More brands are turning to their communities to help reach their marketing and growth goals, but many brands still don’t know how important student ambassadors can be when it comes to reaching Gen Z. So, why do you need student ambassadors?
If your brand plans on targeting students, it’s important to use student ambassadors to build brand awareness and trust on their campus. As Gen Z becomes more skeptical of ads, they are relying heavily on both in-person and virtual opinion leaders and market mavens to introduce their next purchases. Student ambassadors are able to reach students through a variety of ways, including user-generated content and on their campus, to build trust and brand awareness.
Student Ambassadors Put a Familiar Face to a Brand
What differentiates a brand is having real advocates for the brand. By tapping into student ambassadors, brands are able to not only connect with their online audience, but connect with students’ campus networks. Students are constantly meeting new people through class, campus involvement, and in various social settings. They’re able to share their love for the brand through social media, events, and more with their friends and peers. According to OnCampus, 92% of respondents trust referrals from their peers. Instead of having a celebrity or macroinfluencer endorse a brand or product to their followers who are less likely to trust them, student ambassadors can share their genuine love for a brand to people that see them as a trustworthy and reliable source.
Student Ambassadors Are More Effective Than Ads
Consumers are four times more likely to make a purchase when referred from a friend. As we live in a time where people are constantly consuming both content and products more than ever, it’s important that there is a strong trust in the brand. People often turn their friends for honest reviews and recommendations of purchases once they’ve experimented with the product or service. This way, they’re able to avoid listening to someone who may be promoting the products even if they aren’t as good as what they said it is.
Brand Awareness
Student ambassadors are able to bring brand awareness to their campus. Although consumers may not convert to a customer right away, they are able to consider your brand when they need to make a purchase. They are able to affiliate a trustworthy student with the brand and build trust throughout time, whether it’s right after learning about the brand or later down the line. For example, goPuff does this by offering late-night delivery. Although someone may not need delivery, they may want a snack at 3 AM and they’ll think about goPuff!
Increase Trust Overall
With the help of student ambassadors, your brand can build greater trust overall. Many students trust that if a student, someone around their age, is promoting a product as an ambassador, it must be a trustworthy product. As advertisements become more difficult and competitive to get through to consumers, a real-life advocate is able to present and resolve any tension a consumer may have. Student ambassadors are also able to bring storytelling and life to the brand outside of the digital world we live in today.
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