How Zappos Uses Employee-Generated Content to Build Culture and Loyalty
Zappos isn’t just an online shoe store — it’s basically a culture brand at this point. And one of the reasons it stands out is how much it leans on its employees to tell the story.
If you scroll through Zappos’ social media, you’ll see it immediately: short, funny, unscripted videos of employees showing off shoes, goofing around in the office, or just sharing what it’s like to work there. None of it feels forced. None of it feels like a typical corporate ad. That’s employee-generated content (EGC) at its finest — and it’s a huge part of why Zappos has built such a loyal following.
Why Zappos’ EGC Works
There’s a reason it works: people trust people more than they trust brands. When an employee genuinely talks about a product, the culture, or just has fun in the office, it feels real. And real resonates.
Zappos uses EGC in a few ways that really stand out:
Product videos by staff: Short clips of employees trying on shoes, showing how they fit, or sharing what makes a style special. It’s low-fi, but it’s authentic.
Behind-the-scenes office content: Events, team shenanigans, or just fun moments from the day-to-day office life. This shows the human side of the company.
Culture and recruitment content: Videos highlighting company values and what it’s like to work there — a subtle but powerful way to attract people who really fit the culture.
What Makes It Special
The thing I love about Zappos’ approach is how effortless it feels. They don’t overthink it or micromanage employees’ content. Employees are trusted to be creative and speak naturally. That freedom makes the content funny, engaging, and — most importantly — shareable.
Because the content is authentic, Zappos doesn’t have to spend millions on flashy ad campaigns. They get a constant stream of videos and posts that connect with customers and potential employees alike. It’s a win-win: people see the brand’s personality and employees feel proud to contribute.
Lessons for Other Brands
Zappos proves a few things about EGC that are worth noting:
Trust your employees: Give them the freedom to create without over-policing.
Show your culture: People care about who they’re buying from and working with, not just the product.
Keep it human: Unpolished, casual, real content often outperforms highly produced content.
Make it consistent: Encourage ongoing contributions — volume and variety matter.
Final Thoughts
Zappos has turned its employees into storytellers, and the results speak for themselves. They’ve built not just a brand, but a culture people want to be part of — as customers and employees. And it all starts with letting real people share real stories.
Employee-generated content isn’t just a marketing tactic. At Zappos, it’s part of the company’s DNA.Don’t worry about sounding professional. Sound like you. There are over 1.5 billion websites out there, but your story is what’s going to separate this one from the rest. If you read the words back and don’t hear your own voice in your head, that’s a good sign you still have more work to do.
