09.10.2024 Donna Spencer
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is no longer just a futuristic concept. In fact, the market value of AI in marketing is set to skyrocket, with projections showing an increase from $31.5 billion in 2020 to an astounding $142.8 billion by 2028 (Statista).
As Chief Revenue Officer at Tribal Impact, it’s been part of my job and my passion to understand how we best use AI as a practical tool to reshape how businesses connect, communicate, and drive growth.
And this distinction is fundamental when it comes to employee advocacy.
Employee advocacy is about empowering employees to be the voice of your brand. Its strategy thrives on authenticity, trust, and personal connections. But in a world where content is king, the challenge lies in consistently creating and sharing valuable content that resonates.
This is where AI comes into play—not as a replacement but as a partner in scaling and refining your advocacy efforts.
The Role of AI in Scaling Employee Advocacy
AI adoption is growing at an unprecedented rate. Nine out of ten leading businesses are investing in AI, and 75% of top executives believe it will help their organisations grow (AuthorityHacker).
In the context of employee advocacy, AI can significantly amplify your efforts, making it easier for more employees to participate without feeling overwhelmed.
One of the most powerful ways AI can scale employee advocacy is through content curation and sharing. AI can analyse industry trends, company updates, and relevant news to curate a list of shareable content that aligns with your brand’s message. This makes it easier for employees to stay active on platforms like LinkedIn without spending hours searching for content.
AI can also provide training and support by offering real-time feedback on draft posts and suggesting improvements in tone, structure, or keyword usage. This empowers employees to share content confidently that reflects well on them and your brand.
Leveraging AI to Enhance Your Efforts on LinkedIn
LinkedIn is a cornerstone of employee advocacy, and AI can significantly enhance your efforts on this platform. AI’s ability to boost efficiency and productivity means that your employees can generate content quickly, analyse post-performance, and optimise their strategies.This allows them to focus more on engaging with their networks and less on the mechanics of content creation.
Another major benefit is AI’s knack for personalisation. It can tailor content to meet the specific preferences of your employees’ connections, leading to higher engagement and more meaningful interactions. This is crucial in employee advocacy, where relevance and authenticity are essential.
Additionally, AI provides valuable insights and optimisation. It can analyse data from past posts to suggest ways to improve future content, ensuring your team always delivers the best possible experience to their networks.
In a crowded space like LinkedIn, where standing out is challenging, AI can help your team maintain a competitive advantage by identifying trends and optimising content for visibility.
In my opinion, one of the most exciting aspects is AI’s role in fostering innovation and creativity. AI can help your employees brainstorm new ideas, experiment with different formats, and push the boundaries of what’s possible on LinkedIn.
What Makes a Social Post Feel Like AI (and How to Avoid It!)
One of the biggest challenges with AI-generated content is avoiding the pitfalls that make it feel, well, “AI-like.” Social posts that come across as superficial, generic, or inaccurate are quickly dismissed by audiences who crave authenticity.
With 85.1% of AI users using the technology for article writing and content creation (AuthorityHacker), it’s become even more vital to our engagement that we don’t all start sounding the same.
To avoid this, it’s essential to infuse authenticity into your content. AI can generate a post, but it’s up to us to add the human element. Personal experiences, unique insights, and a genuine voice are irreplaceable.
When employees share content through employee advocacy programs, these elements distinguish between an ignored post and one that sparks meaningful engagement.
Relatability is another crucial factor. AI might be able to tailor content to different audiences, but it’s the human touch that makes it relatable. Encourage your employees to add personal anecdotes or reflections when sharing AI-generated content. This enhances the post’s impact and strengthens the connection between your brand and your audience.
Lastly, don’t underestimate the power of storytelling. AI can assist in crafting a narrative, but the human perspective brings it to life. Stories resonate because they reflect real experiences and emotions. In employee advocacy, stories are a powerful way to showcase your brand’s values through your employees’ voices.
Balancing AI and Human Input in Advocacy
As we integrate AI into our employee advocacy strategies, it’s crucial to strike the right balance between automation and human input. AI can handle many tasks, but the most successful advocacy programs are those that maintain the authenticity and personal connection that only humans can provide.Promoting a culture of sharing is also essential. AI can make it easier for employees to participate in advocacy, but it’s up to leadership to create an environment where sharing is encouraged and valued.
Recognise and reward employees who actively contribute to your advocacy program and provide ongoing support to help them feel confident as brand ambassadors.
You should also ensure you’re maintaining ethical standards in your advocacy efforts. AI can flag potentially problematic content before it’s shared, but the responsibility for ethical content ultimately lies with your team. Make sure that the content your employees share is accurate, respectful, and aligned with your brand’s values.
The Dos and Don’ts for Using AI
When integrating AI into your employee advocacy program, following a few key dos and don’ts can ensure you use it effectively and ethically.
AI Do's:
- Maintain Authenticity:
AI can generate content, but ensuring that content remains authentic is crucial. Use AI to assist, but keep the human element front and centre. - Personalise Communications:
Create messages that resonate with your network and have a touch of ‘you’ in them. - Monitor AI Content & Performance:
Always monitor the content AI generates, particularly in advocacy programs. Ensure that it reflects your brand’s values and tone. - Stay Informed:
AI is constantly evolving. Stay updated with the latest developments to ensure you’re always using the most effective tools and strategies. - Provide Value:
AI can quickly generate content, but ensure every piece offers value to your audience.
AI Don'ts:
- Over-Automation:
Avoid over-relying on AI. Too much automation can make your content feel impersonal, which is a significant risk in employee advocacy. - Neglect Human Connection:
Focus on fostering genuine connections between your employees and their audiences. Encourage your team to add personal insights when sharing AI-generated content. - Sacrifice Quality for Quantity:
AI makes it easy to produce high volumes of content, but if it lacks depth, it won’t resonate with your audience. - Ignore Feedback:
AI can make recommendations but can’t replace the insights gained from direct feedback. Listen to your employees and their networks to refine your advocacy strategy. - Underestimate Human Expertise:
AI is a tool, not a replacement for human expertise. Use AI to enhance your team’s skills, not replace them.
Balancing Innovation and Human Connection
Here's the thing - I don't actually believe "AI is the future." AI is undoubtedly part of what's to come, but the real future is conversational. It's about openly exchanging ideas, challenging perspectives, and collaborating. That's where the real magic happens.
AI can enhance efficiency and scale our efforts, but the human touch makes employee advocacy genuinely effective. Authentic connections and meaningful conversations are what drive real impact.
By using AI as a co-pilot and combining its capabilities with our creativity and personal insights, we can build employee advocacy programs that amplify our message and create genuine engagement.
Find out how Tribal Impact can help you further improve your Employee Advocacy efforts.
