Looking for a marketing strategy that’s cost-effective, modern, revenue-boosting, and also pretty fun?
Then User Generated Content (UGC) is the answer.
Done correctly, this marketing strategy can be an absolute game-changer for your brand. In fact, it’s so effective that some of the world’s leading brands — such as GoPro — have UGC to thank for much of their success.
It’s a modern-day solution to an age-old problem (that is, getting the attention of your target audience), and we couldn’t recommend it more highly. Below, we’ll run through everything you need to know about UGC, including what it is, how to use it, and some all-important legal considerations you’ll need to keep in mind.
Defining User Generated Content (UGC)
OK, so what is User Generated Content, anyway?
The clue’s in the name.
It’s content created about your brand that real-world users publish on social media and other websites.
That content can be anything, from Instagram videos to Google reviews to podcasts about your brand on Spotify.
The main thing is that it is user generated. The brand has no active involvement in the creation of the content, which comes entirely from the user.
The Benefits of UGC for Brand Marketing
OK, so a social media user makes content about your brand. That’s great, but how does the brand benefit?
To put it simply: because your target audience is much more trusting of UGC than they are of content created by your marketing team.
You have a vested interest in making people think nice things about your brand. Your customer’s do not — they’re simply sharing their positive thoughts and opinions because they love the product, and that’s something that other consumers pay a lot of attention to.
UGC is the digital equivalent of someone telling their friends and family that they like your products. Only, instead of telling the five people in their home, they’re blasting out their thoughts for the whole internet to hear.
In an era when getting your brand’s voice heard is more challenging than ever, this can have a hugely positive impact.
And it’s also highly cost-effective. It’s the user generating the content, not you. The only expense is repackaging the content and incorporating it into your marketing campaigns.
How to Identify Valuable User Generated Content
UGC can take various forms, including reviews, social media posts, videos, podcasts, anything.
It doesn’t matter what shape it comes in; if it’s valuable to your brand, then you need to know about it.
If you’re a young brand, then you probably won’t have a ton of UGC to work with. You might only have a few reviews or a couple of social media comments. If you’re a well-established brand, then you might have much more UGC at your disposal.
In any case, you’ll need to vet each piece to ensure that it’s appropriate for use in your marketing campaigns. Ideally, it would tick the following boxes:
- In line with your brand’s values.
- Authentic.
- In-depth and specific.
- Positive
Any UGC that fits that criteria should be picked out for use in your marketing campaigns.
Strategies for Encouraging UGC Creation
It’d be nice if every happy customer created content about how much they loved your brand. Alas, that’s just not realistic.
People are often eager to share their bad experiences. But the good experiences? They tend to keep them to themselves — that is, unless they’re prompted to share their thoughts.
There are a few ways to encourage UGC creation among your customers.
- Create a hashtag that encourages social media users to post about your brand.
- Send post-purchase emails asking customers to leave a review.
- Host “Instagrammable” events.
- Offer a discount on future purchases in return for an “unboxing” video.
Integrating UGC into Your Marketing Campaigns
UGC is so beneficial to your brand that you’ll get some of the benefits even if you do nothing at all with it. After all, a video posted on Instagram about your brand will be seen by some people, even if it’s just the user’s followers.
However, you’ll get the most impact if you integrate UGC into your marketing campaigns. So, how to use user generated content? Here are a few ideas on how to put your UGC to work.
Social Media
Has someone posted on Instagram or TikTok about your brand? Put it to work by using it on your own social media profiles.
Email Marketing Campaigns
Email marketing is already an effective marketing form — take it to new heights by including user generated videos, photos, and reviews.
Feature on Website
A glowing testimonial — or several of them — prominently placed on your website can be the final motivation a potential customer needs to complete a purchase.
Legal Considerations When Using User Generated Content
While UGC can help push your brand forward, it can also create some legal headaches if you’re not careful.
The way to be careful?
Always obtain permission from the creator before using their content. They might be talking favourably about your brand, but that doesn’t mean that they’ve automatically given you permission to use their content.
Measuring the Impact of UGC on Brand Success
UGC is a big hit in the marketing world, especially since it’s so budget-friendly. Still, just because UGC can be an effective marketing tool, that doesn’t automatically mean that it’ll yield results.
Running a UGC marketing campaign requires just as much work as any other marketing campaign, and it’s just as important to track metrics. If your UGC materials are attracting likes, comments, and the other hallmarks of an engaging post, then that’s a good sign that it resonates with your audience.
Leveraging UGC for Your Brand Growth
In an age when consumers value authenticity more than ever, utilising User Generated Content is a no-brainer. From helping to build authority to helping drive sales, it has become a highly-valued marketing asset that can really drive business growth.
Getting UGC can be tricky, but there are ways to encourage UGC creation — and once you have it, you’ll have a marketing goldmine on your hands.
