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User-generated content has revolutionised the way brands approach marketing on social media. By tapping into the creativity of their customers, brands can build a strong sense of community, enhance their engagement, and drive conversions. In this article, we will discuss the key benefits of UGC and why it is essential for your brand on social media platforms. We will also take a look at the best examples to follow to make your mark in this competitive online world.
What are the benefits of UGC?
- Authenticity
Social proof is a psychological phenomenon where people assume the actions of others in an attempt to reflect correct behaviour for a given situation. This means that when people see others using a brand’s products or services, they are more likely to assume that the brand is trustworthy and credible.
According to a survey by Nielsen, 92% of consumers trust recommendations from other people over branded content. This is because people tend to trust the opinions of others who have firsthand experience with a product or service. UGC provides a way for brands to tap into this trust and credibility by showcasing content created by their customers.
By sharing user-generated content, brands can show that they are not just interested in making a sale but also in building a community of like-minded individuals who share a common interest in their products or services, meaning a deeper connection with their audience.
- Increased Engagement
UGC is also a great way to increase engagement with your audience. When you share user-generated content on your social media channels, it encourages your followers to engage with your brand and share their own experiences. This creates a sense of community and fosters a growing engagement.
- Cost-Effective
When businesses create content to promote their products or services, it can be expensive to hire professionals to take photos or videos. But with UGC, they can save money by relying on their customers to create content for them. This means that instead of spending lots of money on professional photoshoots or video production, and use content created by their customers for free!
Not only is it cost-effective, but it also provides a unique perspective on the brand that the business may not have considered before. This is because it is created by real customers who are using the product or service in their everyday lives. So, the content is more relatable and authentic compared to content created by professionals.
- Improved Reach
When other people see UGC featuring your products, they may be interested in learning more about your brand and potentially becoming a customer themselves. This can lead to an increase in your brand’s visibility and help to attract new followers and customers to your social media channels. By encouraging your followers to videos and posts featuring your products, you can create a kind of “word-of-mouth” promotion that can be powerful for your brand. People tend to trust the opinions and experiences of their friends and family, so when they see someone they know sharing a product, they may be more likely to check out your brand themselves.
- Enhances creativity and innovation
By integrating content created by their customers into their marketing campaigns, brands can tap into fresh and unique ideas that they may not have considered before. These ideas can come from seeing how their customers are using their products or services and can offer valuable insights into new and creative ways to promote their offerings. They can also be used to inform future campaigns by highlighting features or aspects of their products that resonate with their audience.
In addition to providing new ideas, using UGC content in marketing campaigns can showcase the creativity and diversity of a brand’s customer base. This fosters a sense of community and inclusivity around the brand, making customers feel more connected to it.
How to maximise the potential of your user-generated content?
Define your goals
Are you trying to increase brand awareness, generate leads, or build customer loyalty? Once you’ve defined your goals, you can tailor your UGC strategy to meet those objectives. For example, if you’re trying to increase engagement on social media, you might create a hashtag campaign to encourage your audience to share content with that hashtag.
Encourage UGC
Your audience is more likely to create videos or posts if you make it easy and fun for them. Create contests, challenges, or social media campaigns that encourage your audience to create and share their creative content. Provide clear instructions and guidelines to help them create UGC that aligns with your brand values and standards.
Curate carefully
Not all user-generated content is created equal, and it’s important to curate carefully to avoid sharing inappropriate or inaccurate content. Only share what aligns with your brand values and standards.
Share strategically
Use UGC to tell your brand story and showcase your products or services. You can not only share on social media platforms, but also on your website, email newsletters, and other marketing channels.
Give credit
Always give credit to the user who created the UGC. This not only shows respect for the user but also helps to build a relationship with them. When you give credit, you’re acknowledging their contribution and encouraging them to continue creating more videos, and posts and talk about your brand with their community.
Engage with users
Engage with users who create UGC by liking, commenting, and sharing their content. This helps to build a community around your brand and encourages users to continue creating and sharing more content. When you engage with users, you’re building a relationship with them and showing them that you value their contributions.
