Article

What is Brand Advocacy? How do You Build and Drive it?

Milton Herman

8 minute read

Brand advocacy is a popular form of modern business marketing. Brand advocates promote the business through word of mouth. Their positive reviews about the company’s products or services help to promote the company to new customers. Brand advocates also create new content for the business by posting items on their social media accounts.

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Who are the brand advocactes ?

Brand advocacy excites people both inside and outside the organization about your product or service.
Brand advocates can be employees, customers, or influencers. They spread the word about a brand much faster than paid advertising would.

1. Customers – Loyal buyers who share positive reviews and recommend the brand to others.
2. Employees – Internal advocates who believe in the company's mission and share its values.
3. Influencers & Ambassadors – Public figures or niche experts who promote the brand through content.
4. Partners & Stakeholders – Business partners who help spread the brand’s message.

How do you create a brand advocate ?

Creating a brand advocate requires building strong relationships with customers, employees, or influencers who genuinely love your brand and want to promote it voluntarily. Here’s how you can create brand advocates:

1. Deliver Exceptional Value

Ensure your product or service exceeds customer expectations.
Offer excellent customer support.
Continuously innovate and improve your offerings.

2. Provide a Memorable Customer Experience

Personalize interactions based on customer preferences.
Surprise and delight customers with unexpected perks or rewards.
Make every touchpoint (website, customer service, social media) seamless and enjoyable.

3. Engage and Build Relationships

Respond to customer inquiries, reviews, and comments promptly.
Engage with your audience on social media and in community forums.
Show appreciation through loyalty programs, shoutouts, and exclusive deals.

4. Encourage User-Generated Content

Create shareable content that customers would want to repost.
Run contests or challenges encouraging customers to showcase your brand.
Feature customer testimonials and success stories.

5. Leverage Employee Advocacy

Encourage employees to share their love for the brand.
Provide them with incentives and branded content to post.
Make them feel valued and engaged within the company.

6. Offer Incentives and Referral Programs

Create a structured referral program with rewards for word-of-mouth promotion.
Provide discounts, exclusive offers, or perks for advocates.
Recognize and reward your most loyal customers.

7. Build a Community Around Your Brand

Create a space for discussions (Facebook Groups, Discord, or a brand forum).
Host events, webinars, or meetups to strengthen relationships.
Encourage customers to network and connect through your brand.

8. Partner with Influencers and Loyal Customers

Identify customers who already love your brand and invite them into an ambassador program.
Collaborate with micro-influencers who align with your brand values.
Provide them with exclusive access to products, events, or experiences.

9. Share Stories and Make Advocates Feel Special

Highlight customer stories and testimonials on your platforms.
Send personalized thank-you messages or gifts.
Feature top advocates in brand campaigns.

10. Stay Authentic and Transparent

Avoid being overly promotional; let advocates speak in their own words.
Own up to mistakes and demonstrate a commitment to improvement.
Build trust by staying consistent with your brand values.

Brand advocacy isn't built overnight, but by consistently delighting customers and making them feel valued, they will naturally want to share their positive experiences with others.

Benefits of brand advocacy

Brand advocacy offers numerous benefits that can significantly enhance a company's growth and reputation. Here are some key advantages, supported by reliable statistics:

1. Enhanced Brand Recognition and Visibility

Implementing formal brand advocacy programs can substantially boost a company's visibility. Notably, 65% of companies report increased brand recognition after launching such initiatives. (Source : ambassify.com, sociabble.com)

2. Increased Trust and Credibility

Consumers tend to trust content shared by individuals more than that shared by companies. Specifically, 76% of people trust content from individuals over branded content, highlighting the credibility gained through advocacy. (Source : speakap.com)

3. Higher Engagement Rates

Content shared by employees often achieves greater engagement compared to official brand channels. Employee-generated content receives eight times more engagement than content shared through official brand channels. (Source : forbes.com)

4. Expanded Reach

Advocacy efforts can significantly amplify a brand's message. Brand messages shared by employees have a 561% greater reach than the same messages shared on official brand channels.

