So, is EGC really worth it?
Short answer: yep.
Longer answer: Still yes. But here's why.
Unlike influencer or agency fees, rewarding employee creators doesn't always cost you hard cash. What it does cost is a little strategy, learning, planning and execution time, and we know time is money.
But the returns? Massive. Let's break it down.
1. EGC engagement and reach blow other content styles out of the water
Audiences trust people, not logos. EGC is relatable, authentic, and (as with Creator Marketing) it connects.
✅ Content shared by employees gains 8x more engagement than brand content. (Forbes)
✅ EGC from employee advocacy programs delivers 14x higher social engagement. (PostBeyond)
✅ Employees have networks 10x bigger than their brand's. (PRNews)
With better engagement comes more reach. EGC doesn't just amplify your message, it humanises it, turning every like, comment and share into a trust-building moment that brand-led content can't buy.
2. EGC turns trust into conversions
In marketing, trust drives action. And EGC oozes trust because it is powered by real people.
✅ 92% of people trust recommendations from people over brands. (Nielsen)
✅ 77% of consumers are more likely to purchase a product after hearing about it from a real person. (Salesforce)
✅ EGC can lift web conversions by 29% (SocialToaster).
✅ Leads generated by employee advocacy on social media have 7x higher conversions. (PostBeyond)
People trust (and buy from) people they can relate to. EGC makes that trust scalable.
EGC in action: IBM’s #NewWayToWork EGC program achieved 250,000 social shares, 200,000 reactions, 500 million impressions, and created 50,000 leads! (Content4Demand)
3. EGC fosters happier, stickier teams
Employees creating content isn't just a marketing play; it's a morale booster and amplifier of employer branding.
✅ Employees who participate in advocacy programs are 27% more likely to feel optimistic about the company's future (EmployFluence)
✅ Starbucks credits their employee creator program as a contributor to staff turnover being just 20% of the industry average. (Influencer Marketing Hub)
✅ Companies with active employee advocates attract top talent and see a 20% boost in retention rates. (People Made)
Fostering employee advocacy through EGC builds pride and connection. With happier employees comes stronger retention, and retention keeps your culture, talent and bottom line thriving.
As you can see, employee-generated content can significantly impact marketing results (14x more engagements and 29% more web conversions are just the start), all while contributing to happier, more loyal employees.
But we hear you. Anyone can do their desk research. So let's take a look at some compelling results from the front lines of our TRIBE Unlocked partners' programs.
Insights from TRIBE Unlocked Employee Creator Programs
1. INSTANT ENGAGEMENT UPLIFT
We're partnering with a major retailer with over 22,000 staff members to amplify the voices of their most talented employees.
Upon program launch, we measured the direct impact of EGC on engagement. The uplift wasn't just significant; it was instant.
In the first four weeks, employee content delivered 5x more likes and 18x more comments across all EGC and non-EGC posts, vs. the four weeks prior.
2. A POSITIVE SHIFT IN BRAND PERCEPTION
Using our Sentiment Analysis feature, we can assess the emotional tone of comments as positive, neutral or negative to discover how audiences perceive your brand. For the same retail partner, we tracked sentiment for four weeks before and after program launch to discover that EGC increased positive sentiment by 80%, while decreasing neutral and negative comments by 30% and 80%, respectively.
3. EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT AND RETENTION
And of course, Employee Creator Programs are about your people. A question we're often asked is: "how do you reward and inspire employees to create content?".
A key part is strategically building a program that supports, empowers, educates, and provides unexpected learning and career opportunities. We measure how well our TRIBE Unlocked programs do this via regular pulse check surveys.
Our most recent survey with a global electronics brand found:
🤩 95% of employee creators feel invested in the program and are invested in growing their content skills.
🫶 83% feel supported by the brand and their peers.
🙌 82% feel recognised when there is visibility on their content internally and externally.
Why is this important? It shows EGC programs are more than a marketing initiative; they provide tangible opportunities to employees while building strong cultural buy-in, improved morale and motivation through peer recognition and collaboration.
EGC is about growth for your brand and growth for your people. If you're questioning whether your employees will want to be involved, here's a direct quote from one of our fave employee creators who's gone from service desk employee to full-time content creator at BIG W.
"And every day I wake up and I almost get imposter syndrome or pinch myself because I can't believe that I get to make content for a brand that I'm really familiar with”.
That's what we love to hear!
So our final answer is: EGC isn’t just worth it, it’s a no-brainer for brand love, sales, and team culture.
What are you waiting for? Let’s make it happen.
