Companies tap employees for social media advocacy

EMPLOYEE SOCIAL

Companies tap employees for social media advocacy

Companies are increasingly encouraging employees to post on social media about their employers as part of "employee advocacy programmes" according to the Financial Times.

Scott Morris of Sprout Social says employees are seen as authentic influencers, promoting their company, products, and successes.

Employers find these programmes cost-effective, increasing employee engagement and productivity, while providing significant marketing benefits.

For example, Simpli.fi saw nearly $90,000 in earned media value, and Ivanti saved $500,000 in annual marketing costs through their programmes.

Here’s what you should know

• Programmes may offer incentives like award points or gift cards to participating employees.

• 86% of employees involved in advocacy programmes reported positive career impacts, such as networking and industry trend awareness.

Potential pitfalls

Risks include perceptions of inauthenticity if employees post too often or are overly enthusiastic.

Some companies have faced backlash for pressuring employees to share posts, with threats of disciplinary action in some cases.

Legal and ethical concerns

Employees may need to declare posts as advertising, especially with non-monetary incentives.

The UK’s Advertising Standards Authority requires clear labelling for paid promotions, including non-monetary forms of compensation.

Balancing act

Companies need to tread carefully, ensuring authenticity and clear benefits for employees to avoid negative repercussions.

THE DIGEST

🤖 Do AI and PR go together?: Adopting AI in PR is challenging due to organisational resistance and the overwhelming number of tools, but experts at the PRmoment Masterclass emphasised the necessity of change and careful selection of specialised tools despite the lack of a one-size-fits-all solution.

🔋 The rules of social media have changed: The podcast discusses the evolving challenges and strategies in social media marketing, emphasising the need for high-quality content, adapting to new platforms and AI tools, and building strong, engaging relationships with audiences.

🧵 Threads CEO Adam Mosseri on its first year: In its first year, Meta's text-based social network achieved rapid growth to over 175 million monthly users by leveraging Instagram's user base and focusing on real-time conversations, but continues to face challenges in content moderation and feature development to differentiate itself from X.

📱 Consumer use of social is shifting (again): A recent survey from Sprout Social reveals that Instagram has surpassed Facebook as the top social media platform among surveyed US and UK consumers, with significant usage differences across age groups.

AI DETECTION

AI content detectors: Flawed or the future?

AI content detectors recently faced scrutiny when the Declaration of Independence, written in 1776, was flagged as 98.51% AI-generated. This incident raises questions about the reliability of these tools and their impact on authenticity in writing.

Dianna Mason, an SEO content specialist, highlights the failure of AI content detectors, citing other historical documents misidentified as AI-generated.

Here’s what you should know

• AI content detectors have been shown to incorrectly label genuine human-written content as AI-generated, undermining their reliability.

• Recent examples, including the Declaration of Independence and the 1993 McDonald's hot coffee lawsuit, highlight these tools' flaws.

Detecting AI-generated content

Signs of AI-generated content include lengthy introductions, generic thoughts, and the absence of personal stories. AI content often appears too perfect, with obvious patterns and safe language.

Experts argue that AI should assist in content creation but not be solely responsible for it. Human oversight remains crucial.

Tools like Humanizer AI can make AI text undetectable, challenging the effectiveness of detection tools.

Does it matter if content is AI-generated?

Opinions are divided on the importance of AI-generated content. Some see the use of AI as a time-saving tool that overcomes writer’s block. Others worry about the potential loss of authenticity and the implications for professional integrity.

As AI technology evolves, distinguishing between human and AI-generated content may become increasingly difficult, prompting debates about its role in content creation.

Balancing act

As AI continues to advance, striking a balance between utilising technology and maintaining authenticity in writing is crucial. Ensuring that AI serves as a tool rather than a replacement for human creativity will be key to navigating this evolving landscape.

Tool of the week

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