How to turn employees into your brand’s biggest supporters

A brand’s true strength isn’t just built in boardrooms or marketing departments—it’s shaped every day by the people who represent it: your employees. Long before a campaign goes live or a tagline is unveiled, it’s your workforce that’s living the brand values, interacting with customers, and creating the culture others experience.

When employees genuinely connect with your mission and feel seen, heard, and valued, they become powerful advocates—sharing your story in a way no advertisement can replicate. Their voices are trusted. Their stories are real. And that authenticity? It’s your brand’s superpower.

So how do you create a workplace where employees naturally want to share their excitement? Let’s break it down—and explore how tools like Zoho Connect can help make advocacy effortless.

Why employee advocacy matters

Employee advocacy happens when employees voluntarily promote and support their company’s brand, both online and offline. They may share company updates on social media, talk positively about their workplace with friends, or go above and beyond to create great customer experiences. Here’s why this matters.

• Trust and authenticity: People trust employees more than they trust advertisements. In fact, a study by the Hinge Research Institute found that nearly 76% of consumers trust content shared by employees more than content from the brand itself. When employees speak genuinely about their work, it builds credibility.
• Wider reach:Employees have their own networks—friends, family, and online followers. When they share content about your brand, it reaches people your official channels might not. And here’s the best part—posts shared by employees get twice the engagement compared to brand posts.
• Improved employee engagement: When employees feel proud to represent their company, they’re more motivated and satisfied. This can lead to lower turnover rates and a stronger workplace culture.
• Customer loyalty: Employees who advocate for your brand often deliver better customer experiences. Happy employees create happy customers, which strengthens your brand’s reputation.

Turning your employees into brand advocates isn’t about forcing them to post on social media or memorize scripts. It’s about creating an environment where they feel valued, connected, and excited to share their company’s story.

Practical ways to promote employee advocacy

1. Create a workplace where people feel valued.

A strong workplace culture is the foundation of employee advocacy. If employees don’t enjoy their work environment or feel disconnected from the company’s mission, they’re unlikely to speak positively about it. Here’s how to create a culture that inspires advocacy.

• Show appreciation: Recognize employees for their hard work. This could be through shoutouts in internal communication platforms like Connect, awards, or small gestures like thank-you notes. When employees feel valued, they’re more likely to feel proud of their workplace.
• Encourage open communication: Create spaces where employees can share ideas and feedback without fear. Regular town halls, surveys, or one-on-one check-ins can help employees feel heard.
• Support work-life balance: Offer flexible work arrangements, mental health resources, or wellness programs. Employees who feel cared for are more likely to speak positively about their company.
• Align with values: Make sure your company’s values are clear and reflected in daily operations. For example, if your brand promotes sustainability, involve employees in eco-friendly initiatives. When employees see the company living its values, they’re more likely to feel connected to the mission.

Building this kind of culture takes time, but every small step counts. With tools like Zoho Connect, you can streamline recognition, foster open communication, and keep everyone aligned with your values, creating a workplace where advocacy feels natural.

2. Empower employees with knowledge.

Employees can’t advocate for your brand if they don’t understand it. To be effective advocates, they need to know your company’s mission, values, and goals. Here’s how to equip them with the right knowledge.

• Onboarding with purpose: Start advocacy early by including brand education in onboarding. Share the company’s history, vision, and what sets it apart from competitors. Make it engaging with stories or videos that bring the brand to life.
• Regular updates: Keep employees informed about company news, product launches, or community initiatives. Use internal newsletters, team meetings, or a dedicated app to share updates in a way that’s easy to understand.
• Simplify the message: Create clear, concise talking points about your brand. For example, if your company is known for innovation, explain what that means in simple terms and share examples. This makes it easier for employees to talk about the brand with confidence.
• Provide training: Offer workshops or resources on how to share the brand effectively, especially on social media. Teach employees how to create professional posts or handle questions about the company.

When employees understand the brand and feel confident talking about it, they’re more likely to share its story with others.

3. Make advocacy easy and fun.

Advocacy should feel natural, not like a chore. If you want employees to share your brand’s message, make it simple and enjoyable. Here are some ways to promote brand advocacy.

• Provide shareable content: Equip employees with pre-written posts, infographics, or short videos they can quickly share across platforms like LinkedIn or X. For instance, if your company wins an award, offer a polished, on-brand post they can proudly publish with just a click.
• Use the right platform: Make sharing effortless by using an employee experience platform like Zoho Connect. Its built-in advocacy tools allow employees to discover, personalize, and share approved content—right from their internal workspace.
• Gamify the process: Turn advocacy into a fun challenge. For example, create a leaderboard for employees who share the most content or host a contest with prizes for the best brand-related post. Keep it light-hearted to avoid pressure.
• Celebrate participation: Highlight employees who advocate for the brand. Share their posts in internal newsletters or give them a shoutout during meetings. Recognition encourages others to join in.

