If you haven’t yet made good use of User Generated Content, or UGC, then buckle up for a fun marketing ride! This is your brand’s chance to shine and build customer leads through the same methods used in good old-fashioned work-of-mouth marketing. Read on to learn more about how it works and how you can get started applying this to your business.
What exactly is User Generated Content?
UGC consists of anything your consumers create that features your product. This means reviews, photos, videos, social posts, message boards and more. Depending on your product or service, this content may come quite naturally (think: one of your customers sporting a well-made dress from your business on their social). However, you can foster more content and recognition by using things like hashtags, campaigns, contests, creating community and more.
UGC is a big deal. In our digital world, there is a whole lot of noise in the ears of consumers. Every day, they are bombarded with different marketing strategies, as companies vie for their hard-earned dollars. Featuring UGC content helps to establish you as a reputable brand, building trust with your target market and spreading the word about your business organically through word-of-mouth. It feels like a breath of fresh air when people hear about you through someone else’s rave review.
How to apply it to your business
Here are some simple ways to engage your customer base and create UGC for your brand without spending tons of money and time on a new marketing initiative.
Customer Ratings & Tesimonials
We love sharing our clients’ testimonials because it proves the efficacy of their product or service. That being said, getting the reviews can feel difficult, especially when you have so many other things to think about at the point of purchase. Will they really want to take the time to write something? Chances are, if you invite them to give a review, many will come forward bursting with positive experiences. Make it easy by providing a link to complete a Google Review or sweeten the deal with a discount code.
Photos & Videos
These are tougher to come by and will require more engagement on your part. The payoff, however, is huge. Think of the last time you purchased something online. When you saw a photo of the product in use, did it make it that much easier to seal the deal? Invite your customers to share their experience and provide them a hashtag to connect their post to your account social media. Let them know you will feature them in your story or social posts. Create a sense of community around it by bringing people together who have the same tastes.
Don’t underestimate the power of your employees
Getting employees engaged in your brand’s UGC is a great way to spread the word and make your whole company feel more approachable. Customers love to see behind the scenes, and if they know that your employees are using your product or service, they will trust it even more. Do you have employees who are especially savvy with social media engagement? That is a great place to start!
UGC is a cost-effective way to build more trust and authenticity with your target market. The most common obstacle that businesses may face is getting started. We have helped many clients create successful campaigns that engaged their customers in new and fun ways to build more UGC content. Learn more by checking out the case studies on our website or give us a call to chat more about how your business can use this powerful tool to boost your marketing strategy.
