User-generated content is the talk of the town. But have you explored employee-generated content to elevate your brand?
In this day and age, where content is the entire kingdom, you must use suitable channels to make an impact. This is where employee-generated content (EGC) comes into the picture.
EGC refers to the content created by your employees, where they share real experiences from within the company. It can effectively boost authenticity and trust in your brand because the raw narratives humanize the organization. This way, your audience can relate better to you.
Infact, EGC not only showcases the company’s culture and values but also attracts talent and builds a stronger team.
Ahead, we bring you everything you must know about employee-generated content and how you can use it to your advantage.
What is employee-generated content
The name says it all. Employee-generated content (EGC) is the content created by your employees from within the organization. It can be simple posts, videos, or brand-related photos they share on their social media or company platforms.
It helps your audience and your potential employees take a sneak peek into how you operate and look at the real experiences and insights from the people who work at the company.
EGC makes the brand feel more authentic and trustworthy!
Why employee-generated content is important
Does EGC really help? Well, yes. Below, we explore all the reasons why it is crucial for a brand.
1. Authenticity and trust
Let’s say you are looking for a job change. You come across an excellent job vacancy that aligns with what you need. But before you jump on the bandwagon, you will mostly do a bit of research and see what current employees have to say about the organization. This is what everyone does! And this is a form of EGC.
Employee-generated content helps enhance the credibility of a brand. When employees share their real experiences and insights, it builds trust with customers and potential employees.
This is because your audience will see authentic voices rather than just polished marketing messages. It also brings forth a sense of transparency, which helps you strengthen the bond with your audience.
2. Employee engagement
The second reason why EGC matters is because your employees feel valued. When they are given a platform to share their unique and real perspective, it invokes a sense of ownership and pride in the company.
This can improve job satisfaction and motivation, which further boosts productivity. And, the engagement levels also go up. For instance, it is seen that 30% of LinkedIn engagement comes from employee-generated content. So, it’s a win-win situation.
3. Broader reach
You no longer have to empty your wallet on advertisements. Employee-generated content can extend your reach beyond your usual audience.
How?
Well, when an employee shares brand-related content with their personal networks, it introduces the brand to a new potential set of customers.
So, the employee’s unique connections can amplify the brand’s message and reach myriad groups that may not be reached through traditional marketing efforts. Overall, EGC enhances brand awareness without you having to do much.
4. Cost-effective marketing
As aforementioned, with EGC, you reap benefits without having to do much. It just needs your employees, who create and share content without the need for expensive production or ad spending.
So, when you encourage your employees to come up with authentic and engaging content, you can reduce your marketing budget to a certain extent. And it works because employee-shared content gets almost 8 times more engagement than your branded content.
5. Highlighting company culture
It’s 2024. Your company culture and values play a crucial role. It not only entices top talent to come and be a part of your organization but also builds a positive narrative around the brand to woo your customers.
EGC offers a window into the work environment. This builds transparency, which helps future hires and customers understand the company’s culture better.
6. Improved brand perception
If you dislike your organization or don’t enjoy the work environment, you may not share content talking about the positives. That’s human nature.
Therefore, if employees are going above and beyond and creating positive brand-related content, you know there’s genuine enthusiasm. This only happens when the employees actually like the organization.
So, with real stories and testimonials, EGC helps build a more optimistic image of the brand. This improved perception can increase trust, loyalty, and positive word-of-mouth, which further strengthens the brand’s reputation.
7. Increased engagement with content
Imagine two brands vying for your attention. One creates strong marketing stories, and the other brings you a mix of EGC and brand stories. You are most likely to go with the latter as it is no longer a faceless corporation. There’s a personal touch.
This personal touch can drive higher engagement rates, including likes, shares, and comments. Here, you can create a custom hashtag, such as #LifeAtX. This allows you to track and highlight all the authentic employee stories. And, you can easily monitor the hashtags with tools like Keyhole and can measure engagement and ensure the content aligns with your brand’s values.
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Types of employee-generated content
As you can see, employee-generated content can be extremely useful. Here are some of the popular types of EGCs.
1. Social media posts
Social media posts are the most popular format when it comes to EGC. Why? Because it is quicker and easier.
Employees can easily share short updates or even pictures on platforms like Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn.
They might share their work experiences, company events, or personal achievements. As mentioned earlier, these posts humanize the brand and reach a broader audience.
