How to give User Generated Content a twist so it helps you grow? 

 

What is User Generated Content(UGC)?

User-generated content could be defined as the form of content that users create, like text, videos, images, reviews, etc. However, brands use this content for their marketing and share it on their websites or other social media accounts. 

Consumers tend to trust the user-generated content as authentic and credible as compared to brand-generated content. According to the Stackla survey, consumers are 2.4X likely to trust UGC and consider their testimonials or reviews from other fellow consumers.

Why is User-Generated Content(UGC) an essential part of your social media marketing strategies?

User-generated content helps your consumers relate themselves with other consumers globally. For example, nobody likes jargon used by brands in their marketing. On the other hand, users' reviews are always honest and help the customers build trust factor and loyalty for the brand.

Also, when you take initiatives to promote your consumers to create content for your brand, you are directly or indirectly asking them to spread word-of-mouth. As a result, there is a drastic increase in people's response and engagement on your social networking accounts, bringing more organic visibility. People love being valued, and when you share the people's voice, you are directly or indirectly empowering them, increasing brand loyalty. In addition, it's peer-generated, making it a more reliable source than in-house content. It's unforgettable, one-of-a-kind, also it can't be replicated by rival brands.

The most crucial role that UGCs play is that they drive consumers to talk more about the products, their pain points, what changes they expect, or what they like about your product. It is more or less like a free survey where people are honest and thoughtful about their needs and your product. This behavior could give you a better insight into your customer persona, customer journey, and updates needed in your product. Also, there is an opportunity for individuals to get in touch with like-minded people, which helps to construct a larger, stronger, more unified community.

What steps could you undertake to encourage User-Generated Content and develop online communities?

•  Promote a hashtag trend

Hashtags are a great tool to promote your brand and create more talks and visibility about your brand. For example, you could start a hashtag competition and ask people to submit videos talking about your products or any other topic (depending on your campaign objective). If you incorporate hashtags in your Instagram competition, then there is a chance that your contest would grow 70% faster than those who don't.

Keep a check on the number of hashtags you are using in your competition. Try to keep it under five to keep it easier for your participants to engage. Also, some of your hashtags could become your arsenal every time you post new content. It is possible on Instagram to follow and track any keyword. Thus, it increases your chance of visibility next time.

•  Ask a compelling question to increase prospects of engagement with your followers.

The best way to start a conversation with your prospective audience or followers is to ask a compelling question that could trigger the conversation. Try to keep the conversation about your customers and not about yourself(or the brand).

Before you ask a question, try to know about your prospects, like their demography, location, interests, pain points, etc. A customer persona could also help you learn more about your customers. Also, be responsive in replying and continuing the conversation. There are many tools in the market, like Sprout Social, that could help you track user data and establish a strong relationship with your community.

•  Video Content could help you be remembered in the competitive digital sphere.

Videos are the best form of communication with your audience. It has a long-lasting impact on the mind of the viewers. So when you ask people to create (user-generated) content in the form of videos, it makes sense of authenticity. People tend to see the audience trusted insights as a testimonial for integrity and sublimeness of your brand's value, boosting your reputation in the market.

People like their counterpart's voice more than the brand voice. It is suggested in the Octoly report that, on average user-generated videos about a brand were viewed ten times more than official brand videos on YouTube.

There is a high potential in the user-generated videos to get shared by people.

•  Use the User-Generated Content to promote social commerce.

When you add the option of social commerce for your shared UGC, there is a high chance people may use the trustworthiness and the testimonial to purchase the product. When other buyers talk about you, then people tend to believe them as excellent quality advice. 

You could use this emotion to sell your product by cutting down the number of steps and selling directly through social commerce. Additionally, social commerce is way more streamlined, and with an optimized conversion funnel, there lies a huge chance for your product to flourish.

With the help of UGCs, you have a chance to turn people's attraction into sales.

•  Repost User-Generated Content on your social handles to promote brand loyalty.

User-Generated content must be a key strategy of your marketing campaigns. When you create a contest, ask a question or get customers to create content for you in any form, then it becomes a valuable asset for you to boost trustworthiness and authenticity.

You could also reshare these user-generated content on your social media handles to again create a connection between you and the content creator. It boosts the feel of being valued. When other people see you reposting content, it can motivate them to create content for your brand. Also, the creator feels appreciated to share it among the peers, families, and their network. Always take the content creator's permission before republishing content, and make sure to give them credits for their work. If you try to avoid docility from the creator, it would be considered a violation of IP. Furthermore, asking for permission creates compassionate bonds.

•  Take customer loyalty to a new level by offering something in return.

If you aspire to get a high number of responses for your contests that encourage people to create content around your brand, you should be offering something to them in return.

A report found out that only 32 percent of people wanted to create UGC for the award, whereas 60 percent of people wanted to get more likes or get featured in the social media channels of the big brands.

This stat indicates that brands should regularly share the best content created by their top contributors to motivate and encourage people to post content continuously.

Also, when a big social media channel tags or gives credit to a small creator(in terms of followers), it is a win-win situation for both sides. Brands get to flex around how much people love their products and how authoritative they are in their domain or industry. The young creators also get a considerable boost and exposure, turning them into loyal promoters forever.

•  Create seasonal or holiday challenges around posting pictures with specific products.

Seasons or holidays last for a smaller period which triggers a sense of deadline in the people's minds. Also, seasonal campaigns bring a sense of excitement, and people love when their feelings are triggered. Thus, you can expect a boost in the number of sales of the products.

For example, Starbucks created a red cup contest where people had to post a picture of them enjoying Starbucks coffee in the red holiday cup. This seasonal campaign was a success as people wanted to come to attention and complete the challenge. If you could carve out other similar exciting challenges for your followers, you may see that people respond to them well.

As from the stat mentioned above, there is a clear indication more than 60 percent of creators want to get featured. Thus, it becomes vital for you to provide pertinent information and descriptions of what you expect. Then create a simple and intriguing hashtag which people could easily follow.

Conclusion

User-Generated content is very beneficial for brands to get unique content from their followers for no extra cost. Other potential customers also tend to believe in the content as it is peer-generated content. People directly or indirectly share word of mouth among their connections, increasing the brand's visibility and loyalty. 

Brands could use hashtag contests to encourage people to create more content or ask compelling questions to start a conversation. Video content created by legitimate users tends to have more potential of getting shared and leave a long-term impression in people's minds. Also, when brands share content, the creators feel valued and loved, which creates long-term brand loyalty.

Feel free to contact us to see the unprecedented growth of your business.

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