Creating a buzz around your brand is easy if you're Coca-Cola or McDonald's.
However, cultivating a loyal fan base requires a more strategic approach for smaller companies, which can be challenging.
This is where ambassador programs come into play. By leveraging the influence of brand ambassadors, even smaller businesses can effectively engage their target audience, build trust, and create a lasting impact.
In this interview, Scott Social owner and CEO Chelsea Evans-Flower discusses:
- When businesses should opt for ambassador programs
- How to manage effective ambassador programs
- How to successfully collaborate with ambassadors for UGC
Who Is Chelsea Evans-Flower?
Chelsea is on a mission to elevate and streamline the social media process of small businesses through Scott Social, a boutique social media agency in Phoenix, Arizona. She previously held leadership marketing roles for organizations such as Grand Canyon University and full-service agency WIDSIX.
Scott Social recommends that businesses connect online with their customers and treat them like they would in person.
Hence, Chelsea shares her best advice on how businesses can create and maintain meaningful connections on social media:
“Social media wasn't created as a billboard for businesses. It was designed to connect friends with friends and family with family. Almost two decades later, the original sentiment of social media remains the same — to help users maintain heartfelt and authentic connections.
This means that you don't just need to cut through the noise of Instagram ads and business promos. You also need to compete with your followers' friends and family."
She promises that this isn't an impossible feat, all businesses need to do is prioritize creating content that will resonate with their target audience.
To do this, Chelsea suggests that brands focus on being genuine and transparent:
- Engage in two-way conversations by listening to your audience and reflecting their feedback in your social media content strategy
- Share behind-the-scenes content that shows YOU and your team to let them know that real people work on every post
- Focus on quality over quantity at all costs, ensuring each post has a clear purpose
Leverage Strategic Posting for Higher Engagement
“While posting each day can keep your brand visible, overposting leads to audience fatigue and reduced engagement,” Chelsea says.
She believes that posting less can lead to higher engagement while focusing on quantity over quality can result in missed engagement and growth.
By reducing the number of posts, brands can concentrate on creating a more well-designed social media marketing plan and improving the quality of their content.
Watch the clip below for a concrete example about the power of native content as shared to DesignRush by content marketing expert Cody Schneider:
According to Chelsea, the days of posting a stock photo with a copy-and-paste caption are over. Though today's “experts” claim you can create a month's worth of posts in an hour, such content often lacks quality and only gets ignored.
“Social media users are smarter than you think and subliminally scroll past unengaging posts. Focusing on quality and posting less doesn't mean missed opportunities.
By understanding your audience's preferences and behaviors, you can identify peak engagement times and post accordingly. Use analytics to track the performance of your content and adjust your strategy based on what works best,” she points out.
Utilize Ambassador Programs Properly
Today, many businesses rely on hiring brand ambassadors to boost audience engagement and trust. However, this approach won't work for all companies.
Chelsea shares that brands should only consider hiring ambassadors if:
- They have a clear target audience that values peer recommendations
- They can identify influencers with strong demographic alignment, considering the values and beliefs of both the influencers and their followers
- They have the resources to manage and support an ambassador program effectively
- They have methods to track the ROI of ambassadors, including UTM tracking capabilities, discount codes, or pre-established KPIs on social media
“A business needs to create a strong foundation for an ambassador program to be successful and have systems in place to track the results accurately. But if you answered "that's me!" to each of the criteria above, then you're in business,” she adds.
Chelsea suggests that the key to managing an effective ambassador program lies in preparation, communication, and tracking.
She outlines a simplified workflow of how Scott Social manages effective ambassador programs:
- Start by setting clear company goals and expectations, then communicate these expectations with your ambassadors.
- Provide ambassadors with the resources and guidance they need to succeed, such as content guidelines, key messaging points, and performance metrics.
- Foster a sense of community among ambassadors by facilitating communication and collaboration. With long-term ambassadors, weaving them into your culture and strengthening relationships is especially important.
- Review and analyze the ambassador program's performance to make data-driven adjustments and improvements. Some ambassadors will be an amazing fit, and others won't. Give yourself the freedom to adjust accordingly.
“Ensuring ambassadors are authentic and passionate about the brand is crucial, as this authenticity translates to more genuine connections with their followers,” she concludes.
Watch our video below to discover six types of influencer marketing campaigns you can leverage for your brand:
Chelsea also shared with me their project on Scrubs & Beyond.
“When Scrubs & Beyond approached us, they needed help with brand awareness, engagement, and a reliable way to gather content for new campaigns,” she explains.
Scott Social planned to create an ambassador program that results in user-generated content (UGC) that can later be reposted on their social channels.
“We carefully selected ambassadors who were passionate about the brand and could genuinely represent it. By providing influencers with creative freedom and clear guidelines, we empowered them to create compelling content that resonated with their followers.
While the analytical results were impressive, the user-generated content was even better. It completely transformed the Instagram feed from feeling promotion-heavy to one that prioritizes community, storytelling, and diverse voices,” she adds.
She recommends regularly updating ambassadors on brand developments and involving them in campaigns, as well as recognizing their contributions through public acknowledgments, commissions, and exclusive opportunities.
“Providing continuous support and fostering a sense of belonging can turn ambassadors into loyal advocates who contribute to sustained brand growth. Plus, your followers will grow to recognize and love them,” she highlights.
Chelsea also stresses the importance of encouraging ambassadors "to share their personal experiences and stories related to the brand" because these narratives will contribute greatly to follower engagement and trust.
"If these posts perform well, there will be even more incentive for them to continue working with you. After all, they're acting as their own small business too,” Chelsea concludes.
If you're looking for a professional partner to help you increase brand awareness and expand your reach online, our listing of the best social media marketing agencies is a great place to start.
Editing by Katherine 'Makkie' Maclang
