A recent article by Aliza Sherman was published on WebWorkerDaily that discusses the concept of a Facebook Superfan and how marketers can turn their Superfans into Brand Ambassadors.

A brand’s Superfans are defined as the Facebook fans who not only liked their page but also participated and interacted with others on the page and even came back on a daily or near daily basis.

Sure, you could give them a special gift or recognize them publicly in a status update saying “Thanks,” but is that it? What’s so “social” about that? Isn’t social media giving us far more capabilities? And if someone is that engaged with a brand, what else do they want? Clearly, having this kind of unprecedented contact and communications with a brand fills some unidentified need in individuals who revel in the opportunities that social media tools provide.

Why Do Fans Become Superfans?

First, let’s explore what motivates people to do more than just click “Like” on a brand’s Facebook Page, what drives some of them to become active members of an organically-forming community on that Page.

What we are seeing on Facebook Pages is similar to what has been seen in online communities going all the way back to Usenet Newsgroups: People want to feel part of something larger than themselves. They want to belong. It’s human nature to be drawn to communities, and if one doesn’t already exist, then some people have it in them to start building one themselves.

When we see a person moving from clicking on a Like button to responding to status updates to then commenting on what others are commenting on to visiting a page daily and announcing their arrival, we’re seeing the natural community builders rising to the top. These are the Superfans. Some of them could become even more than that to a brand. Some of them want to be more, but don’t know where to start.

How Do You Convert a Superfan Into a Brand Ambassador?

What needs to be put in place is a process to strategically and respectfully offer opportunities to Superfans to become something bigger: a Brand Ambassador.

The term “Brand Ambassador” has been bandied about in marketing for years. Merriam-Webster defines an ambassador as “an authorized representative or messenger or an unofficial representative.” In this context, the concept of a Brand Ambassador is clear: someone who publicly and positively represents and promotes a brand. Note that this is not about buying someone’s loyalty; this isn’t about paying them to be a Brand Ambassador. Once you pay someone a fee for their “ambassadorship,” what you’re really getting is a paid spokesperson. This is about how to create mutually beneficial and transparent relationships with brand Superfans, to harness their passions and convert them into social media Brand Ambassadors. Here’s how to do this:

1. Identify Superfans.
2. Recognize Superfans publicly.
3. Privately request that Superfans respond to a questionnaire to get a better sense of who they are.
4. Evaluate the responses to identify potential Brand Ambassadors.
5. Approach Superfans privately with a proposal to become a Brand Ambassador.
6. Engage the new Brand Ambassadors to amplify their passions around the brand.

All of the steps above can be infused with whatever meaning you want. The choices you make, however, are critical to the success of your Brand Ambassador program. First and foremost, you have to understand the dynamics of social media, online communities and the meaning of value. You then have to be sensitive and respectful to the individuals with whom you are interacting. Let’s face it: You need them way more than they need you.

To read this article in it’s entirety, click here.