David Casey

Creating Evangelists on Social Media: Growth Hacking a Community

If you're focusing on growing followers, it might be time to shift gears. Brand evangelists are a goldmine—they don't just follow your content; they live and breathe it, and promote your brand with genuine enthusiasm—they're your key to long-term success on and off of social media.

Creating Evangelists on Social Media: Growth Hacking a Community

What Makes a Brand Evangelist?

Brand evangelists don’t passively engage content, they actively and organically promote it, by sharing and recommending your brand voluntarily. They post user-generated content about your brand, offering authentic social proof to new followers. Evangelists consistently engage with your brand, commenting, liking posts, and sparking conversations around your message. They bring authenticity, sharing your brand’s story in a way that feels real and relatable, unlike traditional marketing, which can sometimes feel pushy or impersonal.

xploration community on breast implant removal and health

Building a Community: The Foundation of Evangelism

Building an engaged community will make your followers feel heard and valued and is your first step to creating a brand evangelist.

Interactive Content

Make your followers feel as though they're more than just followers. Start encouraging real-time participation from your followers by using polls, Q&A sessions, live streams, and interactive stories.

Create Exclusive Spaces

Offer exclusive communities through Facebook groups or invite-only chats where your community can get behind-the-scenes looks or early access to products. Make them feel like VIPs—they'll return the favor.

Reward Engagement

Don't just recognize your most active members; roll out the red carpet for them. Simple shout-outs, giveaways, and sneak peeks can go a long way in making followers feel valued.

Naturally, followers will contribute and invest more of their time in your brand when you start nurturing engagement.

Growth Hacking Tactics for Social Evangelism

Growth hacking is all about finding creative, low-cost strategies to drive rapid growth.

Once you've built a strong community you can leverage these growth-hacking techniques to turn casual followers into brand evangelists.

User-Generated Content (UGC)

Encourage followers to create and share their own content related to your brand. Run a photo or video challenge and offer rewards for the most creative submissions; this gives followers a stake in your brand and spreads awareness organically.

Referral Programs

Creating a referral system will motivate followers to spread the word—the more they bring in the more perks they'll earn (like discounts, exclusive content, or early access to products).

Brand Ambassador Programs

Offer brand ambassador roles to your top community members, where they can unlock benefits when they promote your brand on their platforms. It's a win-win, you'll gain brand advocates, and they'll feel appreciated.

Partner With Micro-Influencers

The great thing about partnering with Micro-influencers is they have a niche but fierce loyal following. Collaborating with them can extend your reach to these communities and gain followers who are more likely to become evangelists.

A great example of using these strategies is Glossier. They actively feature their customers experiences on social media, encouraging user-generated content and driving a sense of community. Engaging with their audience through their blog 'Into the Gloss,' before launching products. Involving fans in product development by regularly asking for customer feedback. They were able to push their reach even further by implementing a referral program that rewarded customers for bringing in new buyers. Glossier balanced micro-influencers with everyday customers to keep their advocacy authentic, turning fans into passionate evangelists.

Cultivate a supportive and empowering community for women

In conclusion, community building paired with growth hacking is the future of social media marketing. While building a community of brand evangelists can take time and effort, it's well worth  it.

Ready to turn your followers into passionate brand advocates? Our social media experts can help you build a community that drives organic growth. Reach out today for a consultation!

Disclaimer: The information in these resources may lead to unprecedented online growth, massive engagement, and an overwhelming surge in your business success. Proceed with caution, as we cannot be held responsible for any sudden increase in sales, followers, or popularity. Read at your own risk of becoming wildly successful.

What Makes a Brand Evangelist?

Brand evangelists don’t passively engage content, they actively and organically promote it, by sharing and recommending your brand voluntarily. They post user-generated content about your brand, offering authentic social proof to new followers. Evangelists consistently engage with your brand, commenting, liking posts, and sparking conversations around your message. They bring authenticity, sharing your brand’s story in a way that feels real and relatable, unlike traditional marketing, which can sometimes feel pushy or impersonal.

xploration community on breast implant removal and health

Building a Community: The Foundation of Evangelism

Building an engaged community will make your followers feel heard and valued and is your first step to creating a brand evangelist.

Interactive Content

Make your followers feel as though they're more than just followers. Start encouraging real-time participation from your followers by using polls, Q&A sessions, live streams, and interactive stories.

Create Exclusive Spaces

Offer exclusive communities through Facebook groups or invite-only chats where your community can get behind-the-scenes looks or early access to products. Make them feel like VIPs—they'll return the favor.

Reward Engagement

Don't just recognize your most active members; roll out the red carpet for them. Simple shout-outs, giveaways, and sneak peeks can go a long way in making followers feel valued.

Naturally, followers will contribute and invest more of their time in your brand when you start nurturing engagement.

Growth Hacking Tactics for Social Evangelism

Growth hacking is all about finding creative, low-cost strategies to drive rapid growth.

Once you've built a strong community you can leverage these growth-hacking techniques to turn casual followers into brand evangelists.

User-Generated Content (UGC)

Encourage followers to create and share their own content related to your brand. Run a photo or video challenge and offer rewards for the most creative submissions; this gives followers a stake in your brand and spreads awareness organically.

Referral Programs

Creating a referral system will motivate followers to spread the word—the more they bring in the more perks they'll earn (like discounts, exclusive content, or early access to products).

Brand Ambassador Programs

Offer brand ambassador roles to your top community members, where they can unlock benefits when they promote your brand on their platforms. It's a win-win, you'll gain brand advocates, and they'll feel appreciated.

Partner With Micro-Influencers

The great thing about partnering with Micro-influencers is they have a niche but fierce loyal following. Collaborating with them can extend your reach to these communities and gain followers who are more likely to become evangelists.

A great example of using these strategies is Glossier. They actively feature their customers experiences on social media, encouraging user-generated content and driving a sense of community. Engaging with their audience through their blog 'Into the Gloss,' before launching products. Involving fans in product development by regularly asking for customer feedback. They were able to push their reach even further by implementing a referral program that rewarded customers for bringing in new buyers. Glossier balanced micro-influencers with everyday customers to keep their advocacy authentic, turning fans into passionate evangelists.

Cultivate a supportive and empowering community for women

In conclusion, community building paired with growth hacking is the future of social media marketing. While building a community of brand evangelists can take time and effort, it's well worth  it.

Ready to turn your followers into passionate brand advocates? Our social media experts can help you build a community that drives organic growth. Reach out today for a consultation!