Beyond perfectly posed influencers and #ads, the new face of social commerce is someone much closer to home: your employees. The rise of social media has blurred the lines between traditional advertising and word-of-mouth marketing, and while brands have long relied on influencers, employee-generated content (EGC) is gaining momentum.
This shift aligns with a growing trend in eCommerce – social shopping – where authenticity wins the battle for shoppers’ attention. The rise of social shopping has only accelerated the demand for authentic content. Shoppable UGC (user-generated content) has been a powerful driver for conversion, but EGC takes this to the next level.
At StoryStream, we’ve seen first-hand how EGC can be a game-changer in creating immersive, high-converting shopping experiences, through campaigns such as Kiehl’s video-first experiences, or Garnier DE’s shoppable link in bio.
THE POWER OF EMPLOYEE-GENERATED CONTENT (EGC)
Employees are often the brand’s best advocates. As noted in a Vogue Business article, which delves into the value of EGC, forward-thinking brands are shifting budgets away from external influencers and empowering their own workforce to produce content which will drive engagement and authenticity. Why? Because authenticity sells, or, as Vogue Business reports, “Craftsmanship, culture and community matter more.
- Higher Engagement: EGC feels personal and relatable, encouraging consumers to interact with the content.
- Built-in Trust: Consumers trust recommendations from real employees who genuinely use and love the product.
- Cost-Effective: Leveraging employees reduces reliance on costly influencer partnerships while still reaching targeted audiences.
Unlike traditional influencers, employees have insider knowledge, a passion for the product, and a natural ability to connect with audiences in a way that feels more trustworthy.
HOW TO LEVERAGE EGC FOR YOUR BRAND
- Empower Employees to Create – Encourage teams to share product insights, behind-the-scenes moments, and helpful tutorials in a way that feels natural.
- Curate and Centralise Content – Use a platform like StoryStream to seamlessly collect, manage, and distribute employee content.
- Make It Shoppable – Turn EGC into shoppable experiences that drive conversions on your website, email, and paid social campaigns.
- Measure and Optimise – Track engagement, conversion rates, and revenue impact to refine your approach over time.
REAL-WORLD IMPACT: L’ORÉAL PROFESSIONNEL PARIS (DACH) & EMPLOYEE CONTENT
L’Oréal Professionnel Paris (DACH) is a prime example of EGC’s power. By leveraging a mix of employee, influencer, and customer content, they’ve boosted engagement across their eCommerce storefronts. Integrating shoppable video and UGC galleries into their product pages resulted in a 41% increase in engagement on Instagram, proving that when employees become content creators, their impact translates into real revenue.
READY TO ELEVATE YOUR MARKETING STRATEGY?
Brands that embrace employee content as a key part of their marketing strategy will gain a competitive edge in the attention economy. The future of influence is shifting. The question is no longer if brands should leverage their employees, but how soon they can start.
At StoryStream, we help brands curate and amplify employee content alongside influencer and user-generated content, turning it into shoppable experiences across eCommerce, social media, and in-store screens. With AI-powered content discovery, rights management, and analytics, brands can seamlessly integrate EGC into their marketing strategy without the heavy lifting, ultimately helping to reduce bounce rates, increase time spent on site, and ultimately drive more sales
Want to explore how StoryStream can help you integrate employee-generated content into your eCommerce experience? Let’s talk. 🚀
