Most loyalty programs are great at one thing: getting customers to come back and buy again. But if that’s where your strategy ends, you’re leaving money (and influence) on the table.
True loyalty leaders know that the real magic happens when customers don’t just return, they recommend, defend and promote you. That’s customer advocacy, and it’s the step that separates “just another rewards program” from a genuine growth engine.
If you’re building a larger loyalty strategy for your brand, this is the transformation you need to make.
Loyalty vs. advocacy: the key difference
Knowing where loyalty ends and advocacy begins is the first step to building a program that does more than just keep customers coming back.
- Loyalty is repeat business, often driven by points, perks, and habit.
- Advocacy is when customers voluntarily speak up for your brand, bring you new customers and even defend you in tough moments.
Think of it as moving customers from “I shop here” to “I champion this brand.”
The journey looks like this:
Awareness → Engagement → Emotional connection → Advocacy
Most loyalty programs stop at engagement. Advocacy happens when you deepen the relationship and recognize value beyond transactions.
Why advocacy matters in large loyalty strategies
For big brands, advocacy does more than just feel good — it delivers measurable business value:
- Lower acquisition costs: Advocates generate referrals without paid media spend.
- Higher retention: Advocates are less price-sensitive and less likely to switch to competitors.
Brand resilience: When challenges hit, advocates are the first to defend you publicly.
- Cultural relevance: Advocacy integrates naturally with brand campaigns, social initiatives, and community building.
In other words, advocacy compounds the investment you’ve already made in your loyalty program.
If you’re still fine-tuning the basics, check out our guide on why most loyalty programs fail — and how to fix yours.
Four levers to turn loyalty into advocacy
These four levers work together, not in isolation. The most effective advocacy programs combine emotional connection, recognition and ease of participation with rewards that go beyond transactions.
1. Recognize more than just spend
If the only way to earn rewards is to buy, you’re missing opportunities to spark advocacy.
Reward actions like:
- Referrals
- Social shares and reviews
- Participation in online communities or events
Example: LEGO Insiders gives points for submitting new set ideas — building creativity and community. Learn more in our deep dive on what brands can learn from LEGO’s loyalty strategy.
2. Build emotional connection
Advocacy isn’t born from discounts - it comes from connection. Customers become advocates when they feel seen, valued and part of something bigger than a transaction.
Ways to foster that connection:
- Give them a voice: Invite top members into beta tests or early access programs where their feedback shapes the final product.
- Create shared experiences: Host members-only events or meetups (virtual or in person) that align with your brand values.
- Tell their stories: Feature customer journeys, successes or creative contributions in your marketing channels.
Olive tip: Use real-time notifications right after a transaction to show the impact of that purchase - whether it rounded up to a donation, earned bonus rewards or contributed toward a community goal. The instant feedback reinforces value and makes the customer feel like part of the action.
Emotional connection turns loyalty into a relationship and relationships naturally lead to advocacy. The stronger the bond, the more likely your customers are to defend your brand, recommend you to their peers and participate in new initiatives without extra prompting.
3. Make engagement frictionless
Your most enthusiastic customers will lose steam if participation is complicated.
Keep it easy by:
- Reducing the number of clicks to participate.
- Offering mobile-first experiences.
- Using simple shareable links and QR codes.
Olive tip: With our API-driven integrations, members can earn and redeem rewards for advocacy actions without leaving the platforms they already use.
4. Elevate advocates publicly
Recognition is fuel for advocacy. Spotlight your most passionate customers through:
- Social shoutouts
- Newsletter features
- Invitations to speak at brand events
- Exclusive access to new products or experiences
By making advocates visible, you inspire others to step into that role.
Case in point: from loyalty to advocacy
One Reddit commenter summed it up perfectly:
“A good effective rewards program can do wonders with the right offers that make sense to the customers. A system that allows a coupon first to attract new customers and then keep them by automatically converting a different long-lasting discount.”
That’s exactly how you bridge the gap: use the right initial incentive to spark interest, then pivot to a sustainable, long-term reward structure that keeps customers engaged and invested.
PUMA's advocacy playbook brings it to life. They turned their already passionate customer base into an advocacy powerhouse. Here’s how:
- They launched referral campaigns that rewarded both referrer and referee
- They integrated referral data seamlessly with their marketing stack
- The result was deeper loyalty and strong new customer acquisition all from their own advocates
This shift didn’t replace their points program - it amplified it.
Is your loyalty program ready for advocacy?
Run a quick check:
- Do you reward non-purchase actions?
- Is advocacy participation easy on mobile?
- Do you publicly recognize your best customers?
- Is advocacy part of your brand’s overall story?
- Can you measure its business impact?
If you answered “no” to any of these, you’re missing a step in your loyalty evolution.
Turning strategy into action
Loyalty is a foundation. Advocacy is the multiplier. If your goal is to not just keep customers but turn them into your most powerful growth channel, it’s time to build advocacy into your program and make it effortless for customers to participate.
Olive can help you track, reward and recognize advocacy behaviours at scale - without the technical headaches.
Book a demo to see how your loyalty program can become an advocacy engine.