561% more reach?

Hey, Paige here!

Before we get into today’s best marketing research… 

In today’s release: 

• What drives trust for 88% of audiences

• Tweaking your content for 8x engagement

• How to tap into reach, engagement, and retention with one simple switch (without spending more $)

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Creating great content is one thing. Building a valuable audience? Sweet Fish does both. Let’s talk strategy — because you deserve video content that works for you.

DEEP DIVE

Let’s be real: Consumers don’t trust traditional advertising the way they used to.

• 88% of people trust recommendations from people they know over any other form of marketing

• Employee advocacy is more effective than branded content with 8x higher engagement rate 

👉 Featuring employees in marketing materials adds a human element that actors and influencers just can’t match. Perfect or not — audiences recognize authenticity, and that builds trust.

How to get higher engagement and reach via social organic 

We all know social media algorithms reward engagement — but did you know looping your employees into your content can actually boost that effect? 

Yep, putting Jim from accounting in your single image ad and Sarah from HR into your promo video can literally increase the overall engagement (sometimes even more than pouring $ into influencer partnerships). 

• Employee-generated content gets 561% more reach 

• Employees are more likely to share ads featuring themselves, tapping into their personal networks for free (hello employee advocacy 👋) 

• Switching from stock images to real employees can increase conversion by 35% 

👉 The bottom line? People trust people, not brands. Especially when you consistently put your people in the limelight and gain audience recognition. Use that to your advantage.

Bonus points: Recruitment & retention boosts

Of course marketing focuses on attracting customers… but it plays a huge role in attracting talent too.

• 77% of employees who feel recognized are more engaged at work

• Companies with strong brands are 3x more likely to make quality hires

Real-World Example: Cisco’s “We Are Cisco” Campaign

By encouraging employees to share their own stories, Cisco saw:
✅ A 60% increase in positive brand sentiment
✅ Improved recruiting metrics and employer brand perception

👉 Featuring employees in ads isn’t just good marketing—it’s good culture.

The cost-effective strategy most overlook

Hiring professional actors and influencers adds up fast—but employee-led content is:

✔ More budget-friendly (fewer production costs, no talent fees)
✔ More effective (people connect with real employees)
✔ More engaging (employees amplify content organically)

• User-generated content is 50% more trusted than brand-created content — because real content resonates

• One startup cut its ad production costs by 30% while increasing conversion rates by 20% just by featuring employees instead of actors 

👉 Want better ROI on your ads? Ditch the actors. Feature your team.

The right (and wrong) way to welcome your employees into your content marketing mix

While this strategy works, execution matters.

❌ What doesn’t work: Forced, scripted performances that feel stiff and unnatural.

Not every employee will feel comfortable (or look natural) in every piece of content. Take our fantastic Head of Sales for example… charismatic, passionate, but probably not the best fit for this specific ad. (we love him dearly - hopefully he doesn’t hate me for this 😅 )

✅ What works:
✔ Employees who are already charismatic or passionate about the brand
✔ Unscripted interviews or candid storytelling
✔ Giving employees media training for confidence on camera

👉 The goal? Authenticity. Avoid perfection.

Want a great example? Check out The Creator House page. It’s chock-full of fantastic, employee-led content.

Start small:

✔ Feature an employee in your next LinkedIn post instead of stock photography.
✔ Interview a team member on video about their role.
✔ Test an employee-led ad campaign and measure the results.

You might be surprised by the engagement and trust it builds.

The takeaway: People trust people, not brands—so if you want higher engagement, better ROI, and stronger recruiting, ditch the actors and put your employees front and center.