5. Improved Employee Engagement and Retention

Participating in advocacy programs can positively impact employees' connection to the company. A notable 86% of employees involved in such programs reported positive effects on their careers. (Source: tribalimpact.com)

6. Attraction of Top Talent

A strong brand advocacy program can enhance a company's reputation among potential hires. Employee advocacy programs attract 58% more top talent and enhance retention rates by 20%.

7. Cost-Effective Marketing

Advocacy marketing can lead to significant returns on investment. On average, brands generate a 650% ROI for every dollar invested in influencer and advocacy marketing. (Source : socialtoaster.com)

In summary, brand advocacy not only enhances a company's market presence but also fosters trust, engagement, and growth, making it a vital component of modern marketing strategies.

Types of brand advocacy

Employee Brand Advocacy

“I enjoy my work and find it fulfilling. My employer supports me gives me the tools I need to do my work well.” These are statements any supervisor would appreciate hearing.

Having employees act as brand advocates to tell the world about the fantastic company they work for and the great products it produces can be a successful persuasion technique.

This strategy works for both recruitment and sales. A positive comment from an employee about the perks they get, their flexible hours, or a delicious new ice cream flavor their company has launched is a valuable marketing tool.

Brands can no longer rely on paper advertising. Social media is the most effective form of communication that most people use daily. When did you last check your messages, notifications, or newsfeed? Was it within the last hour or two? Today, people are constantly checking their devices to make sure they don’t miss something happening that may affect them.

Adding a company intranet is one way to grow brand advocacy. It can contain brand advocacy apps to encourage employees to like and share content from inside and outside the company.

LumApps Employee Social Advocacy Solution Example

Customer Brand Advocacy

According to Marketing Charts, a Florida-based “hub of marketing data,” found that brand advocates are 50% more likely to influence a purchase. This could be through sharing by word of mouth or using digital media.

When we buy or experience something we’re happy with, we tell friends and family about it which engages them with the product or service. The constant use of cellphones and technology are promotional tools. If you went to a superb restaurant last week it’s so quick and easy to share the link with friends or a group. Then three of those people dine at the restaurant and share the link and so on… This is how brand advocacy works.

Influencer marketing works in the same way. If you get excellent customer service, sharing a picture of a product or the company’s logo on Instagram or Twitter plants a seed to draw attention to the brand. This kind of social mention can boost sales and is one of the easiest brand advocacy examples to achieve. The trick is to react fast, stay connected, and build relationships.

Why is Brand Advocacy so Important for Companies?

Brand advocacy can make a company stand out from the crowd. It‘s a powerful publicity machine that works for all types of organizations, from B2B companies to charities. A successful brand relies on how people perceive it. Brand advocacy contributes to this.

Here’s why brand advocacy is important:

Keeps a Company Ahead of the Competition

Being the brand that everyone’s talking about because of a new product or unforgettable ad campaign keeps a company ahead of its competitors.

Encourages Customer Loyalty

Loyal customers return and repurchase. They name the brand in conversations and influence how and what others buy.

Builds Trust

Building people’s trust is the key to creating a brand advocate. If someone trusts a company they believe in its values and how it treats them.

Boosts Content Creation

Advocates work as marketers for an organization without realizing it. Every time they post a video or share an article they’re giving the business free publicity. An invaluable marketing tool such as asking guests to post on a blog can boost brand awareness.

Promotes Business Growth

Brand advocates indirectly affect business growth as every new sale creates extra profit. Although difficult to measure, this form of subtle marketing should have a place in the marketing strategy as it’s as important as traditional marketing.

Helps Find New Audiences

Brand marketing has a target market. But what if that target market is saturated? How does an organization find fresh customers? Brand advocacy can find new audiences who may not be in the target category. For example, smartphone advertising aims at a certain age group. People outside that group may be encouraged to buy a smartphone if a friend or colleague they trust raves about it.

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How to Build an Effective Brand Advocacy Program

What is a brand advocacy program ? Definition

A Brand Advocacy Program is a structured marketing initiative designed to cultivate, encourage, and leverage loyal customers, employees, and influencers who actively promote a brand. It is a formalized way to turn enthusiastic supporters into brand ambassadors, who share positive experiences, refer others, and generate authentic word-of-mouth marketing.

