Everything You Need To Know About User-Generated Content (UGC)

 

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"How do I attract more customers?” This is a common question that businesses often ask themselves. And who better to provide insights on attracting consumers than the consumers themselves? They have the best understanding of their preferences and expectations from a brand.

One effective way to build your brand is through user-generated content (UGC). User-generated content refers to content created by real people rather than content creators.

At Bold x Collective, our experienced team of digital marketers has compiled a comprehensive guide on leveraging user-generated content. By the end of this blog, you'll gain a thorough understanding of:

  • What UGC is and why it’s so crucial for your brand

  • Tips and strategies for how to effectively use UGC

  • How to create high-quality UGC, and where can you find creators

  • What to do with all your UGC analytics

What Is User-Generated Content?

User-generated content refers to unique, brand-focused content that consumers themselves directly create. However, simply collecting customer reviews and feedback is not enough. It is equally important to curate this content and share it across multiple social media networks to enhance brand awareness and engagement. Incorporating user-generated content into your content marketing strategy is crucial, as it provides the social proof necessary to capture the attention of millennials and younger consumers.

When implementing a user-generated content strategy, especially for small businesses, it's essential to consider how you can create content that surpasses your competitors. Many successful marketing agencies employ cost-effective social media marketing tactics to generate and repost user-generated content:

  • Images

  • Videos

  • Podcasts

  • Blogs

  • Media features/appearances

  • Testimonials

  • Vlogs


User-generated content refers to the authentic and valuable content created by your brand's customers that you can regularly share across different social media platforms to promote your brand to both existing and potential customers. Consumers play a crucial role in promoting user-generated content in various ways, which can significantly enhance brand engagement and attract more visitors. Some examples include:

  • TikTok: A consumer tries on multiple outfits designed by your brand to showcase new Fall season favourites and gives a short product review.

  • YouTube: A consumer drives your brand’s new vehicle and makes an explainer video discussing all the new features.

  • Twitter: A consumer tweets positive things about an experience at your new restaurant.

  • Instagram: A consumer does a makeup tutorial using your new makeup line.

Before diving into user-generated content (UGC), it is crucial to observe how consumers respond and interact with your brand carefully. Conduct thorough research to understand what your target audience is seeking, including their interests, preferences, social media engagement history, and more. This research will provide you with valuable insights necessary for making informed decisions about investing in UGC.

Tips For Leveraging User-Generated Content (UGC) 

Be Consistent

Consistently sharing user-generated content on your social media platforms is essential. It demonstrates brand consistency and reinforces the genuine enjoyment that users have for your product or service. Consider utilizing the following social media channels to effectively share user-generated content:

  • TikTok

  • Pinterest

  • Facebook

  • Instagram

  • Twitter

  • LinkedIn

  • YouTube

  • Snapchat

  • Amazon

Don’t Hesitate to Change It Up

When it comes to user-generated content, it's not necessary to focus solely on your brand. I often advise my clients to think beyond traditional sales approaches and embrace creativity. By exploring innovative strategies, such as storytelling or creating trending social media content, you can present your brand in a refreshing and engaging way. This approach helps you avoid being perceived as just another business trying to sell products. To inspire you, here are a few examples of captivating UGC campaigns:

  • A day in the life where a user showcases a day in their life and how your product or service helped them.

  • Story time! This is a very common trend on TikTok in 2022; people love stories, so don’t hesitate to ask users to share their exciting stories or experiences with your brand.

  • A creative video with fun transitions; again, another huge trend where you can use a creator to do funky transitions as they do a makeup tutorial or try on new outfits.

  • A lifestyle photoshoot that showcases the product or service in use, such as a new car or a new jacket. This would be great for Instagram or Pinterest.

  • A fun tutorial showcasing your product or service being used from beginning to end, from a user’s perspective (include an unboxing or giveaway too!)

  • Using a trending voiceover or song to showcase the product or service in a fun way.

  • Giving an honest product review – having a user explain how the product or service changed his or her life or simplified it.

Use Diverse Social Media Channels 

As we know, social media channels are one of the most popular and effective marketing tools that agencies and small businesses use to promote their brand, and as mentioned above, there are many different types of channels available to spread your brand worldwide. 

You must understand and study social media platforms to their core. This will allow you to notice the different ways that content can be presented. For instance, many users seem to stay more engaged with videos than just images alone. If this is something you are struggling with, reach out to a digital marketing agency like Bold x Collective for extra assistance. Agencies like our own are heavily focused on studying social media channels, finding out which channels work best for each brand, and creating the best types of content to generate higher viewers and engagements.

Set Realistic Goals

To achieve success for your brand, it is essential to strategize and define the core purpose of your brand. Identifying your purpose will enable you to set realistic goals that align with your brand and target audience, particularly when starting a small business. A valuable marketing tool employed by many digital marketers is to brainstorm strategies based on direct insights from your brand – what is effective and what needs improvement.

