Product ambassadors can play a central role in organically spreading the use of an education product among educators. In K-12, word of mouth is everything and having a teacher show their peers how and why they use your digital device, platform or curriculum is invaluable.

But these programs need a lot of care and feeding to succeed. And companies need to be aware of the pitfalls and criticisms that have cropped up around ethical concerns and new laws and guidelines for social media influencers, which apply in this space.

If done right, however, “Nobody can do a better job of explaining the value of a product and how it benefits students and other educators than someone who actually uses the product,” says Jason Palmer, general partner at venture capital firm New Markets Venture Partners.

In this Two-Minute Tip video, EdWeek Market Brief’s Senior Writer Michelle Davis guides companies through what to expect from educators who serve as product ambassadors, and what they expect from the companies they’re representing, along with an overview of the legal and ethical issues to be aware of. For more detailed information about setting up and managing ambassador programs, read our in-depth EdWeek Market Brief story on this issue.