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.
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.
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!