process that requires regular training, education and coaching. Ambassadors also need to be carefully selected to ensure that they are a good fit for the brand and the company and that they are able to convey their messages in a credible way.
There are many examples of companies that have successfully implemented ambassador programmes. One of these examples is the BMW Group. The company has developed an internal training programme to train employees to become corporate influencers. Participants are not only trained in social media and content marketing, but also in soft skills such as presentation techniques and storytelling. The BMW Group also relies on close cooperation between the corporate influencers and the marketing department to ensure that the messages are consistent and authentic.
Another example is Deutsche Bahn, which has launched a programme called “DB Inside Bahn”. This is an internal social media network that allows employees to provide insights into their work and share their knowledge and experiences with others. In this way, employees become advertising ambassadors and help to strengthen the Deutsche Bahn brand.
Overall, it can be said that promotional ambassador programmes are an important part of the modern marketing strategy. They can contribute to strengthening the brand image, increasing employee
satisfaction and position the company as an attractive employer. However, implementing such a programme requires careful planning and execution to be successful.
In conclusion, it is high time to implement a promotional ambassador programme in your organisation to benefit from the many advantages it offers. By turning your employees into brand ambassadors, you can strengthen the brand image, increase employee satisfaction and position your company as an attractive employer. Now is the time to take action and address the issue strategically.
SOURCES
BMW Group (2021). BMW Group Corporate Influencer Program. Retrieved 10.03.2023 from https://www.bmwgroup.com/en/responsibility/employees/bmw-group-corporate-influencer-program.html
Deutsche Bahn (2021). DB Inside Bahn – Unsere Mitarbeitende auf Social Media. Retrieved 10.03.2023 from https://www.deutschebahn.com/de/ueber-uns/inside-bahn-725710
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