![](\"https:\/\/marketingnewsbox.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/5-tips-to-engage-your-overlooked-content-creation-force.png\")
There never seems to be enough resources to execute all your killer content marketing ideas, does there?<\/p>\nThere never seems to be enough resources to execute all your killer content marketing ideas, does there?<\/p>\n
No matter how large and prolific your team of creators, how efficient your creative processes are, or how ample your outsourcing budget is, too many great content ideas are left on the drawing board. Meanwhile, you\u2019ve got an increasing number of gaps to fill with engaging stories across multiple platforms.<\/span><\/p>\n Fortunately, a solution is sitting practically under your nose: Enlist the assistance of fellow employees \u2013 including internal subject matter experts (SMEs) and colleagues in sales, customer support, and other functional departments.<\/p>\n Have content gaps to fill? Enlist the assistance of employees outside the #ContentMarketing team, says @joderama via @CMIContent. <\/a><\/span>Click To Tweet<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n Read on for tips on how to activate their interest, overcome common objections, and reap the rewards of having a wellspring of employee-generated content (EGC) at your disposal.<\/p>\n Enlisting colleagues outside of marketing to help with content creation can be a big ask, if not a downright imposition. To make the request more palatable, set clear expectations and establish a framework for their participation. Use your process to solicit content from external industry experts or social community members to inform the EGC process.<\/p>\n Knowing in advance exactly what they\u2019ll be asked to do and the time it will take can help reassure them they aren\u2019t committing to something they don\u2019t have the bandwidth to fulfill.<\/p>\n As part of their employee-centric LinkedIn evangelist program, B2B podcast company Sweet Fish<\/a> created an internal document outlining requirements for participating, detailing what the commitment involves, and informing them of the benefits to both brand and employee. Those who join the evangelist program receive personalized brand development<\/a> and content training and information on LinkedIn best practices.<\/p>\n It\u2019s also helpful to provide examples of EGC efforts that performed well, so new contributors can get a feel for the types of content, tone, and voice<\/a> used in their efforts.<\/p>\n @SweetFishMedia created an internal document outlining the requirements to help employees participate in its @LinkedIn evangelist program, says @joderama via @CMIContent. <\/a><\/span>Click To Tweet<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n In a LinkedIn post<\/a> on how SaaS business Chili Piper activates its sales development reps (SDRs) as brand evangelists on social media, they point to a team member\u2019s contribution. The SDR\u2019s post generated strong engagement and inspired other employees to post similar content on their own profiles. (Special thanks to Emily Brady<\/a> for sharing this example.)<\/p>\n HANDPICKED RELATED CONTENT: <\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Employees might raise objectives, such as they don\u2019t have strong writing skills<\/a> or they aren\u2019t creative. While experience crafting quality copy certainly helps, EGC doesn\u2019t need to be polished and perfected \u2013 or even in written form \u2013 to be an effective marketing vehicle.<\/p>\n To help reluctant contributors upskill and gain confidence in their writing abilities, consider providing support through these approaches:<\/p>\n The CMI editorial team is always refining the guest blogging guidelines<\/a> to onboard new contributors \u2013 internal and external. We include successful posts as models and educate writers on the kinds of submissions we accept. We also curated some of our best writing tips and advice from existing articles to produce an e-book on the secrets of successful content creation<\/a>. We shared it with other teams across our enterprise.<\/p>\n CMI shares writing tips to help less-experienced creators succeed.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n If aspiring contributors still feel intimidated, you can develop more ways for them to contribute to the content marketing cause. For example, if employees already post brand-friendly content on their social streams, downgrade your ask to create content to a request to share content.<\/p>\n If employees aren\u2019t ready to create original brand-friendly #Content, ask them to share the company\u2019s content, says @joderama via @CMIContent. <\/a><\/span>Click To Tweet<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n For example, Reebok used #fitasscompany<\/a> on Instagram to provide a space for its employees to share photos from their personal workouts and other active hobbies.<\/p>\n Brands like Dunkin Donuts actively encourage employees to capture and post informal photos and videos of themselves during their workday using #DunkinCrewAmbassador<\/a>. The company frequently reshares those posts on its official TikTok and Instagram profiles.<\/p>\n Sephora makes it even easier for employees to play a role in creating the brand\u2019s Instagram content: The company conducts employee profile interviews and shares snippets on its Sephoralife<\/a> account, using #EmployeeSpotlight.<\/p>\n Not only do these approaches make it easy for non-writers to collaborate on content, but they tell a more personal and relatable brand story that tightly controlled and scripted content can\u2019t.