How to leverage your employees’ social networks

Why should you engage employees in social media?

Have you ever wondered why some posts get thousands of views while others barely get noticed? One reason is the power of personal connections. Your employees already have a network of friends, family and colleagues on social media. By tapping into this, you instantly increase your brand’s visibility beyond your regular followers. In fact, personal accounts have five times the reach of typical business accounts. This is because people trust recommendations from individuals they know more than brands themselves.

Studies show that 85% of people prefer buying from companies recommended by someone they know. Wouldn’t it be smart then to harness your employees’ networks to share your company news, promotions or insights? This approach creates authentic buzz and builds trust in your brand.

Think about a small business with 50 employees... If each shares a company post with their personal network of 300 connections, the post potentially reaches 15,000 people instantly. That’s far beyond what an official company page alone could do.

‍

What’s the easiest way to get your employees involved?

Not everyone is comfortable on social media or understands how to share company content effectively. So, what can you do to help them get started?

Create a simple social media guide that explains how employees can represent your brand online. Make it friendly and clear, not a scary policy document. Many big companies issue strict guidelines that feel restrictive. Your guide should do the opposite: empower employees to share content that highlights their expertise, shows the fun side of working with you, and encourages them to engage with company posts.

For example, you could provide tips on how to write engaging captions, tag the company page or use relevant hashtags. Include examples of posts that have worked well. This removes any guesswork and boosts confidence.

Most importantly, encourage them to be authentic. Sharing personal stories or experiences related to your industry is much more powerful than just reposting generic updates.

Level 1: use faces and behind-the-scenes moments

What type of posts get the most attention on social media? Posts with people, especially faces. Humans naturally connect with other people. For this basic level, encourage your employees to share photos or videos of everyday moments at work — like team meetings, events or simply a snapshot of their workspace. Here are 20 ideas for employee spotlight posts.

Why does this work? Behind-the-scenes content makes your company feel more approachable. For instance, if a software firm shares photos of its developers brainstorming, clients will feel more connected and trust the company more.

Another example is monthly tips from employees. For instance, a marketing team member could share a helpful social media trick through their personal profile. This benefits both the employee, who showcases expertise, and the company, which gains credibility.

Level 2: share and comment immediately on company updates

Did you know the first few minutes after posting updates are the most important? Social media algorithms scan how many people view, click, comment or share posts early on to decide if the content is worthy of greater reach.

So, how can employees help? Simply by sharing, reacting or commenting on new company posts as soon as they go live. This initial engagement signals to platforms like LinkedIn or Facebook that your content is valuable and boosts its visibility.

For example, LinkedIn reports that 30% of company page engagement comes from employees. They are 14 times more likely to share company content than other types. If your employees jump in quickly, your posts reach more potential customers or partners.

Try holding quick ‘post alerts’ via Slack or email, so employees know exactly when to support company updates.

Level 3: build employee thought leadership

This step takes more effort but offers huge rewards. Can you imagine if your employees became recognised experts in your field? Encouraging them to share opinions, industry news, or even personal successes and challenges helps build your company’s reputation as a leader.

For example, a project manager writing a LinkedIn article on managing remote teams puts a human face on your brand and shows real expertise. It’s also hugely motivating for the employee, who grows their personal brand and gains career value.

Even sharing lessons learned from failures creates authenticity and trust. When employees post thoughtful content, your company appears open to ideas and collaboration. This fosters a positive workplace culture where innovation thrives.

In turn, your workforce feels valued and less likely to leave, while you enjoy increased productivity and stronger teamwork.

Many businesses successfully use this approach. For example, marketing agency January Advisors supports employees to blog regularly and share insights. This boosts client trust and creates a vibrant company culture.

How do you get started now?

Start small. Create a short social media guide and share it with your teams. Highlight examples of good posts and explain why employee input matters. Next, set up quick alerts for company updates and encourage immediate sharing. Finally, identify passionate employees who can become thought leaders and offer them support.

Remember, authentic voices with genuine enthusiasm outperform traditional advertising. Leveraging your employees’ social networks can multiply your reach and humanise your brand — a strategy that saves money and builds trust.

‍