Once you have organized your data on brand performance, you can establish goals for content creation and marketing efforts. Continuously enhancing and refining your digital marketing strategy will help you maintain engagement with your audience, especially by staying updated on new and popular trends on social media that generate significant engagement.

Here are a few tips to keep in mind when enhancing your brand strategy and goals:

  • Promote your brand through effective ads and marketing campaigns; this will promote more engagement.

  • Create user-generated content so you have a good amount of content to share and engage with on social media regularly.

  • Create brand trust and credibility using content created by the consumer. Be cautious when seeking the perfect creator; it is key to use someone who aligns with your brand. Using the wrong creator can hurt your brand.

  • Keep customers and visitors educated on your brand while continuing to show your knowledge of your brand.

Be Direct And Firm With Your Persona 

The most effective way to engage with your consumers and gather the information needed for your user-generated content is to communicate directly with them. By clearly expressing your expectations and providing them with what they are seeking, you can inspire their participation in various forms of user-generated content. This can include surveys, contests, hashtags, case studies, reviews, promoting new products, or sharing images of your products.

While encouraging user-generated content, it's important to showcase your brand in a positive light and present yourself in a manner that resonates with your target audience. Utilizing relevant hashtags can generate significant attention and engagement as people incorporate them into their content. Additionally, targeted ad campaigns on platforms such as TikTok or Instagram can capture the attention of UGC creators and encourage their involvement.

How To Get Customers to Create UGC for Your Brand

Once you have formulated a strategy, it's time to actively search for the right UGC Creators who resonate with your brand and its core mission. Here are some recommended steps to follow when scouting creators:

Firstly, establish a compelling and positive brand purpose that appeals to consumers and motivates them to become part of your "squad." To achieve this, thoroughly study your target audience to gain insights into their desires, preferences, engagement patterns, and areas of disinterest.

Next, create opportunities for user participation. Utilize creative methods on social media platforms like Facebook or Instagram, such as polls, quizzes, click-to-action links, or online chats among consumers, to listen to and understand your audience's preferences and communication style. By doing so, you can effectively speak their language and establish a stronger connection with your target audience. Engaging directly with your consumers can also provide valuable insights and answers to questions that both you and your audience may have about your brand or consumer base. Continuously researching and adapting to the evolving needs and desires of your consumers will enable you to refine and enhance your brand accordingly.

How To Build Your Online Community

To establish an online community, focus on promoting it across various platforms where consumers can easily interact with your brand, such as your website, social media channels, and user-generated content. This approach is widely recognized as an effective way to expand your network and attract new potential buyers. Demonstrating community involvement is impactful as it showcases your dedication to engaging with people in your community while highlighting your brand's diligent efforts to promote its values. Engaging more with your community can be achieved through activities like community fairs and product launches, which can unlock new opportunities.

Even simple actions like resharing or mentioning can bring significant advantages for both your brand and consumers. Viewers appreciate influencers promoting products and sharing their experiences, which can influence purchase decisions and even lead to viral posts. Word of mouth remains a highly effective marketing tool. When promoting your brand to the community, you are also promoting your brand persona. Therefore, it is crucial to establish your brand persona early in the brainstorming process of your brand strategy. Building a community tailored to your brand may require effort and time, but maintaining an open-minded approach can attract new consumers who may not fit the typical persona but still show interest in your brand.

 Here are some tips to keep in mind when building your community:

  • Set regulations and rules for your consumers to allow for a clear and organized direction for them to follow.

  • Always be truthful and honest to your consumers, as users don’t trust liars or boosters who don’t stick to their words or exaggerate their products or services. Honesty is everything, and that is something you never want to break with your users.

  • Have a voice! People love to see a brand with a voice. The voice will be able to express your brand the best, as it showcases trust and reliability.

Evaluating Your UGC Progress

Evaluate your efforts based on the aforementioned steps to gain insights into how user-generated content (UGC) benefits your brand and identify areas for improvement. During this process, carefully review your comprehensive analytical report to assess the progress of your brand and determine what is performing well and what requires adjustments. The analytical report should encompass various important metrics established in your initial social media strategy, such as impressions, tags, shares, likes, links in bio clicks, and video views. By closely monitoring these metrics, you can track website visitors, new followers, and engagement on social media platforms.

Utilize the social analytical tools available on platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook, as they provide daily analysis of your numbers. Additionally, Google Analytics is a valuable tool that offers an extensive overview of the results derived from your user-generated content, highlighting the specific content that resonates with your brand and consumers and contributes to increased website visitors. Leveraging these analytical tools allows you to measure your overall success on a month-to-month basis, ensuring that you stay informed and identify opportunities for growth.

Are You Ready to Bring User-Generated Content To Your Brand?

User-generated content has established a formidable reputation in the realm of social media, consistently enhancing businesses and brands. We trust that our essential user-generated content strategies will provide you with valuable insights into identifying the ideal creators for your brand and crafting an impactful content strategy that delivers results.

Ready to get started? Get in touch with the Bold x Collective team!

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