While User-Generated Content (UGC) and influencer marketing dominate the conversation, it’s time to turn the spotlight on a powerful yet often overlooked source of brand content: your own employees.
Your most powerful brand ambassadors aren’t always the ones sipping smoothies in Bali – they’re the ones reheating lunch in the staff kitchen.
The era of Employee-Generated Content (EGC) is here, and what does this mean for brands social media strategy? What if the most valuable content isn’t in your pipeline but in your team?
You’ve got a marketing army. You just haven’t deployed it yet
As Aaron Marshall, General Manager at ROR Coffee Solutions, puts it, “EGC sets itself apart from traditional UGC and influencer campaigns by offering unmatched authenticity, credibility, and brand alignment.”
Kameel Rasyid, Co-Founder and Head Pastry Chef at BKRY, adds, “Unlike traditional UGC, which highlights the customer experience, EGC showcases the artistry and dedication of our team. It builds a deeper connection with our audience by making them feel part of our world – whether it’s the flour-dusted hands shaping dough at dawn or the team celebrating milestones together.”
Farah George, Managing Partner at Salmon Guru, further highlights the power of EGC: “It showcases the passion, expertise, and unique personalities of the team, creating a more authentic and engaging brand presence. It allows customers to see the faces behind the experience, fostering trust and deeper connections.”
Marshall continues, “EGC offers something that no influencer campaign can replicate – authenticity from within.”
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Building authenticity and loyalty through brand storytelling
While UGC and influencer partnerships are effective for providing an external perspective on a brand, EGC offers a brand a way to connect more meaningfully with audiences.
Marshall explains that by sharing genuine, behind-the-scenes insights, it strengthens the sense of community and nurtures long-lasting customer relationships. Unlike influencer marketing, which often focuses on broad reach, EGC promotes meaningful interactions. It offers viewers an inside look at a brand’s expertise, passion, and culture, helping to build a stronger emotional connection with the audience.
George adds, “Compared to influencer campaigns, which provide short-term visibility, EGC drives sustained engagement and long-term brand loyalty. While influencers introduce new audiences, EGC makes guests feel like part of the community by humanising the brand and showcasing our team’s passion.”
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Why should brands consider EGC in their strategy?
When done right, EGC not only fosters community but also builds brand awareness and authenticity.
Rasyid describes EGC as central to BKRY’s storytelling. “EGC isn’t just a part of our strategy – it’s the essence of how we tell our story. While brand campaigns create a polished narrative, EGC captures the raw, unscripted moments that truly define us.”
He continues by emphasising the importance of involving the team in the brand voice, as it plays a key role in fostering customer loyalty through human connection. “Our audience gets to know the faces and hands behind their favourite pastries, and as a brand, we get to participate in trends in a way that feels organic and personal.”
George supports this, adding, “Beyond engagement, EGC drives tangible business results. It boosts organic reach, encourages repeat visits, and enhances brand loyalty by creating familiarity between guests and the team. Unlike trend-driven influencer campaigns, which can feel disconnected from a venue’s identity, EGC integrates seamlessly with the brand’s personality, ensuring long-term impact rather than short-lived visibility.”
Rasyid also emphasises how EGC boosts employee morale and enhances customer experience: “When our team takes part in content creation, they don’t just communicate our story – they become even more immersed in it. This hands-on involvement strengthens their expertise, builds their confidence, and ultimately enhances the way they connect with customers.”
And it doesn’t need to be overly polished. Marshall adds, “Our team loves experimenting with trending formats – whether it’s a fun coffee challenge, a behind-the-scenes look at the roasting process, or a quick-fire brewing hack. By blending education with entertainment, we keep our content dynamic, engaging, and perfectly brewed for today’s digital audience.”
Selecting the right platform for EGC
Choosing the right platforms is crucial for amplifying a brand’s voice and fostering authentic connections. When asked which platforms work best for EGC, TikTok and Instagram emerged as the most popular options.
“Instagram is our go-to platform for EGC at the moment,” says Rasyid. “Instagram allows us to showcase the artistry and detail of our creations through reels and stories, bringing out the fun, behind-the-scenes moments that highlight our team’s personality.”
Marshall adds, “Our most effective platforms are Instagram and TikTok because they allow us to visually showcase our passion for coffee while engaging with both enthusiasts and industry professionals in a dynamic way.”