Measure success
Use metrics like engagement rates, conversion rates, and brand sentiment to track the impact of your UGC efforts. This data can help you to refine your strategy over time and optimise your results.
What is the difference between UGC and influencer campaigns?
UGC is often confused with influencer marketing, but there are some important differences between the two.
UGC content creators are chosen based on their ability to create high-quality content that aligns with the brand’s messaging and tone. Unlike influencers, their following and engagement levels are not the primary factors for selection. However, their content can still be effective in boosting brand visibility. There are no contracts or fees involved, so money doesn’t play a role in their decision to work with a brand.
In contrast, influencers are selected based on the size and engagement of their following, which can make partnerships with them quite expensive. Brands may have to pay thousands of dollars for a single post from a mega influencer, who may have multiple brands competing for their attention. While this strategy can be effective, it’s not always a budget-friendly strategy for every brand.
Examples of user-generated content
- Asos and the #asoshaul videos
Asos, a well-known online retailer, has been leveraging the power of UGC through its partnership with micro-influencers in the form of #asoshaul videos. These videos feature influencers showcasing their latest purchases from the brand, highlighting the clothing’s style, quality, and fit. By collaborating with micro-influencers, Asos was able to tap into a diverse range of audiences who trust and value the opinions of these content creators. This not only helped the brand reach new customers but also increased brand loyalty among existing ones.
- Calvin Klein’s #mycalvins campaign
Calvin Klein launched the #MyCalvins campaign initially to evoke nostalgia for their 1981 commercial featuring the actress Brooke Shields. To appeal to a younger demographic and add a modern twist, the brand encouraged their followers to personalise the campaign line by filling in the blank “I ___ in #MyCalvins” as a caption to their pictures wearing Calvin Klein products. This campaign went viral as both celebrities and regular customers joined in. The inclusive nature of the campaign allowed people of all body types to participate, which increased body positivity and boosted confidence among the brand’s followers.
- GoPro
To connect with their followers on TikTok, GoPro leverages various tactics, with a particular emphasis on user-generated content. This approach aligns with the essence of their product, which empowers people to create high-quality audio-visual content on their own. The brand’s TikTok profile showcases numerous examples of user-generated content, demonstrating the versatility and capabilities of the #GoProHero or #GoProMax camera by sharing their followers’ content.
All this helped the brand to build a strong social media community centred around adventure and the outdoors, with a significant presence among GenZ.
4.e.l.f Cosmetics and the launch of their new mascara
Elf Cosmetics recently launched their new product, the Lashnroll mascara, and they took to social media, particularly TikTok, to promote it. They utilised a UGC approach by partnering with beauty influencers to showcase the product in their makeup tutorials and reviews. This approach helped create buzz around the product and also allowed the brand to reach a wider audience.
The brand encouraged its followers to share their own experiences and reviews of the mascara using the hashtag #Lashnrollmascara. This helped to generate a lot of user-generated content which the brand could then feature on its social media profiles. This created a sense of community among the brand’s followers and helped to increase engagement.
- Guess’s TikTok journey through UGC
Guess is a fashion brand that has a strong presence on social media, including Instagram. They use the platform to showcase their latest fashion collections, engage with their followers, and promote their brand values. Guess has also partnered with several influencers and celebrities to expand their reach and connect with their target audience.
Who can forget the successful #InMyDenim campaign, which encouraged customers to share photos of themselves wearing Guess denim products and still makes the buzz on TikTok? The brand received thousands of submissions and created a dedicated gallery on its website to showcase the best photos. Their new campaign features the #loveguess or #guesseyewear hashtag, encouraging their followers to share their photos wearing Guess products and expressing their love for the brand.
The Takeaway
As seen above, with the benefits of UGC ranging from increased authenticity to greater visibility, brands who incorporate it into their social media strategy are more likely to stand out in a crowded marketplace. Embracing this type of content can be a powerful way to connect with your audience and build a brand that resonates with your customers on a personal level.
Feature Image Credit: Photo by Nubelson Fernandes on Unsplash