Ever wondered how you can get your customers to create content about your products for you? And, if they do, how do you then leverage it on your own social media pages? That's exactly what you'll learn in this blog post about UGC ("user-generated content").
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One of the biggest social media trends I am predicting for 2024 is user-generated content (read the trend report here) but what is UGC?
What is user-generated content (UGC)?
Think of UGC as content created by your customers – real people, sharing their genuine experiences and opinions about your brand and products. Most importantly: it's created by others than the brand itself.
It's also not your typical polished ad campaign; it's raw, authentic, and brimming with credibility. And that's exactly why it resonates so much with audiences in today's marketing landscape.
Here are some examples:
@ultravioletteau (original poster: @mariathattil)
@drinkmatchamade (original poster: @livvkirbyy)
@taylornation featuring fan outfits at one of her concerts. The account also asked fans for UGC submissions: "Don’t forget to share all your marvelous tour fits with the #TSTheErasTour hashtags and submit at tstheerastour.taylorswift.com! We love reposting you! ♥️"
UGC could also be:
Your customer tags you in an Instagram story
They mention you in a blog post/video
They review your product in a video/post
Why UGC is so popular & works so well:
It builds trust: People trust other people more than brands. Seeing positive UGC reassures potential customers that your brand is the real deal. AND it shows them that others are loving it too. That builds community.
79% of people say UGC highly impacts their purchase decisions and they find it almost 10x more impactful than influencer content when making a purchase decision.
It speaks your customers' language: marketers always try to nail their target audience's language, so why not let the target audience itself speak directly?
It boosts engagement: UGC sparks conversations, shares, and likes. It's more relatable and therefore easier to engage with.
It drives sales: UGC acts as social proof, nudging hesitant customers towards that final purchase decision.
Okay, but how do we get our customers to make UGC for us?
Ask and you shall receive: Don't be shy! Request UGC in post-purchase emails, on product packaging, or directly on social media.
Sweeten the deal: Incentivise UGC creation with discounts, special offers, or even contest prizes.
Celebrate the love: Feature and acknowledge UGC submissions – it shows you appreciate your customers' efforts.
Hash it out: Create a branded hashtag to encourage UGC sharing and make it easy to discover.
Contests & giveaways: Run UGC contests or giveaways to spark excitement and generate a wave of fresh content. Once again: give customers an incentive to participate!
Brand love is key: Last but not least: build a brand that people genuinely connect with – authentic engagement breeds organic UGC.
Bonus Tip: Remember, respect is key. Always credit creators and ask for permission before using their content, especially for paid ad purposes.
Interested in working together in 2024? Send me an email at info@hannarauch.com - I'm looking forward to hearing from you.
Talk soon,
Hanna