2. Blog articles
Blog articles are more nuanced and longer written pieces that employees create and publish on the company’s website or other platforms. These articles can cover a range of topics, from industry insights to personal experiences.
Employee-written blogs provide valuable perspectives and expertise that can enhance the company’s credibility. And, it’s also an informative read. For instance, an employee can talk about their journey with the brand and how the company has helped them grow. It’s almost inspirational and can also act as a guide for new hires.
3. Videos
Today, video content is one of the top formats where almost 75% of the audience leans towards it. Of course, they can be extra dynamic and engaging when created by employees.
Video EGC can include tutorials, behind-the-scenes looks, or personal stories. Also, sharing them is incredibly easy. One can post it on any social media platform or even YouTube. Videos can easily capture attention and convey messages in a more personal and impactful way.
4. Photos
Visual content is always the best. Even people who enjoy skimming will go through it. Photos can show off company events, team activities, or daily work life. We have seen Microsoft and Google employees do this on professional platforms like LinkedIn.
These images provide a snapshot of the company’s environment and culture. It lets the audience engage with real people behind the brand.
5. Testimonials and reviews
Testimonials and reviews published on authentic platforms by employees provide authentic feedback about the company.
This helps build trust with potential customers or job seekers as they can see positive employee experiences.
6. Case studies
Some employees also share case studies where they go through recent projects or successes. From addressing specific challenges and solutions to results achieved, they give a detailed account, which makes an interesting read, especially for people looking to understand more about the organization.
Presentation mode is often highlighted as a valuable feature in these case studies, enabling seamless display and walkthroughs of key data and achievements
7. Employee spotlights or profiles
The official company social media accounts can try employee spotlights. Here, you highlight individual employees, their roles, and their contributions to the company.
These profiles can include interviews, achievements, and personal stories. This is a great way to personalize the brand and also celebrate your employees.
How you can incorporate employee-generated content
Here are a few easy ways for you to incorporate employee-generated content.
1. Encouraging employees to share on social media
Remember, don’t pressurize them but merely encourage your employees to share their work experiences and company events on social media. You can offer the necessary guidelines and support to help them out.
You can also offer incentives or recognition for engaging posts and use branded hashtags to track and amplify their content.
2. Featuring employee stories in blogs
Invite employees to write blog posts about their experiences, insights, or achievements. Let them do this during their work hours.
This can offer authentic perspectives and offer a peek into their expertise. You can highlight these stories in company blogs to help build credibility and engage readers.
3. Highlighting employee photos and videos
You can encourage employees to share photos and videos that capture company culture, team activities, or any special events. You can even feature their social media posts and visuals on the company’s social media or the website. After all, it offers a genuine look at life within the company.
4. Sharing employee testimonials on your website
Collect and display employee testimonials on your company website where their positive experiences and satisfaction are highlighted. These endorsements build trust and credibility with potential customers and job seekers.
5. Creating a dedicated section for employee content
Authentic content is in demand. And EGC provides the same. Therefore, you can have a section on your website or social media for employee-generated content. This space can showcase blog posts, photos, videos, and testimonials from employees.
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Wrapping up
In the sea of content, don’t be left behind. Now is the perfect time to embrace employee-generated content and use it to your advantage. When you do it right, it not only makes your employees feel valued but also pulls in the desired crowd.
Your audience will enjoy the authenticity you offer, and the top talent will come to you, as everyone wants to be a part of a credible organization. That said, always have a robust strategy to help you with your efforts. From creating a corner for employee-generated content to having a dedicated hashtag, there are a variety of things you can do to use EGC to enrich your brand’s narrative.
Author Bio
Firaol Birhanu is a digital marketer and content writer since 2017. He loves sharing his experience and research results with those who start their business career.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Why is employee-generated content good for brands?
Employee-generated content is good for brands because it offers authentic and relatable insights. When employees share their experiences, it builds trust and makes the brand feel more genuine. This content helps attract customers and talent by offering real voices and personal stories.
2. Why is it essential to involve employees in the branding process?
Involving employees in the branding process is essential because it lets you use their unique perspectives to engage. Employees understand the organization better than anyone. So, their point of view can be engaging and also makes them feel valued.
3. What is an example of employee-generated content?
An example of employee-generated content is when an employee posts a video on social media about their day at work. Here, they might share what they do and why they enjoy their job. It could also be a blog post or photo highlighting a team event.
