Recall the posts, pictures, and videos you see on social media platforms every day. All this is user-generated content (UGC). From blog posts and videos to reviews and vlogs, you will find several things under UGC’s domain.
With each passing day, the trend of sharing user content is becoming popular among brands. The main reason for this popularity is the genuineness and authenticity that is associated with UGC.
Consumer reviews, feedback, and posts appear honest as compared to brand-generated self-praise. The new generations, especially Gen Z, are skeptical of marketing efforts. They crave authenticity and real connections instead of fake and dishonest attempts to make sales.
Therefore, UGC is the perfect channel to target these skeptical consumers and win them over. Let us look into detail how different forms of UGC can help the brand achieve its marketing goals:
1. Creating a Coherent Plan
Though UGC is informal, a coherent and formal plan is mandatory to reap its rewards. Though a smart strategy can reap the best benefits, a poor plan can show adverse impacts. Therefore, companies need to be vigilant when creating a UGC plan.
Additionally, knowing your customers, their interests, favorable content, and preferred platforms is essential.
In the next step, decide what you intend to gain from UGC. A few examples are:
- Building Trust
In comparison to the brand’s strategy, UGC is a more viable tool for building trust.
- Saving Budget on Fresh Content
If you are short of budget and do not want to hire content professionals, using UGC is a great idea.
- Introducing a New Product
If you are planning to launch a new product, getting in touch with an influencer for UGC is a commendable strategy.
- Increasing Conversions
Studies show around a 64% increase in conversions when UGC is displayed on the product’s main page.
Thus, there are multiple options. It is imperative to make it clear that you are looking to gain the most suitable benefits from UGC.
2. Selecting an Appropriate Platform
Every social media platform offers its own advantages; see which content your customers enjoy, and then pick the right platform.
From short 2 second videos to detailed ones, Facebook is an ideal platform for posting video content. As per BuzzSumo, video-generated content gave 59% more benefits than non-visual content.
Instagram beats other platforms in user engagement. This is the reason why Instagram influencers are high in demand. An influencer using your product, revealing the benefits, and suggesting its use, is enough to influence the target market.
For instance, clothing brands often contact the best models for sharing pictures wearing their dresses. Similarly, many well-known chefs are using culinary products from various brands.
What is more, many brands encourage everyday users to share content in the form of competitions. For example, clothing brands ask their consumers to post pictures wearing the brand’s clothes. The picture with the most likes gets a freebie, a voucher, or a gift hamper from the brand.
Other brands post user reviews and images to show the high quality of their products and customer satisfaction to entice others to buy from them.
Twitter can be a game-changer if you get it right. For instance, if you are planning to launch new ice cream flavors, create some hashtags related to them.
Users will use the same hashtags for giving reviews after trying out the new flavors. So, you need to decide which platform is ideal for your audience and then create a UGC strategy.
3. Make Clear Goals Regarding Consumer Engagement
Your time and effort in getting UGC will go in vain if there is no clear plan for consumer engagement. You should know how you will use the content for engaging customers. Different brands have different strategies in this regard.
One great tactic was used by a well-known brand Coca Cola. In 70 countries, Coke started a campaign in which consumers were asked to tag their friends with a bottle of Coke.
This step did wonders for the brand. 150 million bottles were sold, millions of impressions were gained on Twitter, and there were countless tweets.
Small brands can also get various benefits if they define their user-engagement goals. For instance, Benefit Cosmetics, which is a makeup brand, wanted to engage users on Instagram. Therefore, the brand asked consumers to share their feedback with the hashtag #benefitbrow.
The hashtag was present on its bio and thus gained great popularity in no time. Millions of makeup enthusiasts shared and reshared the tag, creating engagement, visibility, and more.
4. Give Something in Return
If old clients loved your product, they might want to share their experience. However, some will not bother to write even one-line feedback. To boost your marketing, you need to get more and more UGC. Therefore, make an effort for it by rewarding your consumers.
When consumers know they will get something in return, they won’t give it a second thought before sharing their experience. Some ideal strategies for this include:
- Rewards and Gifts
If you announce some giveaways or rewards, there is no doubt your UGC campaign will get popular.
- Highlighting Consumer Creativity
Give consumers a platform for sharing creativity. Clients love to showcase their talent, so provide them with a platform to share it. For instance, an art competition or the best recipe competition on social media will do wonders to engage consumers and generate a buzz.
- Providing an Opportunity to Join a Cause
Work for some causes like breast cancer awareness, education for the underprivileged, equality, etc. This builds a positive image of the brand, and the client also gets an opportunity to work with you. When clients develop an emotional attachment to the brand, UGC is guaranteed.
- Keeping track of Results
If you are working to uplift your marketing plans via UGC, you have to track your results. At times, people get enough UGC, but they fail to use it for the maximum benefit because they fail to track results and plan accordingly.
Thus, a coherent tracking procedure is essential to monitor what works and what does not. In this way, brands can amend present strategies or stick to them if they are getting good outcomes.
Conclusion
The UGC trend is in full swing; whether you are a mobile app development company or a retailer, UGC can boost your marketing campaigns.
UGC is an ideal approach to attracting prospects by curtailing cost, minimizing efforts, and creating a strong attachment with clients.
So what are you waiting for? Invest in UGC today!
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