What Is Employee Generated Content and Why Should Employers Care?
Employee-generated content (EGC) is any form of content—such as social media posts, videos, blogs, or photos—created and shared by employees that showcases their workplace experiences, culture, and perspectives. Unlike traditional marketing materials crafted by corporate teams, EGC provides a direct look into the daily life of an organization through the eyes of those working there. This content often appears on platforms like LinkedIn, Instagram, and TikTok, giving audiences an authentic view of the company behind the brand.
Employers should care about EGC because it builds credibility, attracts quality talent, and positively shapes public perception. EGC fosters a sense of trust and authenticity that traditional advertising struggles to achieve, making audiences more likely to believe in and engage with a business. For more on how EGC can transform a company’s visibility and reputation, see this comprehensive explanation of employee-generated content.
What Is Employee Generated Content?
Employee-generated content (EGC) refers to materials created by employees that reflect their perspective on company culture, daily work, or business values. EGC often increases credibility and provides authentic content that resonates with both internal and external audiences.
Definition and Key Characteristics
Employee-generated content, or EGC, is any piece of content produced by current or former staff. This includes social media posts, blog articles, photos, videos, testimonials, and internal communications such as newsletters.
EGC is distinguished by being created directly by employees rather than by a marketing team. It often shows real-life experiences and insights, typically written or filmed in a straightforward and unfiltered manner.
What sets EGC apart is its authenticity. Content from employees is perceived as more genuine and relatable than traditional brand messaging, making it valuable for building trust and transparency within and outside the company. According to data from various sources, employee voices are often viewed as highly credible.
Types of Employee Generated Content
EGC covers a wide range of content formats and platforms. The most common types are:
Social media posts or comments by employees sharing their work experiences
Photos or videos from daily work, team events, or projects
Blog posts or articles offering behind-the-scenes insights or expert opinions
Testimonials and reviews about the workplace or its products
Internal newsletters featuring employee stories, recognitions, or updates
For example, a new employee might share a social media post about their onboarding, or a team might create a video documenting a successful project. Testimonials and reviews from employees offer candid perspectives on the work environment.
This content can be posted on both personal and company channels, expanding its reach and impact. Varied formats help ensure that different audiences engage with and trust the content.
How EGC Differs from Brand or User-Generated Content
EGC is distinct from both brand-generated content and user-generated content (UGC). Brand content is made by the company’s marketing or communications team, typically crafted to fit strategic messaging and with more control over style and tone.
By contrast, EGC comes directly from staff members, leading to a more authentic and spontaneous tone that audiences often find relatable. UGC, on the other hand, refers to material made by customers or general users rather than employees.
While UGC builds credibility among customers, EGC is especially effective for shaping company culture and employer branding. Research notes that employee content often produces higher engagement than standard brand content. This credibility and relatability make EGC a valuable resource for businesses seeking to build trust and communicate more transparently with their stakeholders. For more details on these differences, see this in-depth guide to employee-generated content.
Why Should Employers Care About Employee Generated Content?
Employee generated content gives organizations credible, relatable voices while expanding their reach and deepening engagement. It plays a direct role in shaping the brand's public image and drives measurable benefits across trust, awareness, recruitment, and advocacy.
Authenticity and Trust in Brand Messaging
Brands that incorporate employee generated content gain a layer of authenticity that corporate marketing alone cannot match. Prospective customers and job seekers are more likely to trust experiences shared by real employees over branded messages. Staff-created posts, videos, or blogs can show the workplace, company culture, and daily employee experience without marketing spin.
Credible voices from staff humanize brands. This builds genuine trust among audiences, making brand messaging more convincing. Video testimonials, day-in-the-life stories, and honest insights can be especially effective across social channels such as LinkedIn or TikTok.
According to several recent guides, employee participation helps bridge the gap between internal reality and external perception. Find out how brands benefit by leveraging the trust created by EGC.
Impact on Brand Awareness and Reach
Employee participation in content creation pushes a company’s visibility beyond its owned social channels. When employees share branded content, their individual networks are exposed to the brand—sometimes multiplying reach by thousands. This effect is noticeable on platforms like LinkedIn and TikTok, where employee posts can spark organic discussion and extend beyond corporate follower counts.
Amplifying EGC as part of a social media strategy or employee advocacy program typically boosts engagement rates compared to official company posts. Employees often act as valuable brand ambassadors, helping distribute content more widely through authentic channels.
Effective programs can use tools like Brandwatch or Sprout Social to track reach and engagement metrics, providing detailed insight into which types of posts or platforms drive the most impact.
Enhancing Employer Branding and Recruitment
A strong employer brand can attract top talent and reduce recruitment costs. Employee generated content, such as job postings shared by staff, behind-the-scenes photos, or thought leadership articles, provides an inside view of life at the organization. Prospective applicants trust firsthand employee perspectives over curated corporate narratives.
Platforms like Glassdoor and LinkedIn amplify this effect by enabling job seekers to see real stories and authentic employee experience. EGC can help positions seem more appealing and workplace culture more transparent. Employee stories can also be used in recruitment marketing, podcasts, or case studies to further illustrate what sets the company apart.
Focusing on honest, diverse content helps dispel skepticism about mismatch between a company’s stated values and actual work environment. Learn how EGC is transforming talent acquisition and modern employer branding.
Driving Employee Engagement and Advocacy
Encouraging employees to contribute content increases their sense of ownership and involvement. Participation in these programs signals trust and confidence from leadership, which can boost morale and job satisfaction. Recognition of employee content—such as sharing their posts on official channels or celebrating top contributors—can further motivate teams.
Successful employee advocacy programs often provide clear guidelines, resources, and incentives for staff to participate in brand advocacy. They might also use sentiment analysis to monitor the impact of EGC on internal and external perceptions, helping companies adjust their marketing strategy based on feedback.
Regular engagement ensures a steady flow of content while reinforcing community, collaboration, and shared purpose among employees. This cycle drives ongoing engagement, strengthening the link between employee experience and brand success. Read more about the direct benefits of employee advocacy and engagement.
