When it comes to employee engagement, traditional marketing has moved online for companies, who are now using social media and other online tools to drive retention. For more efficient communication, companies are bringing the conversation right to their employees.

In recent years, there has been more emphasis on identifying a key opinion leader (KOL) in the business to drive marketing through online social media channels. These people do not have to be in senior management but should be well-respected and valued members of staff. KOLs help enhance communication internally and externally, by being a social media champion and regularly posting on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and corporate blogs.

They also have the ability to drive an increase in followers, likes and shares.  Appointing KOLs in the business, allows them to be more engaged in what they do, which helps to drive engagement of other employees, particularly those who follow the KOLs closely.

To get behind the science of employee behaviour, the use of Google Analytics (a web analytics service offered by Google which tracks website traffic) has risen in companies that want to connect with their staff on an emotional level. By understanding employee behaviour and usage patterns on a company’s intranet, businesses can glean insights into employee preferences. Those found to often like and share corporate event updates might be worth approaching to take the lead in similar future projects.

When employees are more engaged on social media platforms, they are enabled to drive success via these channels. This helps increase corporate brand awareness in the market with both potential clients and employees, which triggers stronger business success and employer branding. Being active on professional platforms such as LinkedIn builds a strong profile for employees, and can improve reputation and trust. With these initiatives, it is often easier to drive retention.

This article appeared in the Classified Post print edition as Social mediating.