Is employee-generated content (EGC) the right choice for my brand?

If you work in marketing or, heck, even doom scroll on your personal time every now and then, you've become privy to the Employee-Generated Content (EGC) boom. Companies everywhere are doing it and as marketing professionals, we know how quickly enjoying content can turn into a rabbit hole of thoughts - should I be doing this at work?

Don't worry. We're here to help.

In today's fast-paced marketing landscape, authenticity is the name of the game. And who better to showcase your brand's true essence than your own employees? Employee-generated content is transforming how businesses connect with their audience, offering a fresh, genuine perspective that traditional marketing often lacks.

In this blog post, we’ll dive deep into the concept of EGC. We’ll explore its significance, share real-world success stories, and help you determine if EGC is the right fit for your brand.

Exploring the Concept of Employee-Generated Content (EGC)

🖥 Definition of Employee-Generated Content (EGC)

EGC refers to any content created by employees of a company that is shared publicly. This content can range from blog posts and social media updates to videos and photos. EGC is authentic, as it comes directly from the people who know the company best—its employees. This authenticity can help build trust and engagement with audiences.

🖥 Differences Between Employee-Generated Content (EGC) and User-Generated Content (UGC)

Source: • UGC: Created by customers of a brand • EGC: Created by employees of a brand
Content focus: • UGC: Often showcases how customers use a product or service • EGC: Typically highlights internal company culture and employee experiences
Financial incentives: • UGC: Can generate significant income for creators (six figures or more) • EGC: Usually not associated with direct monetary incentives for employees
Perceived authenticity: • UGC: Increasingly viewed with skepticism, especially sponsored content • EGC: Often perceived as more genuine and unfiltered
Brand partnerships: • UGC: Frequently involves professional influencers and paid collaborations • EGC: Rarely involves external partnerships, focusing on internal perspectives
Consumer trust: • UGC: Trust between influencers and audience is being tested • EGC: Generally viewed with less skepticism than sponsored UGC
Primary purpose: • UGC: Provides social proof and peer recommendations • EGC: Offers insider perspectives and showcases company culture

Two women using laptops

🖥 Importance and Relevance of EGC in Today’s Marketing Landscape

By empowering your own team members to create content, you're not only eliminating the middleman who might dilute your message – you're actually enhancing credibility. This approach allows your brand's voice to shine through more clearly, fostering a deeper connection with your audience based on trust and transparency in your campaigns.

In today’s digital age, consumers crave authenticity. They want to see the human side of brands. EGC provides this by showcasing real people and real stories. It helps humanize the brand, making it more relatable and trustworthy. Moreover, EGC can amplify a company’s reach. Employees sharing content with their networks can significantly expand the brand’s visibility. This organic reach is often more effective than paid advertising.

Real-World Success Stories of EGC

📲 Case Study: How Duolingo Leveraged EGC to Grow to Over 12 Million Followers on TikTok

Duolingo, the language learning app, has effectively used EGC to grow its TikTok following. Employees create humorous and relatable content that resonates with the platform’s audience. By showcasing the fun and quirky side of the company, Duolingo has managed to build a loyal following.

You'd be kidding yourself if you truly believed that Duolingo's social presence has skyrocketed because people feel passionately about their product. Language learning models aren't 12-million-dollars worth of excitement. It's all about how they've built up their presence. The content feels genuine because it comes from employees who are passionate about their work. This authenticity has been key to their success.

📲 Case Study: How Dr. Miami Removed the Third Wall with His Followers and Marketed Himself Instead of His Results

Dr. Miami, a popular plastic surgeon, has taken a unique approach to EGC. Instead of focusing solely on the results of his surgeries, he shares content that highlights his personality and daily life. It's not even just his own personality - he allows his staff, including his marketing team, to showcase their charisma too.

This approach has helped him build a strong connection with his audience. By removing the third wall, he has made his brand more approachable and relatable. His employees' direct involvement in the marketing of his personal brand enhances the trust Dr. Miami's audience feels; they're given a platform to showcase how much fun they're having at work. His followers feel like they know him personally, which has been a significant factor in his marketing success.

Dr. Miami's marketing materials

📲 Lessons Learned from Industry Leaders Utilizing EGC

Authenticity is crucial: Content that feels genuine and relatable resonates more with audiences
Showcasing the human side of the brand can build stronger connections with consumers
Leveraging the networks of employees can significantly expand a brand's reach

Is EGC Right for You?

Ask yourself a few key questions.

💡 Does your brand's marketing leverage comedy, intimacy, or education?

💡 What measurements matter to your marketing campaigns?

💡 What marketing tools do you work with to assess your marketing efforts?

📊 Does Your Brand's Marketing Leverage Comedy, Intimacy, or Education?

EGC can be particularly effective if your brand’s marketing leverages comedy, intimacy, or education. Providing entertainment, becoming closer with your audience in industries where they feel distant from brands, or teaching them something new are three key buckets that effectively leverage EGC.

For example, if your brand has a fun and quirky side, humorous content created by employees can engage audiences in ways that external parties just can't. If your brand values transparency and closeness, content that provides an inside look at the company can build trust. If your brand focuses on education, informative content created by employees can position your brand as an industry leader.

All three of these key areas leverage the unique ability for employees to make content on perspectives only they have. We know you crave closeness and loyalty - honing in on one of these three angles will get you closer to achieving that.

Five employees working on a project.

📊 What measurements already matter to you?

When it comes to measuring the success of EGC, it’s important to think of it like a road trip. This is a new transportation method, not a new destination. You should measure the same Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for EGC success as you do for other social media content.

These KPIs can include engagement rates, reach, and conversions. By tracking these metrics, you can assess the effectiveness of your EGC efforts and make data-driven decisions.

If you don't know which metrics are most important, that's okay. We can help with that, too.

📊 What tools do you work with?

Several tools and platforms can help you track the effectiveness of your EGC. Social media analytics tools like Hootsuite, Sprout Social, and Buffer can provide insights into engagement rates, reach, and other important metrics. Additionally, employee advocacy platforms like EveryoneSocial and Bambu can help you manage and measure EGC efforts. By interpreting the data from these tools, you can gain a better understanding of what’s working and what’s not, allowing you to optimize your EGC strategy.

The best way to make informed decisions about your data is to employ a data tool that derives actionable insights from your pools of data. Tools like Spontivly allow you to visualize your data and make informed adaptations to your campaigns.

Next Steps

As we wrap up our exploration of EGC, it's clear that this new trend is making waves in the content creation world. Keeping your finger on the pulse with new content trends like EGC is crucial for staying relevant in a fast-paced digital landscape. Audiences today crave transparency and genuine connections, and EGC delivers just that.

To stay ahead in the rapidly evolving world of content marketing, companies should:

✅ Leverage the unique insights and experiences of employees to produce content that informs, engages, and inspires
✅ Continuously explore and adopt emerging trends
✅ Embrace the potential of Employee-Generated Content (EGC) to transform brand communication
✅ Encourage employees to share their stories, expertise, and perspectives

This not only enriches your content but also fosters a more inclusive and dynamic corporate culture. So, stay curious, stay innovative, and let your employees' voices be heard.