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The Power of your employees’ expertise on social media

In today’s media, news, and content-rich world, clients and prospects are looking for more than just products or services—they are searching for trusted partners who can provide expert guidance. For professional services firms whose main asset is the knowledge and expertise of their employees—such as financial services firms, law firms, consulting agencies, and research and development companies—building trust and authority in the market is critical to success. In professional services, your employee expertise is your product, and showcasing their expertise  can build trust and elevate your brand

But how can companies showcase their expertise in a way that resonates with their audience? The answer lies in employee advocacy. Employee advocacy is the process of empowering your employees to share their knowledge, insights, and industry expertise on social media. It can transform your team into a network of brand ambassadors when done correctly, boosting your company’s visibility, credibility, and trust.

Here’s why employee advocacy is essential for expertise-driven companies 

Why employee advocacy matters for knowledge-based companies

Trust in expertise, not advertising

Traditional advertising and corporate communications are losing their effectiveness, especially in industries where trust is paramount. Clients are more skeptical of corporate messaging and more likely to turn to trusted experts for advice. This is where employee advocacy becomes invaluable.

When employees—especially those who are recognized experts in their field—share industry insights, thought leadership content, and company updates, they humanize the brand. Instead of relying on faceless corporate advertising, prospects, and clients receive valuable information directly from professionals they know and trust.

This authentic content builds credibility and helps establish both the employee and the company as leaders in the industry.

Amplifying your brand through thought leadership

Thought leadership is more than a buzzword; it’s a powerful way to showcase your company’s value. In sectors like law, finance, or scientific research, being recognized as an industry leader is influential in attracting new clients and retaining existing ones.

Your employees attend conferences, contribute to research, and follow industry trends. Encouraging them to share these experiences on platforms like LinkedIn, X (formerly Twitter), or even Reddit can significantly expand your company’s reach. Every post they make, every trend they comment on, and every insight they share contributes to the perception of your company as a knowledge leader.

By turning your employees into advocates, you’re amplifying your brand and ensuring that the world sees the brilliance and innovation that your team is already producing behind the scenes.

Our people are our most effective marketing channel. Who they are, what they do, and how they help people are important parts of their brand and ours. Enabling them to advocate for our business, demonstrate the depth and breadth of our people, and make new connections is an essential component of our marketing approach. Oktopost helps us scale this.  Barney O’Kelly, Head Digital Marketing, AlixPartners

Balancing employee advocacy with full-time roles

One concern many companies have is implementing an employee advocacy program without overwhelming their staff. After all, employees have full-time roles, whether they’re consultants, lawyers, or engineers, and adding “social media advocate” to their job description might seem like an extra burden.

However, employee advocacy doesn’t have to take much time. In fact, with the right strategy in place, employees can participate by investing as little as 10 minutes a day or 30 minutes a week.

For example:

• Sharing relevant industry articles: Employees can share news or trends they’re already following.
• Commenting on current events: A quick comment on a trending topic can position an employee (and the company) as being up-to-date with the latest industry developments.
• Posting insights from their daily work: Sharing a success story, a challenge overcome, or a new project can authentically engage their network.

This minimal time investment allows employees to remain engaged without removing their primary responsibilities, ensuring their advocacy remains authentic and credible.

The role of social media in employee advocacy

Undoubtedly, social media platforms play a crucial role in employee advocacy. Platforms like LinkedIn and X (formerly Twitter) are built for professional networking and sharing thought leadership, making them perfect channels for employee advocacy. However, depending on your industry, platforms like Reddit and even Facebook can also offer opportunities for employees to engage in niche discussions and connect with broader audiences.

Here’s a quick look at how some of these platforms can be used for advocacy:

• LinkedIn: Ideal for sharing long-form thought leadership content, articles, and professional insights. Employees can post about industry trends, share whitepapers, and participate in relevant group discussions.
• X (formerly Twitter): Best for quick, real-time engagement with industry news and trends. Employees can join conversations, comment on events, or share quick insights more formally and dynamically.
• Reddit is useful for participating in niche, topic-specific communities. Employees can offer expert opinions in industry-specific subreddits, engage in discussions, and answer questions to build credibility.
• Facebook: Though more casual, Facebook offers opportunities to share personal success stories and humanize the company brand, particularly in B2C contexts or for community-focused industries.

Each platform has its unique strengths, and encouraging employees to engage on platforms they are most comfortable with will maximize their participation.

Using AI to make advocacy easier for employees

Creating content consistently can be daunting, especially for employees with busy schedules. Fortunately, AI-powered tools can help streamline the process and make employee advocacy more manageable.

Tools like Oktopost (a comprehensive platform for employee advocacy and social media management) help curate relevant content, automate posting schedules, and track performance, freeing employees from the pressure of constantly coming up with new ideas. Additionally, AI writing assistants included in the platform help employees draft or refine content quickly, allowing them to focus more on engagement and less on writing.

With AI, employees can share content with minimal effort while still maintaining high-quality, personalized posts.

Real-life examples of employee advocacy success

To see how employee advocacy works in practice, we can look at companies that have implemented successful programs using Oktopost. For example:

• Bruker, a global leader in scientific instruments, empowered its scientists to share industry insights and breakthroughs on LinkedIn, amplifying their brand’s visibility and reputation in the scientific community.
• Grant Thornton Australia enabled its consultants to share valuable tax, audit, and advisory insights, significantly increasing their visibility and trust within the financial services industry.
• IFS, a global software provider, encouraged employees to share thought leadership content, positioning the company as a leader in enterprise software.
• ComplyAdvantage used employee advocacy to showcase their expertise in financial crime compliance, helping to build credibility and generate new business leads.

These companies leveraged the power of their employees’ expertise to strengthen their brands and build trust with clients.

Conclusion: Time to empower your experts

In industries where expertise is the core product, empowering employees to share their knowledge through advocacy is no longer optional—it’s a competitive advantage. By turning your employees into advocates, you amplify their voices and, by extension, your company’s influence.

Employee advocacy is a win-win strategy: employees build their personal brands, and the company benefits from increased visibility, trust, and engagement.

Ready to amplify your brand with the power of employee expertise? Download our comprehensive guide, From Expertise to Influence: Unlocking the Power of Employee Advocacy for Professional Services. Learn actionable strategies to create a high-impact advocacy program that drives trust, engagement, and business results in expertise-driven industries.