In this article, I take a look at one of the dilemmas faced by organisations in an age where most of their employees are on social media platforms. They are faced with how the organisation balances the risk and reward of an organic community of unpaid and enthusiastic internal brand ambassadors. For organisations that have a staff complement running into the thousands, this talent represents an incredible pool of goodwill, deep insight, and commitment. Yet, there are very real risks if all of them post on social media that it may create problems for their employer.
This is especially so in organisation that employs a lot of young people who are adept at content creation using platforms like TikTok and others. When this content is created and circulated on social media it can build an organic buzz that very few days content creators (influencers) can compete with. This is because they will base their posts on subjects ranging from their social experience like what it’s like to be in the organisation to more technical material relating to how-to videos on specific industry material.
This invariably boosts the visibility of the organisation and connects it authentically to an audience that's not always easy to reach. The organisation is able to reach a wider audience than it would ordinarily reach with standard content.
There is always the risk though that one of these internal ambassadors may bring the organisation into disrepute. That is because it is difficult to keep an unregulated community of content creators on the same page. Organisations need to be aware of the inherent risks that are brought by unofficial ambassadors. They have the magic of organic and unscripted content that delights audiences.
That same magic exposes the organisation to risk as the messaging can go to places that are detrimental to the brand. In some cases, even proprietary information can be unintentionally exposed. This is why we at 48HOURS have created workshops and tools that help organisations tap into the power of their internal ambassadors while deftly managing the risks inherent in this practice.