Hadar BismutFor the past four and a half years, we've built and led (and are still leading) meaningful ambassador communities in global tech organizations. Community members create authentic, personal content about their professional lives, share their work on social media, and connect with the company's content in a new and interesting way. It boosts employer branding on several levels and creates excitement both outside and inside the organization.
Along the way, you can't help noticing patterns that repeat across communities, whether they're global, local, established, or new. The insights we've gathered over the years help us build and lead successful ambassador communities, and know when to let things happen on their own and when to step in with moves that help the community thrive. So here are 4 insights from the field that every organization should know about ambassador communities.
Shall we begin?
1. People who dive in and publish at least 3 posts right at the start stay ambassadors longer
The content creation skill level of the employees who join the program doesn't matter! What matters most is the willingness to dive in as quickly as possible and learn on the go.
We've seen time after time that people who publish posts right away, from the end of the training through the first three months, are more likely to stay ambassadors for the long term (a year or more).
Takeaway: encourage the employees in the program to start publishing during the course, even if it isn't perfect. It builds the appetite to keep developing their confidence and skills, and turns writing into a long-term habit.
Golden tip: there's a big difference between publishing a post inside a closed community, like the ambassador community, and being visible on social media. If some ambassadors don't want to publish externally, the course's number 1 goal is to build that confidence for them. So it's worth creating a gradual process that supports the leap: first sharing only with the community leader, then in the group with all the ambassadors, and finally in public.
2. People who choose to join the ambassador program on their own stay longer
Some organizations volunteer people for ambassador communities, or approach them personally and invite them to join. The people chosen this way are usually employees who already stand out in the organization and do a lot for it, and often they're also the ones who find it hard to say no... So they say yes, and once they understand what it means, or once it's time to deliver externally, there's a significant risk of dropping out or gradually disengaging. According to our data, the likelihood is sometimes as high as 50%.
Takeaway: you can't volunteer or force people to be ambassadors. The aim is always to recruit community members who join fully voluntarily and on their own initiative. When people choose to join, they're more likely to stay ambassadors after the training stage.
Golden tip: remember that setting expectations is the key to success. Tell employees what it means to be an ambassador, what the routine will look like, and what's expected of them. Do it in an appealing way that spells out what's in it for them, and create FOMO: this is an exclusive program and they really want to be part of it!
3. 10% to 15% of community members drop out after the training stage, which is natural and says nothing about the quality or success of the community
Even community members who really want to take part and apply on their own initiative may drop out during the training. The reasons are many and varied, and it's worth understanding the specific reasons in your organization, so you can see whether to improve the recruitment and selection process the next time you recruit more ambassadors.
Common reasons for leaving:
- People who realize that being an ambassador means being visible on their own social media
- People who realize it's a commitment they won't be able to keep (for all sorts of reasons: a heavy load in their day job, a feeling that they won't meet the goal and would rather not "spoil it" for others from the start, and more)
- Lack of support from direct managers
- Colleagues who are cynical about the community and its purpose
Takeaway: plan for the fact that there will always be some drop-off after the training stage. Build a buffer into recruitment and accept a few more candidates to the community, knowing some will leave. And of course, start the community off on the right foot: communicate expectations to community members clearly, and secure the support of management and the organization.
Golden tip: some people are wary of becoming the organization's mouthpiece and "sacrificing" their profile for marketing needs, and honestly, they're right. Being part of an ambassador community is different from becoming the organization's PR or social media team.
Always remember to nurture your ambassadors' abilities and skills so they can tell their personal story, the way they want to tell it, on the platforms they love.
4. Ambassadors who attend at least half of the monthly meetings after training (in the first year) publish more posts
The training stage is critical for creating momentum and excitement, but what really keeps communities active over time is routine. Routine helps ambassadors reach their goals and get more inspiration and writing tools. Community members who commit to a routine of publishing posts and keep building tools and skills will publish more.
Takeaway: communities need structure and continuity after training. Monthly meetings are a great way to create a routine for the community, and it's important that they're valuable, give community members a boost of inspiration, and teach them new skills.
Golden tip: we often rush to think about hosting outside speakers at these meetings (because what content would there be otherwise?!), but the truth is it's optional. You have excellent people in your community, so use their knowledge!
Things you can do at the monthly meetings, completely organically: each ambassador takes a turn talking about their role, you analyze community members' posts, run a sharing round of "what worked best in my posts," play icebreaker and team-building games, and more.
To sum up
Successful ambassador communities take ongoing work
In every process of building and leading an ambassador community, there are natural dynamics worth knowing so you can work smartly and precisely. To reach a community that's strong and vibrant, even after training, it's important to create continuity.
The value comes after the course. That's where you collect the wins
That's why it's important to maintain the community and keep it running day to day: help people build confidence, support them in making writing and publishing a habit even when it isn't easy, give a push when needed, and remember to bring their managers on board so they encourage their involvement and make the community a fun, sought-after, and valuable activity.