Sometimes, that one thing that will make you stand out as a business doing Social Media is not your strategy but someone random doing something as random as themselves.
What is User-Generated Content?
As the name indicates, User-Generated Content (UGC) is any content created by unpaid contributors or fans of a brand or company. UCG can be ANYTHING: from social media posts to reviews, videos, or blog posts.
A great example of UGC is a TikTok user uploading a video about Amazon delivering the wrong product to her and how regardless she loved what she got. At the moment this article was published, the video had over 650K likes and over 10K comments and brought over 200 views to the product within a week of being posted.
UGC can be a valuable asset to any digital strategy because it provides social proof and authenticity that traditional marketing materials often lack. When potential customers see real people using and enjoying a product or service, they are more likely to trust your brand and feel confident in their purchasing decisions.
How Can I Incorporate User-Generated Content into My Digital Strategy?
One of the magical aspects of UGC is that we have little to no control over it. UGC is created by our audience, without direct intervention and, sometimes, without any incentives. While we are not the ones who control this content and when will be posted, we can look into incentivizing our audience to share:
Encourage customers to leave reviews:
Reviews from customers who have already experienced your products or services are compelling. Something as simple as sending a message asking for a review can make a big difference.
Run social media campaigns:
Have you seen those “share a photo with the hashtag” campaigns? Asking users to share photos or videos of themselves using your products or ask for their opinions on a particular topic related to your brand is a great way of generating engagement and interactions.
One example of a successful UGC campaign is the “Share a Coke” campaign by Coca-Cola. In this campaign, the brand replaced the Coca-Cola logo on its bottles with various popular names. It encouraged consumers to share photos of themselves with their personalized bottles on social media using the hashtag #ShareACoke. The campaign generated a massive response, with over 500,000 photos shared on social media, helping to increase brand awareness, engagement, and sales. Additionally, it created a sense of personalization and connection between the brand and the consumer, which is a great way to build brand loyalty.
Share user-generated content on your website and social media channels:
Sharing is caring, right? Be sure to share the content you receive from your followers on your website and social media channels to amplify its reach and showcase your brand’s authenticity, and help build a sense of community around your brand.
Host contests:
While paying for UGC does beat the purpose of it, running a contest is not out of the question. Asking users to share photos or videos of themselves using your products and offering a prize for the best submission can lead to reasonable amounts of UGC you can later share and use.
Building trust with your audience, increasing engagement, and creating a sense of community around your brand are all great things. UGC is a great way to build community and to help the Phenomenon of Social Validation help our brand grow.
