by 
written in collaboration with Sr Client Strategist, Alexa Ferrara, who details how to find the top brand ambassadors using LoudCrowd
When Nathan Apodaca jumped on his skateboard – after his car broke down on his way to work – he unintentionally created one of the most valuable pieces of user-generated content (UGC) in the history of TikTok. Improvising his commute while drinking his fave cranberry juice, the unfiltered, organic content caught the attention of the world and happened to also bring millions of dollars in earned media value to the 90-year old brand, Ocean Spray.
As we look back on the most viral social media moments of 2021, brands are the ones who benefited the most from these authentic moments – user-generated content created by brand fans, real customers. As audiences grow weary and skeptical of influencer marketing, the only way to reach millions of eyeballs via Instagram and TikTok is through UGC.
Viral Content is Organic Content
Content that goes viral is almost always created by consumers, making a brand’s customers their most valuable social media creators. The virality and exponential reach of UGC are beyond what any brand can create itself. Brands must engage their biggest fans, their actual customers, to create these viral moments. But even organic content needs direction and a strategy. Sometimes you get lighting in a bottle, like Ocean Spray with Nathan, but the majority of UGC is thoughtfully planned through brand ambassador programs.
So where do you find the best creators for your brand ambassador program? Start with the customers already talking about your brand on social! The quick and easy – view tagged posts from your brand’s Instagram account. It’s tedious, time-consuming, and also not complete but it’s a good place to start if you’re a smaller brand looking to kick things off! For larger brands, with over 100k followers and multiple tags a day, UGC software is the only way to find these invaluable creators and future brand ambassadors.
When putting together your UGC strategy and deciding who you want to invite to join your Ambassador program, it’s important to target your high-value customers.
Here we dive into the best ways to find brand ambassadors using LoudCrowd because it’s the only software that combines UGC measurement with growth programs like social gifting and ambassador management.
Customers, Not Influencers: What to Look for in Potential Brand Ambassadors
The opposite of an influencer, you are looking for people who have tagged your brand and made a purchase FIRST. This creates a starting point of trust and mutual admiration. It also ensures authenticity in future posts. This is becoming more and more important as 56% of users and 67% of creators note that they feel closer to brands they see on TikTok – WHEN the creator publishes human, unpolished content.
READ: Brand Ambassador vs Influencers: Which is a Better Fit?
Finding Potential Ambassadors with LoudCrowd
The greatest value derived from a social CRM, like LoudCrowd, is the wealth of customer engagement you can now organize and analyze. Via LoudCrowd, you can find potential brand ambassadors in one of two ways:
1. Navigate to the LoudCrowd Social CRM tab
- Click + Add Filter
- You can now apply multiple filters to find your high-quality customers
And because it’s about finding the best, most engaging creators, here are some example filters you should apply:
- Click on the All Customers drop-down arrow → Select First Post: Last 7 days – this will show you all of your customers who have tagged you for the very first time in the last 7 days.
- Activity → Post Count → 5 or more
- Customer Info -> Follower Count → 1k – 15k
- Post Date → Last 3 months
- Post Info → Mention Type → Tag + Caption Mentions (Instagram in-feed posts)
2. Navigate to the Content Tab
Your greatest digital creator asset is your customer base. Review content, download high res images, and use them for social media, website, or digital ads.
- Click + Add Filter
- You can now apply multiple filters to find your high-quality customers
Example filters you should apply:
- Post Info → Mention Type → Tag + Caption Mentions (Instagram In-feed posts) or Instagram Stories
- Post Info → Impressions → 1k – 10k
- Date of the post → Last 30 days
- Hashtag List → #YourBrand
Once I find Potential Brand Ambassadors, what do I do?
Organize them just like different customer personas – add them to a potential brand ambassador segment. Click on their username to open up their user profile. Click + Add in the Segments box, and select ‘potential brand ambassador’.
Once you have your complete list of potential brand ambassadors in a segment, it’s time to strategize your communication plan. You can send them a DM on behalf of the brand inviting them to join your brand ambassador program.
FAQs
What if I have other segments within LoudCrowd, and want to filter out those customers while looking for potential brand ambassadors?
In the Social CRM tab, click Exclude → +Add Filter → Segment → Select your segment (ex. Influencers). Once you apply that filter, that segment will be excluded from your search results.
I want to do specific targeting within my customer base. What filters can I use to find results?
Use our Biography search filter! In the Social CRM tab, click +Add Filter → Biography. Now you can search for specific keywords that may appear in your customers’ Instagram bios. Some examples of keywords you may use while targeting your customers include their occupation, location, college or university, etc.
I want my Potential Brand Ambassadors to have posted about a specific product or campaign we ran. How can I find those customers?
Navigate to our Content tab. Once you’re there, you can search for captions that include your specific product. Click +Add Filter → Caption → Search for your product. Or, you can use the caption search bar in the top left corner. You can also search for specific hashtags that you used for a campaign. To do so, +Add Filter → Hashtag List → Search for your hashtag.
Brand tags are a gold mine of creative, authentic content that can be reused in social platforms, on brand websites, or even in digital ads. And some of the above tactics can be done manually but as the top Social CRM on the market, LoudCrowd allows you to organize, track, and analyze your UGC and brand ambassador programs the same way you do sales.
Keep in mind, the hashtag #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt currently has over 4.1 billion views…all customer-based user-generated content promoting brands and products. As consumers move beyond brand posts and influencer marketing, where can you take your strategy to keep growing your audience and customer base?