He highlights the distinct approaches they use on each platform: Instagram is a great platform for sharing behind-the-scenes moments, brewing techniques, and educational content, showcasing both the artistry of coffee and our team’s expertise. TikTok, meanwhile, excels at reaching new audiences with short, trend-driven content, connecting with coffee lovers through challenges, tips, and daily glimpses.
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Turning storytelling into brand loyalty
Storytelling through EGC not only connects brands with their audiences but also nurtures loyalty by creating authentic, emotional bonds.
Rasyid shares that EGC has helped customers connect with the brand on a deeper level, beyond just the products. “One of our most loved videos was a New Year celebration with our team – it wasn’t about bread or pastries, just pure joy. That post had one of the highest engagement rates on our page and led to an influx of messages from customers expressing appreciation for our team and their work.”
George emphasises how EGC has strengthened customer sentiment, making guests feel more connected to the people behind the brand. “Our guests engage not just because of the drinks we serve, but because they feel connected to the people behind the bar. Many first-time visitors walk in already knowing our bartenders’ names – not from prior meetings, but from seeing them online, fostering an immediate sense of familiarity.”
“We’ve seen a direct impact on foot traffic and repeat visits, with guests frequently mentioning in comments and DMs that they came in after watching our team on social media. EGC consistently outperforms product-focused content, generating higher engagement rates, more shares, and direct calls to action like, ‘We NEED to go here and meet them!’” adds George.
For Rasyid, the true success of EGC lies in those personal connections: “When a customer walks into BKRY and tells us they came because they saw a video of our team in action – it’s those moments that tell us we’re doing something right.”
The impact of EGC: Beyond the metrics
While traditional metrics like reach, engagement, and conversions are still important, the true power of EGC lies in its ability to forge genuine connections with audiences.
“We gauge the success of our EGC through a mix of measurable data and real-world impact,” says Marshall. “While KPIs like reach, impressions, and lead generation provide valuable insights, we also place great importance on qualitative feedback. Direct customer interactions, conversations sparked by our content, and the trust built through employee-led storytelling are just as crucial.”
Rasyid echoes this sentiment, highlighting the human element that EGC adds to the brand: “It’s one thing to show a finished croissant on a plate; it’s another to show the hands that meticulously folded it over hours of work. That’s what resonates – stories, not just products.”
Marshall also underscores the ripple effect of EGC, pointing out how content shared by team members can spark meaningful engagement. “Content shared by our Head of Coffee, Estella Zuleta Carmona, has sparked remarkable engagement, especially when she explores the science of how different types of water impact coffee extraction. Her expertise has ignited discussions among both coffee professionals and enthusiasts, encouraging experimentation and knowledge-sharing within the community.
Customers often respond with follow-up questions, share their own experiences, and even visit our coffee bars to try the techniques themselves. This direct interaction fosters a deeper appreciation for speciality coffee and strengthens their connection to our brand.”
The takeaway
EGC is more than a marketing strategy – it’s a movement grounded in people, passion, and purpose.
Rasyid explains that EGC ensures customers don’t just see the brand; they feel it. “EGC has given our customers a reason to connect with us beyond just the food – it makes them feel like they’re part of our journey.” It provides an unfiltered look into the soul of our bakery, capturing the passion, precision, and camaraderie behind every loaf and croissant.”
“Customers love seeing the real people behind ROR Coffee Solutions, and this authenticity builds stronger relationships,” says Marshall. “Posts featuring our team consistently generate high engagement because they highlight the skill, passion, and personality of the people who bring our coffee to life.”
George concludes, “EGC has helped us build and maintain a community that identifies with our brand. By adding a personal touch, our content becomes more relatable and, consequently, shareable. People are more likely to engage with our content because they feel a personal connection with our gurus.”
And Marshall leaves us with this: “EGC bridges the gap between our brand and our audience in a way that traditional content simply cannot. It fosters a sense of belonging, strengthens relationships, and reinforces our core values of quality, sustainability, and innovation – ensuring that every interaction feels both meaningful and authentic.”
The conclusion. EGC isn’t a passing trend – it’s a powerful way to humanise your brand, engage audiences authentically, and turn team members into storytellers. And that’s the kind of marketing that makes an impact.
