Brand advocacy: turn customers into advocates

What if your best marketing asset isn’t your ad budget but the people who already love your brand? That’s the power of brand advocacy. Passionate customers, employees, and partners can amplify your message, build credibility, and bring in new business—without you lifting a finger. 

Brand advocates don’t just buy from you; they talk about you, recommend you, and drive real growth. And here’s the thing: people trust them more than they trust you. Research shows that 76% of people trust content shared by real people more than branded advertising. That means your next customer isn’t looking at your paid ads—they’re listening to their friend, their colleague, or their favourite social media account.

At Spinifex, we help you find, nurture, and activate brand advocates to grow your reach, build credibility, and drive conversions. Whether it’s a loyal customer, an engaged employee, or an influential partner, we’ll help you turn them into a powerful marketing force. 

Brand advocacy: turn customers into advocates

Brand advocacy isn’t just a nice-to-have. It’s a game-changer. When real people speak positively about your brand, it builds trust in a way that no ad campaign ever could.

Reach More People, Spend Less
Word-of-mouth is still the most effective form of marketing, and in an era where buyers are overwhelmed with choices, trust is everything. Advocates expand your reach far beyond what you could achieve alone. The average social media user has over 400 connections—400 potential customers you wouldn’t typically have access to.

And unlike traditional advertising, advocacy doesn’t rely on a hefty budget. When nurtured correctly, it’s an organic, cost-effective way to generate leads and sales. 

The real magic happens in conversions. Studies show that advocates are 50% more likely to influence purchases than traditional marketing. Why? Because people believe real people. A recommendation from a trusted friend carries far more weight than even the slickest brand messaging. It’s not just about getting seen—it’s about getting believed. 

Advocacy also helps your business gain traction in new spaces. Journalists and industry influencers are more likely to cover brands with strong community support. The more buzz around your brand, the more opportunities arise for media coverage, collaborations, and partnerships. 

And let’s not forget time. With your advocates doing some of the heavy lifting, you can focus on growing your business, refining your offerings, and improving your customer experience, rather than constantly chasing new leads. 

Building brand advocacy doesn’t happen by accident. It takes strategy, execution, and a deep understanding of what makes people talk. That’s where we come in. 

At Spinifex, we’ve spent over 30 years helping brands cultivate meaningful relationships that drive business growth. We understand that advocacy isn’t just about getting customers to say nice things—it’s about creating real, lasting connections that benefit both your brand and the advocates themselves. 

We start by identifying your biggest fans—the customers who leave glowing reviews, the employees who live and breathe your mission, the partners who champion your brand in their own networks. Using data-driven insights and social listening tools, we find the voices that matter most. 

From there, we develop custom advocacy programs designed to nurture and activate these key individuals. Maybe that means crafting a referral program, building exclusive insider communities, or partnering with engaged employees to spread the word. Whatever the strategy, the goal remains the same: to turn passive supporters into active brand champions. 

Advocacy doesn’t happen in isolation, so we also help brands foster mutually beneficial partnerships. By aligning with like-minded businesses, you can create a network of advocacy that extends beyond your immediate customer base. 

And because none of this works without measurement and refinement, we track engagement, monitor advocacy impact, and tweak strategies to ensure continuous growth. Whether through brand sentiment analysis, referral tracking, or direct feedback loops, we make sure you see tangible results. 

Spinifex can help you with any or all of these elements.  
 
Advocate identification – We help you find customers, employees, and partners who are natural advocates for your brand. 

Advocacy programs – Custom strategies to nurture, engage, and mobilise your advocates. 

Social listening and analytics – We track engagement and measure the impact of advocacy on your brand’s growth. 

Partnership development – We help you create mutual advocacy programs with partners for maximum reach. 

Content and campaign support – From testimonial campaigns to influencer collaborations, we create engaging, shareable content that fuels advocacy. 

Training and tools – Give your team the tools and training they need to encourage advocacy from within. 

What is brand advocacy?

Brand advocacy is when customers, employees, or partners actively promote your brand because they genuinely love it. Unlike traditional marketing, brand advocacy is organic and builds trust through real word-of-mouth recommendations. 

Why is brand advocacy important for my business? 

Brand advocates help you increase credibility, expand reach, and boost conversions—all with lower marketing costs than traditional paid advertising. Research shows that 76% of people trust peer recommendations more than ads, making advocacy one of the most effective marketing strategies. 

How do I find brand advocates for my business?

You already have potential advocates! We help you identify and activate them through: 

Social listening tools to track engaged customers.
Customer testimonials and reviews from happy buyers. 
Employee engagement programs that encourage staff advocacy. 
Partnerships with complementary brands for mutual advocacy. 

How can I encourage customers to become brand advocates?

Building advocacy is about engagement and incentives. We help you: 

• Deliver exceptional customer experiences that encourage word-of-mouth. 
• Provide exclusive content or early access to loyal customers. 
• Set up referral and loyalty programs that reward advocacy. 
• Engage with your audience through social media and community-building initiatives.

How do I measure the success of a brand advocacy program? 

Brand advocacy isn’t just about buzz—it needs to drive results. We track: 

Engagement rates on social media and brand mentions. 
Referral traffic and sales generated from advocates. 
Net Promoter Score (NPS) to measure customer loyalty. 
Employee advocacy participation in brand-building efforts. 

What is the difference between customer advocacy and brand advocacy?

Brand advocacy includes anyone who promotes your brand—customers, employees, partners, or influencers. 

Customer advocacy is specifically about loyal customers recommending your business to others. 

Can small businesses benefit from brand advocacy?

Absolutely! In fact, small businesses benefit the most because advocacy helps build trust, visibility, and word-of-mouth marketing—without big ad budgets. Whether you’re a local bakery, fitness studio, or veterinary clinic, brand advocacy helps you grow with authentic, organic marketing. 

How does Spinifex help businesses with brand advocacy?

We take the guesswork out of advocacy by creating and managing tailored programs that help you:

Identify and nurture brand advocates across customers, employees, and partners. 
Build referral programs, social campaigns, and partnerships that amplify your brand. 
Track and measure results to ensure real business impact. 

How do I get started with a brand advocacy program? 

It starts with a conversation. Book a free strategy session with Spinifex to explore how we can turn your customers, employees, and partners into your most powerful marketing asset.