5 Benefits of an Employee-Generated Content (EGC) Strategy

Digital Marketing is crowded. It’s never been harder to cut through to your consumers, especially on Social Media, where they’re questioning… what brands are legit? Who is trolling me? Is this fake news? Is that AI-generated? It’s tough out there, making trust and authenticity a non-negotiable for brands.

Everyday content creators are powerful storytellers, who have kept the faith in advertising. Their content; UGC is a key ingredient in the marketing mix and has paved the way for the fastest-growing trend we’ve seen in years - employee-generated content (EGC).

EGC takes a lot from the UGC and Creator Marketing playbook, with a sprinkling of employee advocacy. It’s all about authenticity, real people, and engaging content BUT with the added benefit of employee creators being even more connected to your brand. After all, who better to help sell your products than those already doing it for a living?

Keep reading to learn why EGC belongs in your marketing strategy.

5 benefits of an effective employee-generated content strategy

1. EGC IS GROUND ZERO FOR AUTHENTICITY AND TRUST

Let’s be real. The word ‘authentic’ can be overused. You can’t just say something is authentic, it has to BE authentic. And when it is, it holds an enormous level of influence on brand perception and purchasing decisions.

'Influence’ has seen a noticeable shift over the years, from celebs to influencers to creators (that’s right… they’re not the same) and now, towards employees. 

Like everyday creators, your employees are peers. Given 70% of us trust the recommendations of our peers on Social Media, compared to 15% who trust brands, it’s not surprising more and more brands are leveraging their talented workforce to generate content for their socials.

Not only are they hyper-authentic, they’re highly trusted. In fact, 82% of customers trust a company when their senior management members are active on social media.

And with authenticity and trust, comes engagement.

We’ve seen this first-hand partnering with major retailers like BWS on their Employee Creator Programs. Here’s what Vanessa Rowed, their (now ex) Head of eComm & Digital had to say;

“We saw an immediate uplift in engagement with some posts racking up 35%. Phenomenal compared to the industry benchmark of around 1.4% and evidence of how well authentic, relevant content cuts through.”

When it comes to EGC, consumers aren’t just noticing, they’re engaging.

If you're wondering if EGC actually contributes to conversions and business growth... the answer is an emphatic YES!

Generally, while only 3% of employees share content, they generate 30% of all content engagement and leads from employee social activity are 7x more likely to convert. Pretty striking numbers that beg the question - why aren't we doing more of this?  D2C brands can take a page from the B2B marketing playbook where customers are 5x more likely to engage with known industry thought leaders. 

#2 EGC PROGRAMS ARE AN ALWAYS-ON CONTENT ENGINE

If you’ve worked in marketing you’ve probably heard this phrase; “We need to do more, with less.” That might be more content, clicks, foot traffic, channels or sales.
All with less budget, time and resources.

On Social Media alone, it’s a challenge to produce the volume of content needed to stay on top of trends, show your brand’s culture and promote products & sales events - allllll in the TikTok-style video format consumers love. This challenge is exponential when we consider paid social, digital advertising, eComm, sComm, your website, EDMs, OOH, POS… etc.

Content doesn’t grow on trees, but an EGC program is a powerful way to significantly increase content production.

Let’s look at two of our TRIBE Unlocked programs; BWS and BIG W (another of Australia’s largest retailers).

These programs are in very different phases and have different goals and strategies. What they have in common is consistent delivery of quality content. In this case, at least 1 creative, brand-approved piece of content per day.

Which is exactly what TRIBE Unlocked is all about. Putting the right strategy, systems, process and expertise in place so massive brands and retailers can sustainably produce content, at scale. 

#3 EGC INCREASES BRAND LOVE, PERCEPTION AND SENTIMENT

Employee creators aren’t just relatable, they’re likeable! Consumers are looking for brands and products to love. And they’ll quickly tell you if they do or don’t - especially in the comments on Social Media posts.

Everyone wants to be liked, but why is it important? Two words… Social Search! If Social Media is the new Google, are comments the new Google Reviews? Your potential customers are actively looking for you, to suss you out and hear what others say about you.

The TRIBE Platform has been tracking the sentiment of comments on our partner’s employee-generated content - which is currently 98.3% positive or neutral.

This is the effect of humanisation. Which is NOT a warm and fuzzy nice-to-have. Humanisation is how you connect, engage, entertain, grow community & fandom and LITERALLY how you convert. Why? Because people don’t watch ads. They watch humans.

A strategic Employee Creator Program is about finding those likeable, talented creators in your workforce and putting your best foot forward with their content.

#4 EGC DRIVES EFFICIENCY - IN AND OUT OF THE MARKETING DEPARTMENT

Brand perception isn’t just for the marketers in the room. Employee advocacy is a key strategy for company branding, recruitment and HR.

Seeing employees happily and willingly speak about their company culture directly impacts those wanting to work there.  Makes sense - it’s giving a BTS look that goes a long way in attracting new talent AND retaining them, which we know impacts the bottom line!

Depending on the staff you want to attract, you could be far more likely to find them through fun Instagram Stories than a two-page Job Ad drowning in dot points. That’s efficiency.

In the Marketing Department, EGC drives major time and cost efficiencies. Generating 10-15 pieces of content through a production agency can take months and tens of thousands of dollars… if not more! So look internally, find the folks already being paid to be there, and get them in front of a camera. Thank us later when your executives love you because you solved the infamous assignment of “more content with less budget please”.

EGC is a marketing department’s secret weapon and a HR department’s best friend.

#5 EGC INCREASES EMPLOYEE HAPPINESS

Importantly, EGC increases happiness in the workplace.

Bringing your employees to the forefront makes them feel heard and valued - because they are.

Whether you're highlighting their product knowledge, showing their personality or your company culture, you’re also building camaraderie, increasing their agency and fostering relationships.

Just as team bonding sessions have attempted forever; you’re helping your employees feel like they’re part of a team with a shared mission. EGC gives your staff a voice, which increases happiness. Happiness leads to organic employee advocacy (both online and in-person) which is very powerful for a business.

How to get started with an Employee Creator Program

Whether you’re looking to start bringing EGC into your socials, or want to dive into building a strategic Employee Creator Program, getting started isn’t always easy.

That’s where TRIBE Unlocked comes in. Designed to make a complex process simple, our solution has you covered from strategic planning through to refining processes, recruiting & training your staff and implementing a program, custom-built to reach your goals.

Made possible by our tech and expert team, with YOUR talent at the heart.

Hit the button below to learn more.