Employee-Generated Content (EGC) is emerging as a powerhouse strategy for building authenticity and enhancing brand visibility. Unlike traditional content strategies that rely heavily on a marketing team’s output, EGC empowers employees to share their voices, strengthening company culture and employee engagement. Here’s how you can integrate EGC into your content strategy effectively, encouraging participation from your team, and selecting the right platforms for dissemination.
1. Encouraging Employee Participation in EGC
Getting your team on board with creating content starts with understanding their perspectives and respecting their time. To foster a rich environment for EGC, consider these strategies:
- Training and Resources: Equip your employees with the skills needed to create impactful content. Workshops on writing, photography, or video production can demystify the content creation process and boost confidence.
- Motivation through Recognition: Implement a system where contributions are recognized—be it through shoutouts in company meetings, bonuses, or features in company communications. Recognition not only motivates but also validates the employee’s effort.
- Flexible Participation Options: Some may love writing articles; others might prefer producing videos or simply curating content. Providing various options for participation respects individual preferences and strengths, enhancing the quality and diversity of content produced.
2. Setting Healthy Engagement Levels
It’s crucial to integrate content creation without overwhelming your team’s workload:
- Establish Time Boundaries: Clearly define how much time per week or month should be devoted to content creation. This helps prevent burnout and ensures that primary job responsibilities are not compromised.
- Incorporate into Work Plans: Integrate content creation as a part of job descriptions or set specific goals related to EGC during performance reviews.
- Regular Monitoring and Evaluation: Keep tabs on the engagement levels and assess the impact on work performance. Adjust the expectations accordingly to maintain a healthy balance.
3. Addressing Non-participation
Not everyone will be enthusiastic about EGC, and that’s okay. Handling reluctance with sensitivity is key:
- Understanding Reluctance: Engage in open dialogues to understand the reasons behind reluctance. It could be due to discomfort with the tools, feeling under-skilled, or just a preference for privacy.
- Offering Alternative Roles: For those uncomfortable with creating content, roles like brainstorming ideas, providing feedback, or assisting colleagues can be just as valuable.
- Revisiting Participation: Keep the door open for employees to change their mind about participation. People grow and so do their interests; what wasn’t appealing yesterday might be enticing tomorrow.
4. Choosing the Right Channels for EGC
The platforms you choose should align with your brand goals and where your audience is most active:
- Professional Networks like LinkedIn: Ideal for sharing industry insights, professional achievements, and thought leadership articles.
- Social Media Platforms like Facebook and Instagram: These are perfect for showcasing company culture, behind-the-scenes, and informal updates.
- Video Platforms like YouTube and TikTok: Engage users with more dynamic content like tutorials, employee stories, or fun day-in-the-life videos.
- Internal Platforms: For content meant only for employee eyes, platforms like intranets or Microsoft Teams are great for fostering internal community and sharing.
EGC offers a unique opportunity to enrich your content strategy and deepen the connection between employees and the company. By creating a supportive environment for voluntary participation and utilizing appropriate platforms, EGC can transform your brand’s narrative and cultivate a committed and satisfied workforce. Remember, the key to successful EGC is ensuring that it remains a rewarding and enriching experience for all involved.
