UGC vs EGC: What are they, and which should you be using?

If you’ve spent more than five minutes on social media lately, you’ve probably come across content that feels a bit more authentic than the usual polished brand posts.

Maybe it’s someone showing off their latest supermarket haul, sharing a hotel review, or raving about a product has changed their lives, like how parents talk about air fryers. Or perhaps it’s an employee giving a behind-the-scenes look at their workplace, showing what a typical day looks like, having a laugh with co-workers or taking the mick out of their boss.

These are two different types of content that brands are increasingly relying on: UGC (User-Generated Content) and EGC (Employee-Generated Content).

Both can be incredibly valuable, but they serve different purposes. So what’s the difference, and which one should your business focus on?

What is UGC?

UGC stands for User-Generated Content.

In simple terms, it’s content created by your customers rather than your business.

Think of someone posting a video about their latest shopping trip to Tesco, showing what they bought and why they’re happy with it. Tesco didn’t create the content, didn’t pay for it, and probably didn’t even ask for it. The customer simply wanted to share their experience with their followers. And their followers might see it and pick it some of those groceries from the shelf.

Other examples include:

• Product reviews
• Unboxing videos
• In-person content from a shop/event/restaurant

The biggest strength of UGC is trust.

People know companies are going to say nice things about themselves. Customers, on the other hand, are generally seen as more honest and unbiased. When someone shares a positive experience voluntarily, it often feels more genuine than a traditional advert and more likely taken into account when the customer is using the business.

What is EGC?

EGC stands for Employee-Generated Content.

As the name suggests, this is content created by employees rather than customers.

Using our Tesco example, this could be a team member sharing what it’s like to work in-store, talking about new products, highlighting a promotion, or giving followers a behind-the-scenes look at daily life.

Examples of EGC include:

• Day-in-the-life videos
• Behind-the-scenes content
• Workplace culture posts
• Employee stories and achievements
• Product demonstrations
• Company updates shared by staff

EGC gives brands a human face. Instead of hearing from the company as a faceless organisation or people dressed in their best following a script.

Audiences want to hear directly from the people who work there, getting to know the unique personality of the company or local business, and more importantly how it treats its staff.

As is always the case with marketing – real people want to hear from real people.

UGC vs EGC: What’s the difference?

The easiest way to think about it is this:

UGC builds credibility because it’s coming from people who have actually purchased your products or services.

EGC builds connection and demonstrates expertise because it’s coming from the people behind the business.

One isn’t better than the other. They simply do different jobs.

The benefits of UGC

User-generated content can be incredibly powerful because it taps into something marketers have been chasing forever: authenticity.

Benefits include:

• Increased trust. People trust recommendations from other consumers more than traditional advertising.
• Social proof. If lots of people are talking positively about your brand, it reassures potential customers that they’re making the right choice.
• Cost-effective marketing. The content is being created for you, often completely free of charge.
• Greater reach. Customers sharing content expose your brand to audiences you might not otherwise reach.

The benefits of EGC

Employee-generated content has become increasingly popular, particularly on platforms like LinkedIn.

Benefits include:

• Humanising your brand. People connect with people and employees help put real faces behind the logo.
• Stronger recruitment. Potential employees get a genuine insight into your culture and workplace.
• Higher engagement. Content from individuals often feels more relatable than posts from a company account.
• Demonstrating expertise. Employees can share insights, knowledge and experiences that showcase your business’s credibility.

So, which should you be using?

The short answer is both.

UGC helps convince potential customers that other people genuinely enjoy what you offer. EGC helps them understand who you are as a business and what makes your brand different.

Used together, they create a much fuller picture.

For example:

• A customer shares a positive review of your service (UGC).
• An employee explains how the team delivered that service (EGC).
• A customer posts their results or experience (UGC).
• An employee shares behind-the-scenes content showing the work that went into it (EGC).

Suddenly, you’ve got trust, authenticity and personality all working together.

People want honest opinions, real experiences and genuine human connections, which is exactly why both UGC and EGC have become such powerful marketing tools. And the most successful brands are finding ways to encourage both and letting real people tell their story.

If you’d like to talk through your next social media strategy, get in touch with our team at any time.