Do you know what UGC is? Let's break it down:
UGC or user-generated content is any type of content that is created and shared by users of a product or service rather than by the brand itself. UGC is any content created, such as social media posts, reviews, blog posts, videos, and images!
So, Why is UGC Important for Businesses?
UGC is authentic and credible content because it comes from REAL customers who have used and enjoyed your product or service. Making it much more persuasive than traditional marketing materials, which are often seen as self-promotional and sometimes pushy!
Now we don't mean to say you should replace all of your content with UGC-styled product shoot content, commercial videos, and related graphics are still important to have in your strategy. But by increasing your use of UGC you can:
Increase your brand awareness: UGC is great for getting your brand in front of new people. When customers share their positive experiences with your brand on social media, their friends and followers are more likely to become aware of your products or services.
Improve brand reputation: When customers see other people talking positively about your brand, they are more likely to trust your brand and be willing to purchase from you.
Provide social proof: UGC serves as social proof that your products or services are enjoyed by real people. Positive reviews, before and afters, aesthetic videos, and videos of your product being used in real people's daily lives can boost your credibility and influence potential buyers.
Diverse content: UGC is yet another variety of content types, from photos and videos to reviews and stories; adding UGC to your already beautiful calendar increases content diversity that can help keep your marketing efforts fresh and engaging for your audience.
Community building: When customers see real people who are or are like their friends and family or even their favorite influencers sharing their experiences with your products or services in their daily lives, it can foster a sense of belonging and loyalty.
Personalization: Our last favorite reason for UGC is that it allows you to personalize your marketing efforts by featuring content from different customers, showcasing the diversity of your customer base, and tailoring messages to specific audience segments. Talk about targeted ads, am I right?!
How to invest in UGC
There are a few different ways to invest in UGC. One way is to simply encourage your customers to share their experiences with your brand on social media. You can do this by running social media contests and giveaways or by offering incentives for customers to share photos and videos of themselves using your products or services.
Another way to invest in UGC is to partner with UGC creators or influencers. Influencers are people who have a large and engaged following on social media.
When you partner with influencers, they can create and share content about your brand with their followers on their platform that aligns with your audience and your campaign plans.
UGC creators are content creators who shoot, film, and edit UGC content for you. They may not post it on their profiles, but it allows you to build a deck of beautiful content created by real people, making your content feel authentic and original.
Okay, so how do you use UGC on social media?
Here is how we love to use UGC on social media:
Reshare tagged UGC on your social media channels. This is a great way to show your appreciation for your customers who shared content about your product or service and show real-life, real-time love for your product or service.
Use UGC in your social media ads. UGC ads can be more effective than regular ads because they are more authentic and relatable; plus, let's face it - it feels a heck of a lot less promotional and cheesy!
Run social media contests and giveaways. This is a great way to encourage customers to create and share UGC.
Partner with UGC Creators or influencers. These creators can create and share high-quality UGC that will reach a large audience or simply give you rights to the content they create for use on your platforms and campaigns!
By investing in UGC, businesses can improve their brand awareness, reputation, and sales. UGC is also a cost-effective way to market your business, especially for small businesses! Interested in UGC for your business? We offer UGC creation as a part of our content creation packages! Contact us today to learn more!