When used correctly, social media can do wonders for a brand’s reputation. Although many companies have a UGC strategy in place for managing their social media accounts, not all of them really implement it.
What, exactly, is user-generated content? The term “user generated content” is used to describe any text, image, video, or other digital content that was produced by a social media user. Why go things farther than just reposting the user’s stuff and establish a strategy? Brands may better plan their UGC initiatives, track their success, and reduce the likelihood of failure by adopting a UGC marketing strategy.
User-generated content is believed to be 12 times more reliable than brand-generated advertising. Customers may interact with you easily and visually across millions of consumers on each platform. Sharing user-generated material also helps you create trust with your target demographic and encourages conversation. Statistics show that 90% of shoppers value authenticity when deciding which companies to purchase.
How Can User-Generated Content (UGC) Improve Your Marketing Efforts?
Building a Reliable Name in the Market
Building consumer confidence in your brand should be a top priority for any business. Customers want to know exactly what they’re getting before they buy, regardless of whether they’re purchasing a product or a service. As such, showcasing your brand through the eyes of its users is accomplished through the dissemination of consumer evaluations and comments. Trust in your brand, interest from your audience, and exposure to new customers are all boosted by this.
Improving sales outcomes
User-generated content is useful for buyers before they even decide to buy a product. A potential consumer will investigate your business while picking between competitors. That’s why it’s a good idea to provide your consumers with social media material like reviews, competitions, and tales in order to boost conversion rates. Over 80% of individuals feel user produced material has a strong impact on purchase decisions, therefore UGC marketing can influence potential buyers. Instagram, a prominent platform for user-generated material, is a great place to employ this, and it works especially well with visual content.
Improving Consumer Interaction with a Brand
User-generated content has risen to prominence as a reliable source of data in a world where consumers place a premium on businesses’ openness and reliability. A company’s social media activity does not guarantee increased brand recognition or expanded customer base. New consumers and followers might be attracted with the aid of a well-executed UGC marketing campaign. In addition, content trust encourages users to spread the word.
Five Strategies for Generating Engaging Content on Instagram
Launch a hashtag competition
Hashtags are used by everyone, so all you have to do is convince your target audience to pick the proper ones. They help organise your material and find new readers, making them invaluable to your business. To further market your business and increase your account’s visibility, try hosting a hashtag contest. Instagram competitions, for example, attract on average 3.5 times as many likes and 64 times as many comments as standard posts.
Provide incentives
There is nothing more alluring than the promise of easy riches. Offer an incentive to your audience if they commit to writing a review. Taking a photo or video simply takes a few moments, so it’s easy to get your people involved. You may also invite them to be featured on your website, blog, or other online properties. Review consumer feedback on your brand before launching a campaign. Share their work even if they forget to include your brand hashtag. The best-funded advertising efforts can’t buy the kind of organic, spontaneous response you get from rewarding people for doing things they’re already doing. Although user-generated material presents certain challenges, it may be used to a company’s benefit with some careful management.
Give customers a chance to try out your newest products
This strategy will be effective if you already have a dedicated fan base. Ask them to try out the new stuff before it’s released to the public. Then, solicit their input in any way you see fit, and promote the most positive evaluations throughout your various online platforms. To get people excited about your brand and your new product or service, use a user-generated content approach.
Help a good cause
Brand loyalty may also be cultivated through contributing to a worthy cause. This demonstrates that your organisation is driven by values other than profit.
The American lingerie and sleepwear retailer Aerie is a fantastic example of user-generated material. They spread a message of empowerment with their #AerieREAL campaign. In an effort to boost women’s confidence, the brand donated $1 to the National Eating Disorders Association for every unfiltered bikini selfie submitted on Instagram. Women with vitiligo, Down syndrome, and other conditions have been included in the ad.
Pose a query
Want to learn more about your target market? Then put a question to them. Producing additional material is a straightforward strategy for fostering expansion. Interact with your users, pay attention to their responses, and maintain communication with them. Create a question around the subject your target audience wants to discuss. Keep the conversation going and be sure to thank your audience for joining in. Long-term engagement with your audience increases the likelihood that they will become devoted buyers.