Every successful manager or business owner knows that people are a company’s greatest asset. But do you know how important they are when it comes to using social media to amplify brand visibility, increase lead quality, and support recruitment? If not, here are some top tips to get you started from Janine Amphlett, digital content creator at communications agency MMC.

Janine says: ‘Staying visible on every social media platform can be difficult due to the changing algorithms that determine how content is distributed, displayed, and the level of interaction.

‘When building your social media presence, and creating a community around your brand, your employees’ network can play a major role.

‘When they share and engage with your content you will start to see an uplift in your followers, reach and brand awareness. There are a number of ways in which you can help to create a culture where employees are inspired to become active ambassadors for your business and brand.’

Janine’s first tip is to make it easy for employees to get involved.

She says: ‘Before considering getting all employees on board with your social plan, it’s important to have an accessible social media policy and strategy in place. This should be easy to locate and simple to follow.

‘While the content published should have clear gatekeepers – either within the marketing department or outsourced to an agency – you should aim for active engagement on the content through likes, shares and comments. Employees are already busy with their jobs, so an understanding of what days and times you are posting content, and on which platforms, will make it easier for them to support the strategy and become brand advocates.’

The next thing Janine suggests is to share your goals and expectations.

She says: ‘Company culture is becoming increasingly important, to ensure every member is working towards the same goal, and sharing a bigger purpose. That employee ethos you have worked hard to create in the office should also be reflected online. Setting shared goals and expectations for social media strategy will encourage participation and help all employees to understand the logic behind the initiative. Along with goals being clear and simple, it’s a good idea to share monthly reports which highlight employees’ efforts on social media, including key metrics such as the monthly increase in followers and reach. Providing data which shows how everyone is contributing and making a difference can be a big motivator. Using tools such as LinkedIn’s notify employees feature will also alert employees about important company updates that you want them to engage with. This can be a good tool to use in the early stages to remind people of their commitment until it becomes second nature to like and share the content.’

She added that some employees will be more social media savvy than others, and it’s a good idea to identify those at the start.

She says ‘You will probably find that your workforce is split between those who are active on social media and those who still haven’t changed their social media’s default avatar. It’s a good idea to identify those who have a natural enthusiasm for social and make them the first wave of social ambassadors for your company. They are more likely to have stronger networks and be more willing to embrace the new advocacy programme. With these ambassadors leading by example you should find those who are more reluctant to take part will eventually be encouraged to join in too. Those who are social media savvy can also help other members of their team to set up and complete their personal profiles, as well as make sure they are following the company pages.’

This approach leads naturally to ‘gamifying’ the process to encourage healthy competition and make it fun.

Janine says: ‘One way to do this is to display a leaderboard in the office that ranks the top people who are engaging with content. Each month, the top person could then be rewarded for their efforts.

‘Rewards could be along the lines of, an extended lunch hour, a gift card, employee recognition on the company’s social channels, a box of chocolates, or whatever you feel would motivate your team. The “prize” could change each month to keep it interesting.’

And finally, says Janine, don’t forget to highlight the personal benefits for employees who engage enthusiastically with the process.

She says: ‘The best way to keep people engaged and motivated with your social media strategy is to show employees what’s in it for them.

‘For example, point out key benefits such as the opportunity to grow their own professional network; establish themselves as an expert in their industry; and the potential to tap into new career opportunities. Making the process seem like another task they have to do during their working day can create a barrier, so it’s better to encourage employees to take part and not make it something that they have to do.

‘Sending regular reminders about why you are asking employees to engage on social will reinforce the message about what employees and the business gain, and that will help to maintain momentum.’