An employee advocacy program is a must these days for maintaining a strong presence in the social space and also meeting the needs of a more connected workforce and client base.
However, implementing an effective employee advocacy program is easier said than done. Mistakes that can entirely derail your advocacy program are all too common. If these mistakes are not addressed in time, you are unlikely to see your advocacy efforts come to fruition.
1. Not having a well-planned strategy in place
Aren’t advocacy programs easy? Simply nudge employees to share your social media posts, and watch the engagement explode in no time. Not quite. This wishful thinking is the recipe for a program that stalls before takeoff.
For a thriving advocacy program, strategy is indispensable First, lock down a SMART goal–Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound. Next, choose the metrics that will guide you toward success. Finally, clarify the content you want to be shared and establish clear program guidelines.
Don't underestimate the power of a documented strategy. A well-laid-out plan ensures easy knowledge transfer across departments and prevents confusion. Remember, a marketing plan whispered down the grapevine is poised for disaster, and advocacy programs are no different.
2. Launching your advocacy program without pilot testing
Before your advocacy program is initiated for the entire company, consider a pilot test with a select group of internal brand champions. For this, you’ll need your social media gurus–employees in customer-facing roles with established followings.
But why this pre-launch maneuver? A pilot program with these program advocates allows you to:
- Identify and smooth over any logistical hiccups before a full-scale rollout
- Test the program messaging–how you'll communicate the program to employees –so that you’ll have a clear understanding and engagement. Refine the rules and instructions based on their feedback
- Find out which incentives resonate most with employees and encourage them to actively participate
- Gather real-life insights from the pilot program to highlight the power of employee advocacy for leadership buy-in
When it is time for a full-scale rollout, these early program advocates can lead the full-scale rollout. They'll be your internal influencers; they;ll drum up excitement and buy-in from the rest of the team.
3. Not using the right tools for the job
Do you think you can skip the fancy tools and launch your program on sheer willpower? Sure, it's technically possible, but achieving the results you hoped for? That's another story entirely.
For something as distributed and complex as employee advocacy, relying just on elbow grease falls short:
- Distributing the content you want to be shared across various teams is crucial. Without a platform, it's like wrangling a herd of digital cats
- If you cannot communicate the program guidelines, confusion arises. Without a centralized hub, communication becomes difficult
- You need to track and display program success to motivate employees further. You’re just flying blind without clear metrics
- Making content easy to share is really important. A clunky process is a surefire way to stall engagement
Ideally, you want a one-stop solution for all this that handles everything from content ideation and creation to publishing and distribution. That's where platforms like Highperformr shine.
Highperformr brings a complete employee advocacy suite made to ease the process of sharing brand content on social media and improve organic engagement with zero ad spend. Highperformr equips your employees with the tools and content they need to talk about your brand on their personal social profiles, and the Social AI copilot turns blogs and case studies into social posts to improve content visibility.
With streamlined distribution, content creation, and multi-channel publishing—all within a single, integrated platform—Highperformr empowers your program to soar.
4. Ignoring metrics and performance status
In the frenzy of launching an advocacy program, some organizations ignore measuring program performance. But without that data, it's like playing darts with your eyes closed. You might hit the target occasionally, but overall success remains unclear.
To extract the full potential of your advocacy program, you need to start taking metrics seriously.
- Without clear benchmarks and measurement strategies, you have no way of knowing how well your advocacy efforts are doing. Are you on the right track? Do you need to adjust your approach? Track your engagement metrics to refine your advocacy strategy.
- You display the impact of employee participation on achieving program goals only with precise indicators. Employees who see their contributions driving results are far more likely to stay engaged. This is more true when rewards and incentives are tied to predefined targets
Measurement keeps you accountable, optimizes your efforts, and motivates your employee advocates.
5. Not paying attention to training and coaching
Another giant misstep in employee advocacy programs is neglecting training and coaching. Without a solid grasp of the company's goals and why advocacy matters, employees are left in the dark. Confusion breeds hesitancy and hinders program participation.
Plus, employees lacking social media expertise might make missteps and potentially damage your brand reputation. And if your employees are feeling unprepared, they’ll probably shy away from participating, which dismisses the potential of your program.
You need to invest in comprehensive training and ongoing support to prepare your employees. They'll gain the knowledge and confidence to become vocal brand advocates.
6. No diversity in the content published
A content feed that's all company, all the time does no good for your advocacy program. While promoting your products and services has its place, a truly effective program needs more variety to keep your audience engaged.
People crave more than just promotional messages. Sharing a range of content, like articles, case studies, and videos, creates a richer experience for your audience. You also need to showcase industry insights and thought leadership content to bolster your company's credibility. It positions you as a trusted resource, not just a product pusher.
Keep in mind that you're aiming to resonate with a specific audience. Encourage employees to share content relevant and interesting to them, fostering deeper connections.
Don’t Let Silly Mistakes Sink Your Employee Advocacy Program
Running an effective advocacy program comes with its fair share of challenges–creating, launching, and encouraging participation is no easy feat. But if you avoid the common mistakes and take the right steps along the way, you’ll see your program bring results in no time.
Steer clear of one of the biggest mistakes companies make by not choosing the right tool. Highperformr is a complete social media management solution with an integrated employee advocacy suite that consolidates all of the content creation, optimization, distribution, and publishing processes.Sign up for Highperformr today.
