By Eve Conway, Senior Marketing Account Manager at Flourish
People don’t just want to hear from brands. They want to hear from the people behind them. That’s why employee generated content (EGC), from behind-the-scenes videos to product recommendations and expert advice, is worth paying attention to.
I’m a big fan of EGC. I love seeing the people behind a business rather than everything coming from a polished corporate account, particularly when they’re sharing something they genuinely know a lot about. It looks like I’m not alone.
According to Edelman’s 2025 Brand Trust research, 63% of respondents trusted brand employees to provide accurate information about a brand.63% of respondents
But what do businesses need to consider before making EGC part of their content strategy? There’s a bit more to it than simply asking someone to film a TikTok!
Why should businesses consider EGC?
One of the things I like most about EGC is that businesses already have people who know their products, services and customers inside out, so why not give them the opportunity to share that knowledge?
It could be someone working for a travel company sharing recommendations from places they’ve visited, a chef talking about a new dish on the menu or an accountant answering questions they regularly get asked by clients.
It’s also a great way to show a bit more personality. Rather than audiences only seeing the business through its formal marketing, they get to know the people who work there, which can be particularly useful for recruitment too. Giving employees a chance to share their expertise can also help them feel recognised and valued, provided taking part is genuinely their choice.
Who’s getting EGC right?
Kathryn Turner, Director of Product Development at M&S Food, isn’t trying to be an influencer. She’s talking about products she knows and clearly loves, and people want to hear what she has to say.
Her TikTok videos reveal hidden gems in the Foodhall, explain how products are developed and offer recommendations from someone directly involved in the process. The appetite was immediate: within a month of launching her account, she’d attracted almost 50,000 followers!
It’s a great example of how genuine knowledge and enthusiasm can make everyday products interesting.
Currys is another example, although they’ve taken a very different approach. Their employee-led TikTok content has embraced humour and trends, with the Gen Z marketing script campaign reportedly generating 73 million views. It’s a good reminder that EGC doesn’t have to look the same for every business.
Thinking about giving EGC a go? Here’s what you need to consider
If you’re considering EGC for your business, I wouldn’t suggest handing everyone a phone and telling them to start filming! Here’s what I’d think about first.
- Speak to your team – find out who’s interested in getting involved and what they’d actually enjoy doing. You might have someone who’s brilliant on camera or someone with loads of product knowledge who’d love to share it
- Think about your audience – what would your customers find interesting or useful? There’s no point creating content just for the sake of it, so think about what your employees could share that people would genuinely want to watch
- Don’t over-script it – give people an idea of what you’re trying to achieve and some basic guidelines, but let their personalities come through. If every word sounds like it’s been written by the marketing department, you’re probably missing the point!
- Make use of your social media natives – chances are someone in your team already knows what’s trending. Ask them to share ideas, but don’t jump on every trend just because it’s popular. It still needs to feel right for your business
- Sort out the practicalities – who’s going to film and approve the content? When will employees have time to create it? Where will it be used? You don’t necessarily need expensive kit: a phone, decent lighting and a simple editing app such as CapCut can be enough to get started
- Keep an eye on what’s working – views and likes are great, but think about what you’re actually hoping to achieve. Is it getting your brand in front of new people, encouraging enquiries or helping with recruitment?
A few other things worth thinking about
One question that came to mind when I started looking into EGC was what happens when an employee who’s become a familiar face of a brand decides to leave…
Imagine you’ve spent a year featuring someone regularly on your social channels, their videos are performing really well and you’ve even started using them in paid advertising. Then they hand in their notice. Can you continue using those videos, and what happens if they’ve become one of the main reasons people follow your account?
It’s worth having a conversation about how content can be used from the beginning, particularly if employees are filming on their own devices or posting through personal accounts.
There’s also the question of time. EGC might be relatively cost-effective, but filming, editing and coming up with ideas still take work, especially when employees are doing it alongside their usual responsibilities.
I also don’t think everyone needs to be comfortable in front of a camera to get involved. Some people might have brilliant ideas or expertise to share but would much rather stay behind the scenes and there’s absolutely room for that too.
Final thoughts from me
I think EGC is a brilliant opportunity for businesses and it’s something I’d love to see more brands experimenting with. After all, who better to talk about your products, services or business than the people who work with them every day?
For me, the key is finding the right people, giving them a bit of guidance and letting them be themselves, while making sure you’ve thought through the practical side of things too.
You never know, your next great content creator might already be sitting in your office!