The key is to remove barriers and make advocacy feel like a rewarding part of the employee experience.

4. Let leaders lead the way.

Leadership plays a big role in shaping employee behavior. When executives and managers actively advocate for the brand, it sets the tone for everyone else. Here are some ways that middle and senior leaders can inspire advocacy.

• Be visible advocates: Encourage leaders to share company updates on their own social media accounts or speak at industry events. When employees see their CEO posting about a new product launch, they’re more likely to do the same.
• Engage with employees: Leaders should interact with employees’ brand-related posts by liking, commenting, or sharing. This shows that advocacy is valued at all levels.
• Share the vision: During meetings or company-wide announcements, leaders should connect their work to the brand’s bigger purpose. For example, explain how a new project supports the company’s mission to improve lives.

When leaders model advocacy, it creates a ripple effect, encouraging employees to follow suit.

5. Foster a sense of ownership.

Employees are more likely to advocate for a brand when they feel like they’re part of its success. Giving them a sense of ownership can turn them into passionate ambassadors. Here are some ideas to encourage your employees to own their part in your company's success.

• Involve them in decisions: Invite employees to contribute ideas for marketing campaigns, product improvements, or community initiatives. When they see their input shaping the brand, they feel more invested.
• Highlight their impact: Share stories of how employees’ work makes a difference. For example, if a customer service rep resolves a tough issue, share that story internally and explain how it strengthens the brand.
• Offer growth opportunities: Provide training, mentorship, or career development programs. When employees feel the company is invested in their future, they’re more likely to speak positively about it.
• Encourage storytelling: Ask employees to share their personal experiences with the brand. For example, host a “Why I love working here” campaign where employees post short videos or stories. These authentic narratives resonate with audiences.

When employees feel like they’re part of something bigger, they’re eager to tell their story.

6. Respect boundaries and authenticity.

Forcing advocacy can backfire. Employees should feel free to participate in ways that feel genuine to them. Here’s how to respect their boundaries.

• Make it voluntary: Advocacy should never feel mandatory. Encourage participation but let employees choose how and when to engage.
• Respect privacy: Not everyone is comfortable sharing on social media, and that’s okay. Employees can advocate in other ways, like talking to friends or delivering great customer service.
• Encourage authenticity: Let employees use their own voice when sharing about the brand. Avoid overly scripted messages because they can come across as inauthentic.
• Be transparent: If employees are sharing content as part of an advocacy program, encourage them to disclose their connection to the company (e.g., “Proud to work at [Company Name]!”). Transparency builds trust.

When advocacy feels authentic and voluntary, it’s more likely to resonate with audiences.

7. Measure, learn and improve.

To make employee advocacy a long-term success, track its impact and make adjustments as needed. Here’s how to measure and refine your efforts.

• Set clear goals: Decide what you want to achieve, such as increasing social media reach, improving employee engagement, or boosting brand awareness.
• Track metrics: Use tools like analytics in employee experience platforms like Zoho Connect, or social media insights to measure metrics like post engagement from employee shares or employee participation rates.
• Gather feedback: Ask employees what’s working and what’s not. Are they finding the content easy to share? Do they feel supported in their advocacy efforts?
• Celebrate wins: Share the impact of advocacy with employees. For example, if employee posts lead to a spike in website visits, let them know and thank them for their efforts.

By measuring results and listening to employees, you can keep your advocacy program effective and engaging.

Overcoming common challenges

Building an employee advocacy program isn’t without challenges. Here are some common obstacles and how to address them.

• Lack of participation: If employees aren’t engaging, it may be because they don’t understand the brand or feel disconnected from it. Focus on improving culture, communication, and content.
• Inconsistent messaging: To avoid mixed messages, provide clear guidelines and pre-approved content. Training can also help employees stay on-brand.
• Time constraints: Employees are busy, so make advocacy quick and easy with tools and ready-to-share content.
• Skepticism: Some employees may worry that advocacy is just “free marketing.” Be transparent about the program’s goals and emphasize that it’s about pride, not pressure. With patience and the right approach, these challenges can be turned into opportunities to strengthen your program.

Conclusion

Your employees are already your biggest asset. They live your brand every day. With the right culture, knowledge, and support, they can also become your brand’s loudest cheerleaders.

Start by building a workplace that values their voices. Keep them informed, make advocacy fun, and recognize their efforts. And most importantly, give them tools that make sharing easy.

Zoho Connect helps you do all of this—and more. From streamlining communication to recognizing achievements and enabling sharing, it’s a one-stop platform that helps employees feel connected, empowered, and ready to represent your brand.

Make advocacy a natural part of your workplace culture. Empower your people with Zoho Connect—and let your brand story shine through the voices that matter most.