In today’s digital age, employee advocacy is one of the most powerful tools for expanding brand visibility and fostering an authentic connection with your audience. When employees share content on behalf of your company, it feels more genuine and relatable—creating trust and encouraging further engagement. But how do you create content that employees are excited to share? The answer lies in ensuring your content has these 5 key elements that make it highly shareable.
Let’s dive into these crucial elements and explore how you can enhance your employee advocacy campaigns.
1. Visual Appeal – Grab Attention Instantly
Visual content is a game-changer in the world of social media. We process visuals 60,000 times faster than text, making it the best tool to capture attention. To make your content attractive to share, it must include eye-catching visuals like images, videos, or infographics that immediately grab the viewer’s attention.
Why it matters:
Employees often find it time-consuming and challenging to create content that is both engaging and visually appealing. They may struggle with making their posts stand out or crafting something compelling enough to share. That’s why they appreciate any help in creating polished, eye-catching content that not only looks great but also captures attention in their newsfeeds. When content is visually striking and well-crafted, employees are far more likely to share it, increasing engagement and expanding its reach within their networks.
What you can do:
- Use vibrant, high-quality images that align with your brand’s visual style.
- Experiment with video clips or animations to add a dynamic touch.
- Create shareable infographics that condense complex information into digestible, engaging visuals.
2. Compelling Storytelling – Connect on an Emotional Level
People love stories. Whether it’s a personal experience, a customer success story, or the journey of your brand, storytelling humanizes your message and makes it more relatable.
Why it matters:
Content that evokes an emotional response is far more likely to be shared. When employees resonate with your content, they are more inclined to share it with their own networks, knowing it will connect with others as well.
What you can do:
- Share personal anecdotes from employees or customers that highlight how your company’s products or services have made a difference.
- Highlight successes and milestones to inspire others and make them feel a part of your company’s journey.
- Create a narrative that aligns with your brand’s values and mission, creating a deeper connection with your employees and audience.
3. Valuable Insights – Educate and Inform
Employees want to feel proud of the content they share. By offering valuable insights, industry trends, and thought leadership, you can position your company as an authority in your field while also giving employees the chance to share something useful.
Why it matters:
Content that educates or informs adds value to the person sharing it and their network. It establishes your employees as experts and thought leaders, which can strengthen their personal brand as well as your company’s reputation.
What you can do:
- Share relevant industry news, trends, and research that employees can use to spark conversations.
- Position your employees as thought leaders by sharing original blog posts, whitepapers, or case studies they can refer to.
- Create educational content, such as how-to guides, tips, or best practices, that add value and demonstrate your company’s expertise.
4. Clear Call to Action (CTA) – Encourage Action
What’s the point of creating great content if you don’t encourage employees to share it? A strong call to action (CTA) prompts employees to take the next step and share the content with their network, amplifying your reach.
Why it matters:
If you don’t ask for action, you might miss the opportunity to extend your content’s reach. A clear CTA directs your employees on what to do next—whether it’s liking, commenting, or sharing the content.
What you can do:
- Include a straightforward CTA like, “Click to share” or “Tag a colleague who will love this!”
- Encourage employees to share content by explaining the benefits it will have for them personally (i.e., increasing their personal brand visibility or contributing to a company milestone).
- Add specific CTAs related to your campaign’s goal, like “Help us spread the word!” or “Let’s build awareness together.”
5. Authenticity – Build Trust Through Transparency
Authenticity is at the heart of employee advocacy. When employees share content, it needs to feel true to your brand and reflect the values of your company. Content that is genuine and transparent fosters trust—both among employees and with your audience.
Why it matters:
Employees want to feel comfortable sharing content that reflects their values and the culture of the company. Content that is too polished or doesn’t resonate with your employees will be less likely to get shared.
What you can do:
- Encourage employees to share their own experiences and stories, showcasing their genuine connection to the brand.
- Maintain transparency by sharing behind-the-scenes looks at your company, including challenges and successes.
- Keep your messaging consistent and true to your brand’s values, ensuring your content resonates authentically with both employees and their networks.
Make Your Content Shareable, and Empower Your Employees
By incorporating these five essential elements into your content, you’ll create material that not only resonates with your employees but also empowers them to become enthusiastic advocates for your brand. The more shareable your content, the greater your reach—and the stronger your employee advocacy program will be.
As your employees begin to share content that reflects your company’s values, mission, and voice, you’ll begin to see increased brand awareness, greater engagement, and a more authentic connection with your audience.