If you aren’t already incorporating user generated content (UGC) into your social media marketing strategy, 2019 is the time to start. Several of the most successful marketing campaigns of 2018 placed strong emphasis on UGC.
According to the Nielsen Consumer Trust Index, 92% of consumers trust organic UGC more than they trust traditional advertising. A recent study performed by TurnToNetwork also showed that 87% of search engine results consider UGC as the second most influential element of a purchase choice.
What is User Generated Content (UGC)?
UGC is a modern-day digital form of word of mouth marketing that has proven to be very beneficial for both consumers and brands. Consumers are encouraged to share their experiences with brands and in turn share it with other consumers through various social media channels. Like its name suggests content can be in any format: videos, images, memes, GIFs and text.
Several brands have successfully utilized this form of marketing and were able to capitalize on the content created to aid marketing efforts and increase brand awareness. One example is The Coca-Cola Company with the #ShareaCoke campaign, where consumers were asked to post pictures with their personalized bottles. Another example is GoPro with the #GoPro hashtag encouraging consumers to share their best photos and videos, essentially making them brand ambassadors and advocates.
And lastly, Starbucks famous #WhiteCupContest contest, where consumers were asked to share their best creative doodle or drawings on a Starbucks cup for a chance to be considered for the template design for a limited-edition coffee they were producing.
What are the Benefits of User Generated Content and How Can Brands Utilize Them?
UGC puts your consumers in the spotlight
Consumers are able to share their opinions about your brand so that you can implement feedback and have an optimal brand presence. UGC allows brands to have the ability of showing and reviewing genuine consumer feedback that can be implemented in content strategy and inspire new product launches. When a brand uses UGC, it allows consumers to feel like they are being heard, giving them the opportunity to be highlighted by the brand that they support. Content creation involves gathering, sorting and sharing the most relevant or best content with your audience. This not only builds brand awareness but establishes brand credibility and drive social media engagements.
Increase social media engagement and encourage growth
Executing a great UGC campaign is a great way for brands to strengthen their presence online as well as connect with their audience on a personal level. The most popular goal of a successful UGC campaign is to have your brand trend on most social media platforms. Some strategies that can help achieve this goal include:
- The usage and creation of custom hashtags: Hashtags are a great way to easily share content to get them trending. They are usually short and punchy making them memorable to your consumers. Brands can also use them to share various contests or campaigns.
- Usage of interactive content like GIFs, videos: Brands can launch video competitions, giving consumers the perfect platform to express themselves, be creative and stand out from the crowd.
- Creating challenges/contests and promotions: Brands can strategically use tactics like creating challenges and using giveaways to engage with their audience.
SEO Optimization
UGC can be very beneficial for SEO efforts. According to Kissmetrics, “25% of search results for the World’s Top 20 largest brands are links to user-generated content.” This puts any brand at an unbeatable position especially in a climate where standing out from the crowd and differentiating your brand from your competitors sometimes poses difficult. If your consumers are publishing content about your brand on their digital platforms, backlinks can be created to your website, improving SEO efforts. Brands are also encouraged to pay attention to the keywords and phrases consumers use to describe their brands, so they know how to better market themselves with keywords optimization.
Gain useful audience insights.
When consumers share their content with brands, this gives them an opportunity to gain deeper understanding of who their core target audience is or should be. Analyzing the content your audience shares, can help aid marketing efforts tremendously. Brands are able to utilize data-driven insights to send the right message or accurately position their brand’s core message in the mind of the consumer. The first step is to perform an audit on your user generated content. Reviewing your UGC gives you an accurate portrayal of how your consumer perceives your brand- their likes and dislikes, what they want or wish for, what social platforms they are using the most and so on. So, when launching a UGC campaign having all this data and insight would help strategize marketing efforts, leading to sales and generating good leads.
How to get started with User Generated Content?
The benefits of UGC are clear, it’s a great way to connect with your consumers and your consumers would love you for it.
Now, how do we get your brand ready and able to launch a trending UGC campaign? At Marketing Maven, we offer a wide variety of social media and PR services. Our expertise in social media and influencer marketing, creative and PR has positioned us as industry thought leaders to help take your brand to the next level.