<\/p>\n Of course, it also takes less time on the interviewed employees\u2019 part. This tip may not add more stories to your content calendar, but the subsequent amplification assistance from the employee can make a big impact on your brand\u2019s reach, search rankings, and content performance.<\/p>\n Working with internal communication tools like EveryoneSocial<\/a>, SocialWeaver<\/a>, Bambu<\/a>, and Hootsuite Amplify<\/a> can help streamline the process. Use them to automatically distribute your freshly published assets to willing \u201ccontent deputies\u201d who can share those stories with a few clicks. Some such tools even provide scheduling capabilities, feedback surveys, and gamification features to make the experience more convenient and engaging for contributors.<\/p>\n Employee-generated content doesn\u2019t need to be about<\/em> your company to further your content goals. Shifting the storytelling focus from brand to personal experiences of the workforce can result in relatable, empathetic<\/a>, and engaging content.<\/p>\n One way to do this is to leverage team outings and events as a source of relevant, authentic brand stories. If your company hosts off-site retreats, allows colleagues to attend industry conferences, or organizes volunteer opportunities, consider splurging on a couple of disposable digital cameras or a photo booth or lending a few smartphones. These tools give employees everything they need to capture spontaneous moments of camaraderie and interactions throughout the day. They can livestream or post them on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, or TikTok.<\/p>\n On a smaller scale, you can organize a happy hour or host a cross-team trivia contest (live or virtual) to give colleagues something fun to talk about. Or approach individual colleagues who have exciting roles, unusual hobbies, or have taken part in unique work opportunities that your audience might be interested in. Ask to interview them or for them to snap and share a selfie or write a summary of their experience that your team can polish up and publish.<\/p>\n Look at this recent post on the We Are Cisco blog<\/a> from a team member who moved to the United Kingdom as part of the company\u2019s employee rotation program. It gave the author a chance to tell a personally meaningful story \u2013 one that Cisco also can use for its recruiting efforts.<\/p>\n Team members share personal stories about their brand experience on the We Are Cisco blog.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n For some team members, the chance to share their knowledge and exercise their creative skills are all the motivation they need to jump on the EGC train. But others might need to know WIFM (What\u2019s In it For Me?). You need to give them a more compelling reason to participate.<\/p>\n Take a page from Walmart\u2019s playbook and offer an incentive. On its employee-centric Instagram account WalmartSocialChamps<\/a>, the company recently launched an associate video contest<\/a> to solicit more brand-friendly visual stories from its workforce. In addition to offering a prize (a free trip to its Associate Week event), Walmart made it easy to enter by providing starter ideas, animation assets, filming tips, and posting instructions.<\/p>\n If a sweepstakes is too much for your marketing, provide rewards like gift cards or company swag. If your budget is non-existent, offer public gratitude and recognition. Here are a few ways to do that:<\/p>\n The everyday responsibilities of co-workers outside the content team might not have a creative focus, but that doesn\u2019t mean they aren\u2019t ready, willing, and able to show off their knowledge, lend you their talents, and spread their enthusiasm for your brand. Often, all they need is some direction, encouragement, and the right motivation to get them started.<\/p>\n Please note: All tools included are suggested by the author. Feel free to include additional tools in the comments (from your company or ones that you have used). <\/em><\/p>\n Cover image by Joseph Kalinowski\/Content Marketing Institute<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\nTip 1: Provide process clarity and examples of success<\/h2>\n
\nTip 2: Provide tools, support, and training<\/h2>\n
\n
![\"Image](\"https:\/\/marketingnewsbox.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/5-tips-to-engage-your-overlooked-content-creation-force-1.png\")
<\/p>\nHANDPICKED RELATED CONTENT: 15 Content Creation Tools You (Probably) Haven\u2019t Tried Yet<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nTip 3: Make content creation easy and organic to their experiences<\/h2>\n
\n
<\/blockquote>\n
HANDPICKED RELATED CONTENT: 13 Fresh Ideas To Get More Content Marketing Zing From Employees<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nTip 4: Fuel their creative journey and provide an outlet to share personal passions<\/h2>\n
![\"Team](\"https:\/\/marketingnewsbox.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/5-tips-to-engage-your-overlooked-content-creation-force-2.png\")
<\/p>\nHANDPICKED RELATED CONTENT: Want To Scale Your Content Marketing? Get the Employees Involved<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nTip 5: Incentivize, celebrate, and recognize<\/h2>\n
<\/blockquote>\n
\n
EGC formula: Enlist, empower, and activate<\/h2>\n
Want more content marketing tips, insights, and examples? <\/em>Subscribe<\/em><\/a> to workday or weekly emails from CMI.<\/em><\/em><\/div>\n