When it comes to marketing strategy, especially in influencer marketing, you can no longer avoid the term Brand ambassador. But how can brand ambassadors be used for successful marketing? What tasks do these people take on, and what distinguishes them from conventional influencers?
We will explain what you need to know about brand ambassadors and why they should not be missing from any brand management concept.
What Is The Function Of A Brand Ambassador?
It is characteristic of a brand ambassador that they represent the respective company’s corporate identity and promote its values, products or services out of their conviction, which usually goes hand in hand with exclusive and long-term cooperation.
Such brand loyalty does not primarily play a role for influencers. Here, it is mainly about increasing reach and brand awareness, with a tendency towards one-off or short-term advertising projects.
What Are The Responsibilities Of A Brand Ambassador?
The main tasks of a brand ambassador include increasing brand attractiveness and customer loyalty using marketing strategies tailored to the target group. The specific field of activity, therefore, moves between marketing and sales.
Therefore, the focus is not necessarily on the specific sale of products or services, as is often the case with pure affiliate partners, but on interaction with the target group to promote brand awareness. This includes:
- increasing the visibility and attractiveness of a brand
- building a positive corporate image
- improving customer loyalty and retention
Within the cooperation, for example, the following tasks arise:
- Content creation (blog posts, social media posts)
- commercials and shoots
- Product tests and presentations
- Participation in public events
- Assisting in the development of marketing strategies
- Communication with followers and customers
How Does A Brand Ambassador Increase The Attractiveness Of A Brand?
Representing a company positively requires in-depth knowledge of its background and products. Therefore, a brand ambassador acts as an expert or specialist to present authentically and charismatically what sets the brand or company apart from other competitors.
This characteristic gives followers and (potential) customers a high level of credibility and consequently a high level of trust.
In advertising and social media, authenticity is more important than ever. On the one hand, brand ambassadors have the advantage that they are very close to the target group and, on the other hand, they are already convinced of the brand they represent – which of course, they also radiate.
Brand lovers have a tremendous power of attraction and know how to inspire their target group because they are enthusiastic about it themselves. For this reason, a brand ambassador will not only make your brand better known but also more attractive.
What Are The Benefits Of Being A Brand Ambassador On Instagram?
Social networks like Instagram offer extraordinary advantages in influencer marketing because the interfaces between the target group, brand ambassador and company are relatively fluid. Due to the high engagement rates generated by qualitative contributions, reels, and stories.
Brand ambassadors on Instagram are primarily responsible for presenting company services or products, for example, through regular posts and videos or in the form of promotional campaigns such as competitions and discount deals – a win-win situation for everyone involved. However, there are three essential points that a brand ambassador should fulfil on Instagram:
- Their profile must fit the company’s values and products.
- Their profile must arouse sympathy and ideally have recognition value.
- They should have a loyal and reasonably high following.
However, a high following is to be understood very subjectively. Some companies prefer to work with smaller profiles, so-called micro-influencers, because they appear more authentic and less “paid”, while others expect a minimum of size and reach. At this point, the boundaries between influencer and brand ambassador often become blurred.
How Do You Become A Brand Ambassador?
There are two ways for someone outside the company to become a brand ambassador: either you are actively recruited by a company or apply yourself. Some companies or marketing agencies offer their BA programs to make getting started and the application process more manageable.
Becoming A Brand Ambassador: Two Ways, Many Possibilities
Anyone who has the necessary charisma and various skills in online marketing can become a brand ambassador. Of course, this wish is easier to implement within a company and can be done, for example, as part of branding strategies or other PR programs for suitable employees.
In an external position, things look a little different. There are two options: either you are found and recruited, which usually requires particular popularity, or you apply speculatively to a company or an agency that places the relevant jobs and applications. From the company’s point of view, external brand ambassadors who already have a well-established network and can present themselves positively are worth their weight in gold.
What is essential, however, is the willingness of the brand ambassadors to commit themselves to a company in the long term and to identify with its values and the products it offers. If such a “match” does not fit 100%, a large part of this potential is lost and can even damage the company’s image.
Also Read: What Types Of Marketing Are There?