By Jonathan Baker(Contributor: Hayley Botte, Social Media Manager) Branding on social media is a marketing strategy that has undergone many changes since it began. Consider how social has given rise to career titles that include “influencer” and “content creator.” Then, social media users got into the act with “user-generated content” (UGC), which has since inspired “employee-generated content” (EGC). (On the honor of The EGC Group, this acronym is completely coincidental!) This latest title may be the breakout social trend in business-to-business (B2B) marketing. The Special Value of Employee-Generated Content While employee-generated content (yes, EGC) may have derived from user-generated content, it has a unique value independent of influencers and content creators. A recent Forbes article pinpoints this value: Instead of highly polished messaging with a corporate feel, a company’s employees become powerful storytellers and content creators in their own right. Employee-generated content creators are therefore the ultimate brand ambassadors who represent their workplaces. How and why is this trend taking hold in 2025? Meeting Customer Demand Bradley Keenan, the author of the Forbes article, writes that he has seen EGC in many social media reports this year. (As this is only January, that point is worth noting.) Social media users increasingly want to see and hear content that is organic. This demand can stretch a business’ already limited finances. Having employees serve as spokespeople for the companies they work for—without extra expense—results in a truly happy medium. And the benefits of EGC are threefold… I. Employees Know What They’re Talking About Influencers are paid to try out and offer positive feedback to their followers on products and services they like. Imagine the credibility and trust that would be generated from those who are behind these same products and services. Nothing beats expertise demonstrated by an employee. This leads to… II. Optimal Authenticity Among other changes in the marketing landscape, the value of first-party data—where brands match with the right target audiences—cannot be overemphasized. The expertise and transparency that human employees bring in the promotion of the B2B companies they work for (read: brands) can inspire authentic connections with customers in ways never imagined. III. Strategies That Save Costs Although this benefit was explained earlier, the cost-effectiveness of B2B business promotion through EGC strategizing is substantial. By having employees create and “star” in a business’ social media content, the need (and expense) for third-party producers and vendors is eliminated. The money saved may therefore be allocated to other operations of the business. To sum this blog up, EGC believes in the power of EGC. (Again, in case you read this as boasting, we at The EGC Group have great faith in employee-generated content and genuinely believe it will spread far and wide this year.) If you are looking for help in other areas to promote your B2B company, get in touch with us. Also, visit EGC’s LinkedIn page to find a series of corresponding infographic images about employee-generated content you can easily refer to.
