With digital ad costs continuing to rise and ad blockers now used by over 30% of U.S. internet users (2025 data), marketers are under more pressure than ever to make their budgets go further. What worked a few years ago may already be outdated.
If you’re looking to improve the performance of your paid media campaigns in 2025, look no further than your advocacy marketing program. Whether you’re supporting your strategy with influencer marketing, PR, or employee ambassadors, your existing advocates can help you improve targeting, build credibility, and boost ROI.
What is an Advocacy Marketing Program in 2025?
Advocacy marketing continues to evolve. Today’s top programs go beyond basic content sharing — they’re integrated with CRMs, loyalty programs, and advanced analytics to give marketers deeper insights into customer behavior and sentiment.
If your brand hasn’t yet implemented an advocacy marketing strategy, you’re likely leaving money (and impressions) on the table. These programs turn loyal customers, employees, and fans into your most effective brand promoters.
5 Ways Advocacy Marketing Supports Paid Media (2025 Update)
1. Tap into Deep Audience Insights
Modern advocacy platforms like SocialToaster offer more than just engagement—they give you actionable data. From psychographics to content preferences and platform behavior, you gain valuable insight into your audience.
💡 Pro Tip: Integrate your advocacy platform with AI-driven analytics tools (like Meta’s Advantage+ Audiences or Google Ads Insights Hub) to develop smarter campaigns.
2. Fuel Hyper-Targeted Custom Audiences
Your advocates are already warm leads. Use their data to build hyper-segmented custom audiences on Facebook, Google, LinkedIn, or TikTok Ads Manager. These lists often outperform broader interest-based targeting.
💡 Pro Tip: Sync your advocate segments with your email marketing list to run cross-channel retargeting campaigns.
3. Create AI-Enhanced Lookalike Audiences
Lookalike audiences have become even more powerful in 2025 with enhanced AI modeling. Use your advocates’ data to create near-exact digital twins of your best customers.
💡 Pro Tip: Segment your lookalikes based on specific goals (e.g., retention vs. acquisition) to fine-tune messaging and bidding strategies.
4. Integrate UGC into Paid Creative
Authenticity is still king — and your advocates are your best creators. Build ad creative directly from their content to increase click-through rates and conversions.
💡 Creative Trends:
- Around 82% of consumers say that they would be more likely to make a purchase from a brand that uses user-generated content (UGC) in their marketing initiatives
- Voice-over testimonials (using real advocates or AI-generated ones) are seeing a rise in B2B campaigns
- Use AI tools to remix UGC into fresh formats for multiple platforms
5. Drive Repeat Sales Through Post-Purchase Engagement
Customer retention is 2025’s ROI superpower. Use your paid ads to acquire customers, then funnel them into your advocacy program. Keep them engaged post-purchase with gamified campaigns, exclusive content, or loyalty bonuses.
💡 Keep your paid ? owned ? earned funnel tight: start with paid, convert to owned (email/SMS/CRM), and build earned promotion via advocacy.
Final Takeaway:
If your paid media efforts feel stale, advocacy marketing might be the refresh you need. It improves targeting, adds authentic content, and reduces your dependency on ever-increasing CPCs.
Need help integrating your advocacy marketing with paid media? Reach out to us at 855.62.TOAST, drop us an email, or request your free SocialToaster demo today.