Brand advocacy programs focus on building long-term relationships with advocates by providing them with incentives, exclusive access, and a sense of belonging to a brand community. Unlike traditional advertising, which relies on direct promotional efforts, brand advocacy is organic and driven by trust, making it one of the most effective marketing strategies.

The brand advocacy program should be included in marketing strategies. It should apply to both employees and external groups. This is the opportunity to encourage a passion for your brand and create something special. But how do you create brand advocacy programs?

1. Define your Advocates

Employee advocacy can’t be left to chance. From your customer and employee base, determine who your advocates are, as these people are loyal to your brand. You can do this by reviewing who engages with your posts. These people are going to help you improve your brand image. Look after your advocates and offer them rewards and incentives to keep them interested.

2. Make Sharing Posts Easy

Everyone is super busy in today’s digital world. How many times have you read an article or seen a product you want to buy and intended to go back to it later? But you didn’t get the time, forgot about it, moved on and something else caught your eye in the meantime. Make it easy to like, share, or repost your message when someone reads it. To do this, choose the best brand advocacy software that is easy to use, cost-effective, and reliable both for your intranet and website.

3. Be Consistent

Having a strong presence turns an organization into one that consumers trust. If you show up every day with a blog post or special offer people know you’re for real and care about what they think. They’re more likely to follow you and anticipate your posts each day. When customers spend money they like to feel safe, and a reliable organization nurtures this feeling.

4. Create Promotions

Everyone loves a great deal. Make special offers and discounts part of your brand advocacy program. Add to this referral programs, rewards, competitions, introductory offers and you’ve got a winning formula for getting people to support you.

5. Listen to your Employees and Customers

Your program should include asking employees and customers what they think. It’s easy to set up a website or intranet survey that only takes a couple of minutes to complete. Why not ask for testimonials and reviews? This kind of feedback can tell you if you’re doing things right. It’s also important to show you’ve listened by publishing results and opinions. This makes customers and employees advocates as they feel their opinion counts. You can also do this with a comments area – and make sure to always reply to comments promptly.

6. Be Real and Approachable

How often have you clicked away from a website that’s cold and boring? No one wants to buy from a website that feels unfriendly. People like to see the actual employees they’re dealing with. This means posting biographies on your managers and team leaders. On an intranet, this can be a detailed profile that employees complete themselves so colleagues can learn more about them. Being real creates trust, which leads to advocacy.

7. Set Goals

Set measurable and time-specific goals. For example, to increase post shares on the intranet by 50% in the next three months, or to achieve a set amount of mentions on Twitter for a new product launch.

How do you measure your Brand Advocacy?

Measuring the success of your brand advocacy program is important to justify any budget you spend and to review where to make improvements. The keys to measure brand advocacy are:

Review Goals

Consider your goals in detail and decide if they’re achievable. Keep reviewing them and identify what social media marketing works and what doesn’t.

Consider your Platform

Does your intranet or website give you the stats you need? Can it track and record views, likes, posts, etc., and present them in an understandable format? An efficient reporting platform is crucial to assessing your brand advocacy campaigns. A good platform: A good platform:

Is easy to use
Has a user-friendly dashboard
Can be tailored to suit your needs
Contains clear reporting tools

Track and Collect Data

The way you monitor views and likes of a blog post or article is essential to measure your brand advocacy. This includes:

What reach you’re achieving
Who is liking/sharing a post
Which campaigns work the best (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc.)

The results you get will show you whether your advocates are engaging with your brand. Do you see a pattern or are the “likes” you are getting random? You may find, for example, that your Facebook posts aren’t doing as well as you expected. Could this be because your product is not right for your advocates on this platform? Answers like this allow you to create an impact with your brand and engage the people who are most likely to be interested in it.

Keep Measuring

Recording brand advocacy is a long-term action to include in your marketing strategy. This form of organic marketing is growing and to keep ahead of the game it’s essential to consistently monitor brand advocacy results.

It’s also important to review who your advocates are and if they suit your market. As your organization develops so will your brand advocates.

