The Rise and Spread of Employee Generated Content
By Tricia Olufemi-Olumide
In 2024, trust is a currency that businesses must build in the sea of increased competition and Employee-generated content has grown to become a powerful tool for businesses to connect with their audience, stand out and build trust.
Employee-generated content (EGC) isn’t your typical influencer promotional social media content which has been the belle of content leading up to now. This shift represents a fundamental change in how brands build trust and foster genuine connections with their audience. EGC is strategic content that requires employees to create content about their experiences, insights, and daily activities related to the brand. This type of content resonates more with audiences as it offers a genuine inside look into the company, fostering a deeper connection and trust.
Employee Engagement
Companies have realised that encouraging employees to represent the brand builds credibility. It fosters camaraderie as employees feel seen, feel they are a part of the team and this boosts their morale and motivation to contribute their quota to the company’s shared goal thus enhancing retention.
Authenticity
Consumers today crave authenticity. Employee-generated content is seen as more genuine and relatable, resonating better with audiences as the company has put several human faces behind the logo thus humanizing the brand. EGC provides a high level of authenticity and trust, reducing costs, increasing sales, and fostering motivated and engaged employees. Your employees are the insiders, the trusted voices. Audiences believe them more than C-Suite messages or generic marketing content. EGC turns your workforce into a battalion of brand ambassadors.
Cost-Effective Marketing
Marketing can be expensive when all elements are factored into the equation, using employees as characters and or models in online marketing effort drives organic reach and reduces marketing cost. Unlike professional content created by external agencies or high-end production teams, EGC typically involves minimal expenses.
Builds brand perception
Call it insider perspective, ECG shows the outside world what the company is, the ethos, the beliefs, the brand look and feel that helps to form a perspective and perception of the organization.
Increased social media engagement
According to LinkedIn Business research, employee networks have 10x more connections than a company has followers. Typical social media interactions center around visiting friends and families pages, sharing funny content and engaging with theirs. Engagement with brand’s pages are usually not on the same wavelength or frequency that’s why employee-generated content on social media is instrumental. This engagement is critical not just for its immediate impact but also for how it influences social media algorithms, making the content more likely to appear in the feeds of a broader audience.
A Day in the Life: Let employees shoot quick videos on their smartphones, documenting a typical workday. It’s authentic, raw, and gives outsiders a genuine peek into your company culture.
Behind-the-Scenes Tales: Unveil the magic behind key organizational events and milestones. What goes into orchestrating those unforgettable moments? Let your employees spill the beans.
Leadership Chronicles: CXO stories add a touch of glamour. Leaders sharing snippets of their workdays, decision-making processes, and challenges faced create a connective thread with the audience.
Theme-Based Narratives: Employees sharing stories on product innovation, awards, policy changes, personal achievements – it’s a buffet of diverse content that reflects the vibrant tapestry of your organization.
While this is the new kid on the block in the influencer marketing sub-sect, employers and managers must also note that not every employee will fit into this mould. Some will not be comfortable being put out online, and if these crop of employees are forced into the video, the viewers can see it in their body language. All actors must be willing participants that ooze excitement.
Whether showcasing a day in the life, behind-the-scenes tales, your team’s take on social media challenges etc, Employee Generated content can bring a relatable view to online marketing whilst achieving several positives for the company. And overall integrate EGC into the company’s marketing campaigns.
TriciaBiz is an Entrepreneur, Author and Business Growth Expert extremely passionate about entrepreneurship, inclusive and sustainable economic growth having trained thousands of entrepreneurs across Africa.
