Influencers’ power has been written up a lot, but far less has been said about employees whom one could argue may have even more credibility. Why? Although the brand employs them, they aren’t expected to advocate for it, nor are they paid to. In a reverse way, they bring a believability like that of a whistleblower who has the inside scoop.
Social advocacy platform PostBeyond recently revealed the results of a year-long study of more than 36,000 global employee influencers on LinkedIn and then identified the top 50 to learn why they were so successful. Here are some of the highlights and recommendations for starting an in-house program. PostBeyond discovered that of the top 50 they identified, 72% were professionals 40 years old or older. This contrasts with a 2020 Hootsuite survey showing that 61% of LinkedIn users are 25 to 34 years of age. The difference was that the top 50 had twenty times the number of connections than their peers, or about 8,841.
Common among the top 50’s success was engagement. They shared information regularly, with 58% doing so as much as ten times a week. As a result of the frequency and regularity, they received more than 92% more likes and 91% more comments than others. And they also garnered more than 87% in shares. According to LinkedIn, about 700 million users currently frequent that platform, so it’s not surprising that PostBeyond reported that 74% of posts were published there. For professionals, LinkedIn is the most popular and influential site. Twitter follows at 30% and Facebook with 5%. The sources of origin were almost evenly divided between desktop at 52% and a mobile device at 46%.
Once inside influencers are identified, good training and ongoing support will arm them with confidence and further motivate them to move forward with clarity and conviction. Some coaching on building a social network on LinkedIn and other platforms would be beneficial. So, too, is sharing content and keeping them in the loop with the latest where the brand is going and other future revelations. Share as much content as possible, so they not only feel empowered but trusted. Teach them how to add value to each interaction.
Arming and enabling them with as many tools, resources, and content as possible will further instill trust and confidence. Following them on social media and offering helpful advice would also bolster confidence. Acknowledging and honoring them among their peers via company newsletters, blogs, and meetings would also be well-received and appreciated. Here’s some other advice from a couple of the Top 50. Valerie Savani van Woerkom of global life science firm Covance said that white-collar influencers need to just jump in and get their feet wet. Knowing the market and what others in the field want are extremely helpful, she added. This is where marketers can assist and guide them.
Farah HSH Al-Shaikh of Siemens Energy suggested that influencers have a plan as well as a mindset. Here again, is where marketers can be extremely valuable and helpful in working with their influencers in crafting a plan and a schedule. Some tips or even drafts from marketing would be valuable in getting the right messages published, especially in the beginning.