Top brand advocacy ideas

Here are some successful brand advocacy campaigns that highlight how companies leverage brand advocates to boost awareness and loyalty:

1. Apple – User Evangelism & Word-of-Mouth

Strategy: Apple has built a cult-like following through high-quality products, sleek designs, and exceptional customer service. Apple users organically become brand advocates, recommending products and sharing experiences online.
Example: The #ShotOniPhone campaign encouraged users to share their iPhone photography, turning customers into advocates who showcased the camera quality.

2. Starbucks – Employee & Customer Engagement

Strategy: Starbucks empowers both customers and employees to advocate for the brand by providing a strong company culture and encouraging UGC (user-generated content).
Example: The Starbucks White Cup Contest asked customers to doodle on their Starbucks cups and share photos. The winning design was turned into a reusable cup, driving engagement and advocacy.

3. Tesla – Referral Program & CEO Advocacy

Strategy: Tesla relies on customer advocacy rather than paid advertising. Enthusiastic Tesla owners actively share their experiences and refer others.
Example: Tesla’s Referral Program rewarded customers with perks like free Supercharging or invitations to exclusive events when they referred friends.

4. Nike – Athlete & Social Media Advocacy

Strategy: Nike partners with athletes and encourages everyday customers to share their fitness journeys.
Example: The Nike Run Club App allows users to track progress and share achievements, turning them into brand advocates. Campaigns like #JustDoIt and collaborations with sports influencers drive advocacy.

5. Glossier – Community-Driven Brand Advocacy

Strategy: Glossier, a beauty brand, leverages customers as micro-influencers by making them central to product development and marketing.
Example: The Glossier Ambassador Program rewards customers who share their experiences online. Their focus on real customer testimonials helps create an authentic advocacy movement.

6. Airbnb – Storytelling & User Advocacy

Strategy: Airbnb encourages hosts and travelers to share their experiences through compelling stories and visuals.
Example: The Live There campaign encouraged customers to share their travel stories, making Airbnb experiences feel more personal and trustworthy.

7. Lululemon – Community Building & Employee Advocacy

Strategy: Lululemon built a strong advocacy program by engaging fitness instructors and store employees as brand ambassadors.
Example: The Lululemon Ambassador Program recruits yoga instructors and fitness trainers to wear and promote the brand while offering free workouts and community events.

How can companies concile intranets and brand advocacy ?

Companies can reconcile intranets and brand advocacy by turning their internal platforms into engagement hubs that educate, motivate, and empower employees to become brand advocates. Here’s how:

1. Use the Intranet as a Centralized Brand Advocacy Hub

Create a dedicated brand advocacy section where employees can access brand guidelines, success stories, and advocacy tips.
Provide a library of shareable content (e.g., social media posts, blog links, infographics) that employees can use to promote the company.

2. Encourage Employee Advocacy through Intranet Gamification

Implement a points-based reward system where employees earn points for sharing brand content on social media.
Recognize top advocates with leaderboards, badges, and prizes.
Feature "Employee Advocate of the Month" to highlight those who actively promote the brand.

3. Integrate Social Sharing Features

Allow employees to share company updates directly from the intranet to LinkedIn, Twitter, or Instagram with one click.
Provide pre-written, customizable posts so employees can easily advocate without extra effort.

4. Educate Employees on Brand Advocacy

Offer microlearning modules or short video tutorials on why employee advocacy matters and how to do it effectively.
Organize internal webinars with marketing and HR teams to discuss brand advocacy strategies.
Use the intranet to promote a brand ambassador program with clear roles and benefits.

5. Foster a Culture of Engagement & Communication

Use discussion forums and internal social networks to encourage conversations about company achievements.
Allow employees to submit content ideas or success stories for advocacy campaigns.
Share real-world examples of employees who benefited from brand advocacy, such as career growth or increased industry recognition.

6. Leverage Internal Influencers

Identify employees who are already passionate brand advocates and feature them in company newsletters or intranet interviews.
Encourage leaders and executives to be active on the intranet and lead by example in advocacy efforts.

7. Measure and Optimize Brand Advocacy Efforts

Use intranet analytics to track engagement levels and see which advocacy content employees interact with most.
Monitor social media metrics to measure the impact of employee advocacy efforts.
Collect employee feedback via surveys to refine the advocacy strategy.

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