Employee-generated content (EGC) is any form of content created by your employees, such as videos, photos, blogs, podcasts, testimonials, or reviews. EGC can be a powerful tool to showcase your employer brand, which is how you attract, engage, and retain talent. In this article, you will learn how to use EGC to enhance your employer brand and why it matters.
EGC can help you improve your employer brand in several ways. First, it can increase your authenticity and credibility, as potential candidates can see the real experiences and opinions of your employees. Second, it can boost your visibility and reach, as your employees can share their content with their networks and amplify your message. Third, it can foster a sense of community and engagement, as your employees can collaborate, communicate, and celebrate their achievements through their content.
- Content shared by employees gets?8X more engagement?than content shared through branded channels. - Builds Credibility & Trust: The thoughts and insights shared by employees create more trust than advertisements or a message directly from the brand. Employee-generated content provides viewers with a transparent look into what goes on behind the scenes of the organization. This will help increase awareness of your company as an employer and potentially attract the right candidates.
Authentic stories and experiences are what we all crave. Long gone are the days where brands are built solely through official channels. The employee voice is the new official channel. Everyone is a content creator these days. Empower them continue to contribute to your brand voice. It’s also a great way to get immediate and authentic feedback on what you’re doing right or wrong.
To reap the benefits of EGC, Corp Comms must first create a supportive culture with clear guidelines and training, make available user-friendly platforms, promote diverse content types and recognize top contributors. Run internal campaigns to create awareness. Your employees are now a powerful extension of your team.
EGC gives a sneak peek into the vibe of a workplace, its values, and the day-to-day hustle. It's not just about work; it's about the people, the laughs, and the challenges. This insider perspective helps candidates figure out if they're a fit.
There are many types of EGC that you can use to showcase your employer brand, depending on your goals, audience, and resources. For instance, you can ask your employees to share their stories, insights, and feedback about working for your company. Additionally, you can highlight the achievements, skills, and personalities of your employees. Furthermore, you can encourage your employees to promote your company, products, or services. Moreover, you can showcase your employees' expertise, knowledge, and learning by creating tutorials and webinars. Finally, you can capture your employees' fun moments with photos and videos.
Everyone in the company, regardless of rank and experience, has stories to tell. They just need to be empowered to do so. Start by giving them examples of what they can share. Then, be there to guide them if they ask for help, whether it is brainstorming ideas, taking a photo, or helping them word it better. Applaud their efforts and share how their content makes an impact.
There are various topics that employees can cover, and one example is when there is an open role within the team. The hiring manager can explain, through video content, what it is like to work with the team, provide information about the position and discuss current challenges the team is facing. It is important for the manager not to reveal confidential information and data about the company during this process. Therefore, employees should be trained on what is acceptable to share and what is not
To make the most of EGC, you should follow some best practices to create and distribute high-quality and relevant content. You need to have a clear vision of what you want to achieve with EGC and how you will measure your success, such as by setting goals, KPIs, and targets. Involve your employees in the process and make them feel valued, motivated, and empowered by asking for their input, feedback, and ideas. Provide guidance and support to your employees by offering training, tools, templates, and incentives. Make sure your EGC aligns with your brand identity and voice by following your style guide, tone, and values. Additionally, optimize your EGC for your channels and platforms by using the right format, size, length, and keywords.
The idea of generating content from the internal team is advantageous in several ways. While it values and appreciates its talents, the company demonstrates that it has a qualified team. However, some considerations must be taken into account: The employee must feel comfortable in this type of situation. In other words, it should not be something imposed. It is important to obtain a consent form for the use of their image (if applicable) that specifies, including the duration during which the company will use their content/images. Compensation (financial or benefits), although not mandatory, makes everyone happier.
Employees should be encouraged to create content and be provided with training and guidelines. Employees should be equipped with templates to inspire them and creative assets. The gamification aspect makes it more enjoyable. Without the right tools, measuring success can be challenging; however, first, there should be enough content available before investing in tools.
EGC can be challenging, and it's important to be aware of potential pitfalls and risks that can affect your employer brand. Quality and consistency should be maintained by reviewing, editing, and approving content. Additionally, compliance and ethics must be respected by adhering to laws, regulations, and policies regarding privacy, copyright, and consent. Diversity and inclusion should be reflected in EGC by representing different backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences. Lastly, feedback and moderation should be monitored, engaged with, and addressed in order to ensure a positive experience for your employees and customers.
To inspire you, here are some examples of EGC from different companies and industries that have used EGC to enhance their employer brand. For instance, Starbucks has a dedicated Instagram account for its employees to share their stories, passions, and creativity with the hashtag #tobeapartner. HubSpot has a blog series called "Humans of HubSpot" that features the personal and professional journeys of their employees from various roles, teams, and locations. Lush has a YouTube channel called "Lush Life" that showcases the behind-the-scenes of their products, processes, and people, as well as their social and environmental impact. Cisco has a podcast called "The Broadcast" where they interview their employees about their careers, challenges, and passions. Lastly, Adidas has a website called "GamePlan A" with articles, videos, and podcasts by their employees about topics related to sports, business, and lifestyle.
When launching your employee-generated content strategy, one key way to ensure the success of the launch is to find the right employees to kick off the program. Look for those employees who already act as brand advocates, possess a lot of subject expertise, or are very active on social media, as they are more likely to be interested."
When launching your employee-generated content strategy, one key way to ensure the success of the launch is to find the right employees to kick off the program. Look for those employees who already act as brand advocates, possess a lot of subject expertise, or are very active on social media.