In the world of employer branding, “authenticity” is the holy grail. We all know that flashy corporate videos with hired actors and lines never fool anyone anymore. candidates want to see real The people behind the brand – their desks, their coffee, their challenges and their triumphs.
But here’s a paradox: How do you get employees to share authentic content at scale without feeling…well, forced?
If you push too hard, you’ll end up with “automated” posts that look like copy-paste PR blasts. If you don’t push at all, you’ll probably get silence.
in a recent episode Employer Branding Podcasthost Jörgen Sundberg sits down Laura MastersGlobal Employer and Talent Brand Director Expedia.com Groupdiscuss how they solved this puzzle. Her answer? Create a virtuous circle For brand ambassadors.
Here’s how Expedia Group leverages this cycle to generate amazing, authentic content that attracts top talent, and how you can do the same.
Problem: The “Forced Fun” Trap
Most companies start ambassador programs with good intentions. They identified key employees, gave them a packet of “suggested social posts” and asked them to share.
The results are often discouraging. The content feels very stiff. Employees felt like they were doing unpaid marketing work. Viewers (your potential candidates) will scroll right past it.
Laura Masters emphasized that the biggest challenge was navigating the space without making the message feel forced. You can’t force passion. You can’t program culture.
Solution: Virtuous Cycle
Expedia Group focuses on a “virtuous cycle” approach rather than top-down directives. In business theory, a virtuous cycle is a repeated cycle of events in which the outcome of each event increases the beneficial effects of the next event.
In the context of Expedia Brand Ambassadors, this cycle looks like this:
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Discover: The employer branding team identifies employees who are already Share beautiful moments (usually travel-related, given the industry).
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enlarge: The company uses its platform (e.g. @lifeatexpedia channel) to highlight these true stories.
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verify: Employees feel their contributions are recognized and valued.
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inspiration: Other employees see this recognition and are inspired to share their own stories.
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Content volume: The amount of high-quality, authentic content grows naturally and is fed back to step 1.
by focusing on curating instead of createAfter that, the role of the brand team changed from “director” to “documentary director”.
The Build Cycle: 3 Key Pillars
Based on insights from the podcast and Expedia’s apparent success, here are three pillars for building this cycle in your own organization.
1. Mining gold, not making it
Expedia Group has one clear advantage: their product is travel. Naturally, their employees post photos of their amazing travels, off-site teams, and “work from anywhere” setups.
But every company has its own “gold.” Pets can interrupt Zoom calls, team lunches, or complex problems being solved on a whiteboard.
2. The “spotlight effect” as a reward
One of the most powerful motivators for employees isn’t gift cards; This is recognition. When a global brand like Expedia reshares an employee’s photo or story, that employee’s visibility and professional pride are greatly enhanced.
This is the engine of a virtuous cycle. When Jane from Engineering sees John from Sales on LinkedIn for his post about the company’s hackathon, she thinks: “I also want to share my story.”
3. Provide “guardrails”, not “scripts”
To keep your content safe and authentic, you need to balance freedom with guidance. Masters discussed the importance of ensuring the message is conveyed correctly without being stilted.
Instead of writing copy for them, provide a theme or prompt. For example, instead of saying “Post a text about our perks,” say “Share a photo of how you used your health perks this month.”
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Actionable tips: Create a “playbook” rather than a “rule book.” Show examples of great posts, offer tips for taking great photos, and offer suggestions for hashtags, then step back and let them create.
Authentic ROI
Why go to all the trouble to build this loop? Because the data proves it works.
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believe: Candidates trust permanent employees three times more than CEOs or PR departments.
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arrival: Employee networks are often 10 times larger than a corporate brand’s follower base.
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got engaged: Engagement for content shared by employees is 8 times higher than content shared through brand channels.
When you create a virtuous cycle, you no longer have to beg for content. Content is created on its own. Your employees become your storytellers and your employer brand becomes a living, breathing entity that attracts talent aligned with yours real Culture, not just culture on your “About Us” page.
To listen to the full conversation with Laura Masters and learn more about Expedia Group’s employer branding journey, watch the “How to Create a Virtuous Cycle for Brand Ambassadors” episode of the Employer Branding Podcast.
