The Power of Customer Advocacy

In today's highly competitive business landscape, having loyal customers who actively advocate and support your brand is a significant advantage.

This customer group are your superfans. They'll share their feedback with you and their friends and want to buy more. They are repeat customers and spread the word about you because they love what you do.

This is called brand advocacy. It’s a form of earned media meaning you don’t pay for it, you earn it through delivering memorable experiences and value.

These brand advocates not only become your most effective marketing assets, but also contribute to building a strong and trustworthy reputation, attracting new customers. They are at the bottom of the marketing funnel and it is really important that you create content for them to share publicly and privately.

Here are three powerful ways customers can advocate for your brand and how you can make it easy for them to do so.

1. Online Reviews and Testimonials

In the digital age, online reviews and testimonials have become vital to a brand's success. Potential customers rely heavily on the opinions of others when deciding what to buy.

Here's how you can encourage customers to advocate for your brand through online reviews and testimonials:

• Engage and Delight Customers: Provide exceptional products, services and customer experiences. Go the extra mile to exceed expectations, leaving customers with a positive impression they're eager to share.
• Make Reviewing Easy: Simplify the process of leaving reviews by incorporating user-friendly platforms and prominently displaying review links on your website. Encourage customers to leave reviews by offering incentives, such as discounts or exclusive content. Email can be an effective tool for doing this. Use platforms such as: 
  • Trustpilot
  • Google Reviews
  • Tripadvisor

• Respond and Show Appreciation: Engage with customers by responding to their reviews, whether positive or negative. Express thanks for their feedback, address concerns quickly, and demonstrate that you value their opinions and want to build a relationship with them.

2. Word of Mouth

Word of mouth remains one of the most influential forms of brand advocacy. People trust recommendations from friends, family, and acquaintances more than any other marketing channel. It’s organic and often more persuasive than any advertising.

Here's how you can encourage customers to become vocal advocates for your brand:

• Foster Meaningful Relationships: Build genuine connections with your customers by delivering exceptional customer service and personalized experiences. Make them feel valued and appreciated, fostering a sense of loyalty that naturally leads to word-of-mouth recommendations.
• Implement Referral Programs: Incentivize customers to refer your brand to others by offering rewards, discounts, or exclusive perks. Create a seamless process for customers to share referrals and track their progress.
• Leverage User-Generated Content: Encourage customers to share their experiences with your brand on social media. Highlight user-generated content, such as customer photos, videos, and testimonials to showcase real-life interactions and generate trust among potential customers. Don’t forget to tag them when sharing and comment on their content.

3. Dark Social

Dark social refers to private conversations and sharing that occur outside traditional public social media channels, like on messaging apps such as WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger or on email.

It often represents a significant portion of online sharing and advocacy. Here's how you can tap into dark social to boost brand advocacy:

• Provide Shareable Content: Create high-quality content that resonates with your audience and encourages them to share it privately. This can include informative articles, entertaining videos, or thought-provoking infographics.
• Implement Tracking Methods: Utilize tracking links or unique URLs in your dark social campaigns to understand and measure the impact of private sharing. Tools like Google Analytics or specialized software can help capture data and evaluate the effectiveness of your dark social efforts.
• Facilitate Conversations: Actively engage with customers on public social media channels and when they contact you privately through messaging apps and other channels. Encourage them to share their experiences and recommendations privately and be responsive to their messages. By providing excellent customer support in private channels, you foster loyalty and encourage further advocacy.

Build A Strong Brand Presence With Customer Advocacy

Harnessing the power of customer advocacy is crucial for building a strong brand presence. By leveraging online reviews and testimonials, encouraging word of mouth recommendations, and tapping into the influential world of dark social, businesses can empower their customers to become enthusiastic brand advocates.

They’ll champion your brand far and wide, building a trustworthy reputation, attracting new customers which will hopefully contribute to a growing business.