Employee advocacy programme costs for small firms

Key takeaways

Employee advocacy programme cost for a small UK firm is mostly set-up and content. As indicative figures, a policy, training session and content kit take 6 to 12 hours, about £450–£1,200, and a monthly kit of shareable posts takes 2 to 4 hours, about £150–£400.

• £450–£1,200 is the indicative set-up cost of an advocacy programme.
• A monthly kit of shareable posts costs about £150–£400.
• Dedicated advocacy software is optional for small teams.
• Sharing must always be voluntary and clearly from the employee.

What is an employee advocacy programme?

An employee advocacy programme is a structured way for staff to share company news, jobs and expertise on their own social media profiles, usually LinkedIn. It includes a short policy, training and a regular supply of posts staff can share or adapt in their own words.

• Social media agency pricing in the UK
• Employee advocacy for small businesses done properly

How much does an advocacy programme cost to set up?

Set-up covers a policy, a training session and a first content kit. That takes about 6 to 12 hours, which is £450–£1,200 at the £75–£100 an hour implied by typical UK retainers, in line with UK social media training costs. These are indicative figures, not a GBL price list.

• Short sharing policy and guidance.
• One training session for staff.
• Profile tips for those who want them.
• First kit of shareable posts.

• Social media training costs in the UK

What does it cost each month?

The ongoing cost is the content kit: a handful of ready-to-share posts each month, with suggested wording staff can personalise. That takes 2 to 4 hours, about £150–£400. Dedicated advocacy software adds a subscription, but a shared document or channel works for teams under about twenty people.

What should the policy cover?

The policy should say sharing is voluntary, what staff may and may not say, how to handle confidential information, how to respond to negative comments and that personal views are their own. It should sit alongside your wider social media policy, not replace it.

• Social media policy for UK small businesses

When is employee advocacy not worth paying for?

It is not worth it when staff do not want to take part or have no relevant audience. Forced sharing looks forced. Advocacy works best in B2B and professional firms where buyers want to see the people they will work with, and in businesses recruiting regularly.

• LinkedIn ghostwriting costs for UK founders

What does this look like in practice?

A pattern we see with UK professional services and logistics clients: a few keen staff share company posts, but only when reminded. Global Bridge Labs (GBL) writes a short monthly kit with suggested wording, so the people who want to share have something ready and nobody feels pushed.

• See client work
• Social Media Marketing for UK businesses

Advocacy programme checklist

Agree these before launch.

• Sharing is voluntary, in writing.
• What may and may not be shared.
• One training session and a guide.
• Monthly kit and where to find it.
• Who staff ask when unsure.

• What a social media giveaway really costs to run
• Social media brand guidelines: what they cost to create

Next step

Tell us how many staff might take part and what you want them to share. We will tell you what set-up a programme needs.