What Are Influencer and Brand Ambassador Programs?

If you are on social media, you have noticed it: influencers and brand ambassadors are steering what we buy, where we eat, and which places we visit. Their recommendations feel more trustworthy than traditional ads. But can this influence work for events too? 

In this post, we cover who influencers and brand ambassadors are, what influencer and brand ambassador programs are, and how they can benefit events. At the end, we also share a handy tool to keep track of your event advocates.

Who Are Influencers?

Influencers are individuals who have built large followings on platforms like Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, or blogs. They influence or shape their audience’s opinions, behaviors, and purchasing decisions through authentic content and personal recommendations. 

What Are Influencer Programs? 

According to a report, influencer marketing budgets are set to grow again in 2026. Given this, it’s safe to say that influencer programs are not just a passing trend. From the term, influencer programs are strategically designed campaigns where brands or event organizers partner with influencers to promote products, services, or events to their engaged audiences. Typically, the goals of these programs include increasing awareness, driving registrations or sales, and building long-term brand loyalty.

Who Are Brand Ambassadors?

Brand ambassadors are long-term advocates who genuinely believe in and represent a brand’s values. They do not need a large following; what matters most is authenticity and alignment with the brand. Brand ambassadors can come from loyal customers, employees, community leaders, or even influencers who are officially selected by the brand. 

For a more in-depth discussion on why hiring brand ambassadors for your event marketing matters, here’s the post to check out. 

Looking to learn more about brand ambassador marketing? Don't miss this post. 

To boost your brand ambassador marketing efforts, be sure to click on this article.

What Are Brand Ambassador Programs?

Brand ambassador programs are marketing strategies that employ representatives, or brand ambassadors, to promote and represent a brand. Similar to influencer programs, they aim to increase awareness, drive registrations or sales, and build long-term loyalty. The key difference is that they typically involve longer-term partnerships. This enables brand ambassadors to build sustained relationships and ongoing engagement with their communities.

Why Use Influencer and Brand Ambassador Programs for Events

With six billion internet users in 2025, influencer and brand ambassador programs can put your event in front of audiences that traditional ads could never reach. But it’s not just about numbers. There are many ways these programs can strengthen event promotion. Read on to discover how leveraging influencers and brand ambassadors can make a meaningful impact on your event.

1. To Expand Organic Reach 

Did you know that businesses use organic social media more than any other channel to promote their content? In marketing, paid ads can deliver quick results, but organic marketing is what builds lasting relationships and drives authentic engagement.

Organic marketing can start with creating an event page and posting content, but influencer and brand ambassador programs push reach even further. Influencers and brand ambassadors can promote events to audiences who already trust them for guidance and inspiration. They can share personal stories, behind-the-scenes previews, or reasons the event is worth attending. Accordingly, their followers can comment, like, or share, increasing the number of people who see, engage with, or interact with your content without paying for ads. 

2. To Build Customer Trust

What makes influencer and brand ambassador programs a unique marketing strategy is that they give real voices to campaigns and promotions, which is essential for today’s consumers. In case you missed it, 84% of customers say they trust recommendations from others more than traditional ads, even if they have never met them.

Influencers and brand ambassador programs tap real individuals who can speak real experiences, opinions, and insights, creating authentic content about the event. When real voices speak on behalf of your brand or event, it feels relatable and trustworthy, encouraging followers to register, engage, or attend.

3. To Generate User-Generated Content

User-generated content (UGC) is any type of content, including photos, videos, reviews, testimonials, blog posts, or social media posts. They are created and shared by people outside of a brand, usually customers, fans, or event attendees. UGC helps expand reach organically, builds credibility, and encourages engagement and sales.

Getting attendees to create UGC can be tough, but influencer and brand ambassador programs can help make it more manageable. Influencers and brand ambassadors provide trusted voices who inspire participation, encouraging their followers to share posts using event hashtags, participate in challenges, or post reviews after attending. 

4. To Create a Loyal Event Community

If you are managing an annual event, you know that having a loyal event community is essential for long-term success and consistent growth. Beyond creating great events, influencer and brand ambassador programs help ensure attendees keep coming back.

Influencer and brand ambassador programs turn casual attendees into loyal participants who return year after year, helping to sustain attendance and engagement across editions. Influencers bring the event to the right eyes with excitement and credibility, while brand ambassadors nurture the relationship, keeping attendees engaged, answering questions, and inspiring them to return for future editions. Ultimately, this creates a dedicated, enthusiastic community around your event.

5. To Extend Event Lifespan 

Keeping your event's impact alive long after the closing ceremony is what makes your event memorable, encourages more sales, and maintains visibility and relevance. Influencer and brand ambassador programs make this happen. All the content influencers and brand ambassadors share lives online, creating a digital footprint that people can discover even after the event ends. Furthermore, their ongoing engagement, through follow-up posts or community interactions, helps keep your event top-of-mind for audiences.

Manage Influencers and Brand Ambassadors More Effectively With StaffConnect

Still managing your influencers and brand ambassadors with spreadsheets and scattered tools? There is a smarter way! Introducing StaffConnect. 

StaffConnect is an all-in-one event management tool that makes managing influencers and brand ambassadors simple and efficient. Easily onboard your influencers and ambassadors in StaffConnect and create custom profiles to ensure you have complete records. Track them during events with GPS Check In/Out and communicate with them directly using live chat. Built-in timesheets, invoicing, and payroll ensure they are always compensated on time. And that’s just the beginning. There’s more to discover in StaffConnect! Book your free demo today to learn more.