The influencer landscape is changing. Many brands are waving goodbye to the traditional model and are instead championing their own employees to be the heroes of their social media channels.
Employee Generated Content (EGC) is growing fast, but why is this type of content beneficial to brands and who is shining above the rest?
Why Employee Voices Are Marketing Gold
Authenticity and Trust
It’s no secret that times have been tough lately, and as a result, consumers are less interested in the glitz and glam of unrealistic influencers living it up in the likes of Saint-Tropez. Instead, 2024 is all about relatable and authentic content.
According to Influencer Marketing Hub, 81% of consumers say trust is essential when choosing to purchase from a brand. EGC is a fantastic way to give people a transparent, behind the scenes view of a brand’s culture and values. Whether it’s a day in the life at the company, a stylish office fit check or a hilarious team Q&A, this soft-sell approach humanises a brand and helps consumers to feel like they really ‘know’ and trust the brand.
The Ultimate Job Ad
It’s not just consumers that EGC can win over; employee-led content is also a great employer branding strategy (the company’s reputation as a place to work).
Research by Glassdoor reveals that 79% of job seekers use social media to suss out potential employers. Content created by current employees is one of the best ways to shine a spotlight on the company’s culture and values, positioning it as a fun and enjoyable place to work.
Brand Reputation
Social media can be a cruel mistress, and a single misstep can go viral in seconds (*cough* SheerLuxe’s AI blunder *cough*). Therefore, maintaining a positive reputation online is crucial.
When consumers see a brand that genuinely cares about its people, they’re much more likely to jump on board. After all, who wouldn’t want to support a company that’s all about good vibes and treating its team well? It’s not just about selling products anymore – it’s about sharing a story that makes people feel good.
Brands That Slay the EGC Game
Pre-biotic soda brand Poppi leverages EGC brilliantly on TikTok. Their strategy involves episodical content, including ‘a day in the life’, ‘mukbangs’ and team challenges to name a few, as well as getting their staff to jump on the latest trends. They also regularly feature their founder and her journey to creating the brand, such as her appearance on US TV show ‘Shark Tank’. Their ‘Shark Tank’ series features their most-viewed TikTok of all time with a staggering 120.8 million views. Poppi’s success is a prime example of how humanising a brand with EGC can lead to incredible social media results.
Earlier this year, Joe & The Juice went viral with a video of a staff member eavesdropping on customer conversations. The hilarious video gained 1.5 million likes and more than 11 million views. Realising the potential for EGC, Joe & The Juice now regularly feature their staff in videos, jumping on trends and showcasing their personalities.
While SheerLuxe faced some controversy recently with the debut of their new AI employee, Reem, there’s no denying that they’re absolutely crushing it with their EGC.
With regular ‘outfit of the days’, ‘office Q&As’ and ‘career deep dives’, they highlight their team and their office culture in a fun and engaging way. Mia Luckie, Marketing Director at SheerLuxe, regularly posts her own ‘office OOTD’ videos on TikTok with one video recently accumulating 5.6M views.
Perhaps not a brand you’d associate with fun, trendy content, Currys has created an EGC strategy that connects with their audience and expertly weaves in product education through hilarious soft sell content.
By focusing on humour and staying on top of trends, they have seen plenty of viral moments. One of their most recent TikToks featured two of their employees showcasing what they wore to work that week. The down-to-earth and playful style of content generated 33K views, creating brand awareness without a single mention of wide-screen TV. Who knew that the Currys work uniform was so versatile?
