What is Employee Generated Content (EGC)?
You’ve heard of User Generated Content (UGC), but have you heard about Employee Generated Content? Unlike UGC and other marketing content, which focuses on products, EGC shines a spotlight on employees and the workplace environment.
In 2024, both TikTok and Instagram algorithms are favouring this type of content, with EGC driving higher engagement from the community than other posts. But what makes EGC so popular?
Why you should use EGC
In an age where consumers have countless options for the same products in most markets, people are becoming increasingly interested in the story behind a brand and its workplace culture. Being able to see what it’s like behind the scenes is not only intriguing, but it also creates differentiation.
Employee-generated content cuts through the noise in the ‘modern customer journey’, where people are exposed to so much content it can be hard to think straight. Now, audiences are looking at a brand’s story and persona to differentiate it from the rest. By moving away from generic sales pushes, EGC resonates well in this landscape.
EGC also aligns with the customer’s desire for authentic content, and the growing sentiment that people don’t want to feel like they’re being advertised to. When employees get in front of the camera, the brand is humanised. Customers feel safe when they’re investing in real people, promoting higher levels of brand loyalty and trust.
Additionally, EGC is a cost-effective strategy for maintaining a steady stream of content while strengthening a brand’s community. Small businesses in particular benefit from EGC as it’s an alternative to paying influencers, and can all be created in-house. Combined with the sentiment that influencer promotions feel increasingly inauthentic, using your employees as the face of the brand is proving to be a popular move.
Brands doing it well
The best thing about EGC? You can get creative with how you showcase your office culture and shine the spotlight on your employees. The brands who nail a balance of personality, authenticity, and relevance will reap the rewards.
A great example is the skincare brand Conserving Beauty. Their TikTok account features a mix of promotional content and relatable "day in the life" videos with Sage Mellet, a member of the marketing team who’s become the unofficial face of the brand. Since she’s part their target demographic (Gen Z), customers find her endorsements relatable and trustworthy.
Another case study is SheerLuxe, a digital fashion and lifestyle publication whose feed is almost entirely EGC, often getting hundreds of thousands (if not millions) of views. From their content you can expect outfit checks, handbag tours, career advice and other relevant conversations to their industry — all highly personalised to the SheerLuxe team. The employees, in turn, are attracting an engaged and loyal cult following which translates into a growing readership. The fashion-forward staff are living embodiments of the lifestyle that SheerLuxe is selling to their readers.
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As with any trend, what people want to see on social media is constantly changing. It wasn’t too long ago that Instagram was dominated by aspirational, high-definition content. Then, influencers came along and changed that with a more low-fi approach. The next big trend? Audiences now crave something more relatable and individualised from brands. EGC fills that gap.
Who knows whether the current appetite for EGC will last forever; either way, it’s currently a highly effective way for brands to boost engagement. If there’s one trend to adopt in 2024, it’s employee-generated content.