One of the best ways to grow your business and attract new customers is through word of mouth, people trust people way more than they trust any piece of marketing material. In 2023 User Generated Content (UGC) is the word of mouth you are after.
User generated content is any content posted by users of social media, online forums, wikis and through online review platforms. This content could be anything from a customer unboxing or reviewing your product to a testimonial in the form of a google my business review.
Serving as a guide from consumer to consumer UGC highlights why people should use your product/service and what your brand has to offer. This article will give you some ideas to get you started on your journey into collecting and using it.
Why use User Generated Content?
User Generated Content far more effective in selling your product/business than any traditional marketing campaign can be. People trust other people and that’s why it is seen as more authentic by audiences.
It is cost effective, encouraging customers to create content that promotes your brand/products often costs nothing at all and using it as part of your brand’s content can help reduce your spend on producing social media content.
Testimonials help your site’s SEO score, especially those posted on your Google My Business account which help with both local and organic search rankings.
Creating a User Generated Content campaign:
Like any marketing campaign the first step is to define a goal of the campaign. It’s important to know what kind of content you are hoping to collect and how you will use it to promote your brand.
Next consider the offer and what you are willing to give to your audience in exchange for their content, you may want to offer a discount for customers who provide you with content and usage rights. Be sure the offer is clear to your audience and that you consult a legal expert, to ensure your offer meets any rules and regulations in your country.
At this stage you should also be thinking about how to collect this content. For smaller businesses just starting off, I would suggest starting with a branded hashtag that should be shared with your audiences’ content, you can then reach out to your audience by DM to secure usage rights. If your audience is a little larger you may want to consider collecting this content through your company website or through a 3rd party app.
What’s next?
Having an audience that is actively creating and sharing content promoting your brand is a great first step, but remember you can push it a little further by re-sharing any brand positive content on your social media channels, as well as engaging with your audience and becoming part of the conversation in the comments.
By collecting content and usage rights, you’ll also be able to re-use this content in your own campaigns. Use reviews and testimonials on your website to promote your products/services/brand and through the lens of your customers, share customer stories through your social media channels or use the content as part of a larger campaign. There are many ways you can take advantage of the content generated by your audience and to show new customers the value of your brand.
Start using User Generated Content today
Collecting user generated content takes planning, but with a well formulated plan to encourage your audience to create and share content you should see increased customer engagement and trust in your brand.
Use user generated content to your advantage to get a conversation started around your brand today.
Interested in generating UGC for your brand? Reach out to Pink Dog Studio today and we can create a plan for you.
Branding Agencies
Branding and rebranding isn’t cheap, so it may seem counterintuitive that involving a branding agency can save you money. The purpose of a good branding agency is to help you improve your business and your bottom line.
At Pink Dog Studio, we can help you with your branding or rebranding needs, taking out the legwork for you and letting you focus on the other aspects of your business.