3 Reasons Why Employee Generated Content is Making a Comeback
We’ve all seen the fun content gracing our social screens from our favorite brands and companies over the last year or so. The behind-the-scenes at your favorite gas station, the parody videos at car dealerships, and even the infamous end of shift call from Gail Lewis at the Morris, Illinois Walmart. This type of content is taking social by storm, and everyone seems to be hopping on the bandwagon. It gives the viewers a unique perspective on companies and brands by humanifying the brand itself. This is what’s referred to as employee generated content (EGC).
Employee generated content first became popular back in the mid-2010s and since then, companies had turned to more polished branded customer facing messaging. With the sudden rise in consumers wanting brands to be more authentic and personable, we have seen the resurgence of EGC. Companies are turning to employee generated content to showcase culture, highlight day-to-day work life with transparency, and attract talent, making the renewed focus on employee advocacy essential once again. We’ll walk through some of the reasons why this type of content seems to be everywhere right now and how to start putting forth your own EGC.
Authenticity Is the New Marketing Currency
As mentioned above, consumers don’t want to feel like they’re constantly being advertised to. There’s been a large decline of trust in traditional brand marketing recently which has forced brands to become more creative when trying to reach their target audience. This is where employee generated content has really changed the game in marketing. We’ve gone from seeing pretty, polished ads to companies like Papa John’s reposting content from real team members in their stores giving a behind-the-scenes look into some of the fun they have while they make some of the pizzas that you may be ordering.
More and more we’re seeing that consumers want real, unfiltered perspectives of brands which employees can naturally provide.
According to Single Grain, consumers are 76% more likely to trust content shared by employees over branded messages. Employees voices feel real and relatable, building a real sense of community and connection with consumers. For example, we are a digital marketing agency, traditionally we would be trying to sell our services on social platforms. Knowing that this model really isn’t successful today, we created a TikTok post highlighting our employees as kids and what they should’ve actually been doing during that time in their lives to build up our company versus what they were doing. The results were incredible; 106k views, 18.4k likes and over 60 comments. The goal here wasn’t to convince people to hire us for marketing, but rather to create a sense of community and connection using nostalgia.
Big Results Without the Big Spend
One of the biggest benefits to utilizing employee generated content is that it is cost-effective. It virtually costs you nothing to allow your employees to create content for your social channels that gives insight to your brand and those who work there. It can be as simple as allowing an employee to film “a day in the life” where they show off the office, some of the fun things that take place in-office and paints an overall picture of what it means to work for your company.
For example, the gas station Kwik Trip filmed a TikTok where they went around their office and got other employees to try one of the newest potato chip flavors they were now selling. The results? A fun and engaging video that not only showed off a secret new product but also what it’s like to work in their offices. The controversial chip flavor also created quite the buzz in the comment section. This is a great example that videos do not need to be some huge work of production to be successful.
The Power Is in Your People
Recently we have learned that social algorithms such as TikTok’s favor a human face over traditional style advertising. In fact, human faces consistently catch attention more than products do. A post with a face can boost engagement by up to 38%, making them far more thumb-stopping in nature. Employee generated content really comes down to the people aspect of this style of marketing.
Consumers want to feel connected to a brand and today that looks a lot more like a cycling studio taking you on a quick tour of their studio decked out for a ride centered around a popular book series and a lot less like obviously placed products in a popular tv show. The best part about employee generated content is that there really isn’t a right or wrong approach. The best people to sell you on your brand are the ones who know it inside and out and can be advocates for it.
Make Your People Your Brand’s Best Storytellers
Employee generated content is more than just a trend, it’s proof that people connect with people, not polished ads. From boosting trust and engagement to saving on production costs and cutting through algorithms, EGC puts your team’s authentic voices front and center. Now is the time to let your employees tell your story, showcase your culture, and bring your brand to life in a way no traditional campaign can. Ready to start making your people your biggest advocates? Connect with us to build your employee generated content strategy and boost authentic engagement.
FAQs on Employee Generated Content
Why is employee-generated content making a comeback?
With declining trust in traditional ads and social algorithms favoring people over brands, companies are turning back to authentic employee voices to connect with audiences.
How can companies encourage employees to create content?
By creating a culture of advocacy: make participation easy, celebrate employee contributions, and share their content through brand channels.
Does employee-generated content need to be polished?
Not at all! In fact, unpolished and authentic content often performs better because it feels more real and trustworthy.
What’s the best way to start building an employee-generated content strategy?
The key is to start small and make it fun. Identify employees who are naturally active on social media, encourage them to share authentic experiences, and spotlight their contributions.
What types of employee-generated content work best?
Behind-the-scenes videos, “day-in-the-life” posts, product try-outs, company culture highlights, and short-form social videos perform especially well.
digital marketing specialist
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sarah Krengel
Sarah graduated from Arizona State University in 2021 with a degree in marketing. Through various internships and job experiences, Sarah discovered her passion for helping others with their marketing needs and enjoys bringing creativity and fresh ideas to every project, making the journey from concept to execution both dynamic and rewarding. In her free time, Sarah enjoys trying out new recipes, spending time out of the lake, and playing with her dog, Riley.