How to Actually Use Social Amplification to Maximise Brand Reach
Let’s get one thing straight - if you’re not making it easy (and enticing) for people to share your brand, you’re missing the whole bloody point of social media. Social amplification isn’t a new gadget in the marketer’s toolkit - it’s the grease that keeps the engine running in the experience economy.
So, what is it then?
Social amplification is all about getting other people - your customers, fans, influencers, even your nan if she’s online - to share your brand’s content for you. It’s like word-of-mouth with a megaphone. It’s what happens when your brand creates something worth talking about - and people actually do talk about it.
In an age where one TikTok video can outpace your entire ad budget, ignoring this is like trying to win a Grand Prix on a unicycle.
Right, how do you actually do it?
1. Turn Customers Into Storytellers (aka UGC)
People trust people. Especially people who look like them, talk like them, and don't sound like they're reading a script.
Do this:
Kick off a hashtag challenge that gives people a reason to share.
Repost customer content across your own channels like it’s gold (because it is).
GoPro doesn’t sell cameras - they sell the chance to be a hero. Their fans do the rest.
2. Use Influencers Without Losing Your Soul
Good influencers aren’t just pretty faces - they’re community leaders. If they wouldn’t wear your brand on a hungover Sunday, don’t pay them to post on a Tuesday.
Do this:
Partner with people your audience already listens to.
Go for honest, useful, or entertaining - not glossy and forgettable.
Dior plays the long game here. Collaborations, events, and a healthy mix of micro and macro influencers. It’s not spray and pray - it’s targeted charm.
3. Make Events That Beg to Be Shared
If your event doesn’t look good on Instagram, did it even happen?
Do this:
Create spaces and moments people want to capture.
Layer in AR filters, live polls, or perks for posting.
Look at Coachella. Half the buzz isn’t about the music - it’s the flamingos, light tunnels, and “where even is this” installations.
4. Pay to Amplify What’s Already Working
Organic’s great. But let’s not be precious. If something’s catching fire, throw some budget on it and let it fly.
Do this:
Take your best-performing content and give it a nudge.
A/B test like a scientist in a lab coat.
Airbnb’s UGC-based ads don’t look like ads. That’s why they work.
5. Build a Brand People Want to Chat With
It’s not just about pushing content - it’s about creating a brand people want to talk with, not just about.
Do this:
Ask questions. Run polls. Reward engagement.
Turn your comment section into a conversation pit.
Starbucks nailed it with the #RedCupContest. Seasonal, visual, fun - and totally shareable.
Why Bother?
Because it works. It builds reach, credibility, and community - all things you can’t just buy off the shelf. Social amplification makes your brand part of someone else’s story, and that’s marketing gold.
Final Word
If you want your brand to go further, stop talking at people. Give them something worth sharing and let them do the talking for you. That’s not just amplification - it’s smart, modern marketing.
