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Brand ambassadors are crucial to increasing your brand’s visibility and credibility. They influence consumer opinion and increase your brand’s reach. However, working with high-profile ambassadors can be costly. Fortunately, there are cost-effective ways to effectively attract and engage brand ambassadors.
1. Encourage customers to advocate
Take advantage of something invaluable that you already have at your disposal: user-generated content (UGC). It’s extremely effective, especially because consumers often look up reviews before making a purchase. 86% of consumers trust brands more when they see content from other users, compared to just 12% influenced by traditional influencer advertising. What’s more, a recent survey found that UGC increases the likelihood of a purchase by 79%.
Your current customers are natural ambassadors. Encourage them to share their positive experiences online in the form of reviews or social media posts. Real recommendations from real customers are incredibly persuasive. Offer them rewards like discounts, cashback, exclusive offers or helpful tips. With the right incentives, you can turn satisfied customers into your best advocates. Develop a referral program that will benefit you and your customers in the long term.
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2. Discover and support emerging influencers
We’re finding that companies are more likely to allocate their marketing budgets to small and micro-influencers before committing to bigger names. On TikTok, for example, these influencers typically see 60% better average engagement and 20% higher conversion rates on brand posts compared to macro-influencers. Additionally, 82% of consumers are more likely to follow a recommendation from a micro-influencer.
Use social listening tools to monitor relevant hashtags and follow conversations. This strategy will help you identify people who love your brand and could become potential ambassadors. Don’t hesitate to reach out to influencers who post authentic and credible content. Often times, these influencers’ followings grow over time, and those who are discovered early may remember your brand, potentially leading to cost-effective long-term partnerships.
3. Implement partner programs with flexible compensation models
Affiliate marketing is a budget-friendly approach where influencers promote your products in return for a commission on sales generated through their referral links. Affiliate network ConvertSocial reported a 25% year-over-year increase in revenue in the first quarter of 2024. Choose affiliate marketing networks that allow you to customize your affiliate program to fit your budget and marketing goals and offer flexibility in compensation and collaboration with influencers. Recent data shows that 81% of brands now use affiliate marketing as part of their strategy, reflecting its growing importance. Long-term investments in affiliate marketing can be a strategic move to find ideal brand ambassadors.
Right now you have a great opportunity to speed up this process. ConvertSocial is working on a project that offers the possibility of long-term partnerships with influencers based on content subscriptions. This way, brands can secure ongoing posts from a selected partner, saving both costs and time spent on finding new ambassadors. All within the framework of the cost-per-action (CPA) model.
4. Organize contests and giveaways
Contests and giveaways are great ways to engage potential ambassadors and your wider audience. By requiring contributions that involve creating or sharing content about your brand, you not only increase visibility, but you also identify engaged people who could be potential ambassadors. You also see what content meets your brand’s needs. This speeds up the process of finding a brand ambassador and allows you to save your resources. For example, a well-run contest can increase your social media followers by 34% in a month.
5. Provide insights and knowledge
Instead of offering financial compensation, consider giving potential ambassadors early access to new products or service features. These types of rewards can attract enthusiasts who are keen to engage with your brand without requiring a significant upfront payment. Organize exclusive brand experiences with a little behind-the-scenes peek, or create an online community for ambassadors where you ask them for feedback. Creating these unique experiences fosters a sense of belonging and loyalty, which can translate into long-term engagement.
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6. Leverage your employees’ commitment
Your employees can be effective ambassadors. When they share positive work experiences or company products on their personal social media, it increases your brand reputation in an authentic way. Start an employee advocacy program that supports and rewards employees for sharing brand-related content. This can help grow your reach organically. Research shows that content shared by employees receives eight times more engagement than content shared through branded channels.
Recruiting brand ambassadors doesn’t have to be expensive. By applying creative and strategic approaches and leveraging platforms like ConvertSocial for flexible affiliate agreements, you can effectively build a network of ambassadors. These cost-effective strategies help minimize financial risk while fostering authentic connections between your brand and its audience, ultimately supporting growth and increasing your brand reputation. A well-planned ambassador program can lead to sustainable and scalable brand growth. Ready to get started? Your next great brand ambassador may be just a click away!