6 Effective Ways to Include User-Generated Content in Your Marketing Strategy

From Coca-Cola's "Share-a-Coke" campaign to Burberry's "Art of the Trench", User-Generated Content (UGC) has proven to be a game-changer in content marketing as it brings businesses using it to promote their brand tons of added revenue, as well as a whole new image. When it comes to purchasing products today who are you more likely to trust, the brand itself or your fellow consumer who uses the product? 

THE BEST PART OF UGC IS THAT YOU ARE USING YOUR END-USERS 'AKA FANS' TO GENERATE BUZZ FOR YOUR BRAND

Whether it's in the form of pictures, videos, testimonials, or blog posts, just to name a few, the possibilities are truly endless and the cost is minimal to none, since UGC is the act of the users promoting the brand rather than the brand itself. After all who doesn't like FREE advertising compared to using influencers to promote a product, which depending on their 'following' can be quite expensive?

UGC is particularly prevalent on Instagram where it is easy for users to repost and regram from accounts. And, it's worthwhile for brands to use this strategy, as the numbers don't lie. 86% of millennials say that UGC is a good indicator of the quality of a brand and 68% of social media users between the ages of 18 and 24 take into account information shared on social media when they are in the midst of making a purchasing decision. Earned content platform Olapic conducted a survey and found that 76% of individuals said they trusted content shared by "average" people more than by brands, and nearly 100% of consumers trust recommendations from others.

User-generated content doesn't have to be difficult and can be as simple as asking to repurpose customer content for your brand, which is why a lot of global brands are sharing content reposted and regrammed from fans and users too.

You can do the same with your brand too. Check out our 6 effective ways to make use of UGC in your marketing efforts:

1. Reviews: Over 70% of consumers look at product reviews prior to making a decision to buy. As a brand owner, you should encourage your customers to leave a review where possible. You can even incentivize it to provide added motivation in the form of coupons and gift cards, etc. These reviews will help drive traffic to your site, build your reputation, and enhance conversion to sales in the long run.
2. Hashtag Contests: Speaking of incentivizing, you can also attract UGC through the gamesmanship. Your followers can share content such as photos and videos accompanied by a specific hashtag, in order to win prizes.
3. Video Content: According to the latest trend, user-generated videos about a brand were viewed 10 times more than official brand videos on YouTube. Utilizing this can show your brand's uniqueness and authenticity through the audience-trusted insight that these user videos provide.
4. Content for holiday/special occasions: The holiday season is the perfect opportunity for your brand to connect with your customers on an emotional level. This has been a proven strategy and will continue to be a reliable opportunity to create UGC engagement.
5. Get Fans/Users Involved: Give people a great reason to get involved with your campaign that's bigger than the actual platform you're using. It could be an awareness campaign or donation drive in regard to an important cause you might support. There are a number of issues out there that people face day in and day out and talk about on social media. Is there an issue or cause that your brand can help with?
6. Behind-the-scenes stories: Who is your business helping? Use visually interesting behind-the-scenes stories of real people and brands that your business is helping. UGC can showcase these unexpected and unique aspects of your business and if you're not sure where to start, ask your customers to submit content about what your brand is all about.

There is no bigger turn-off than a pushy salesperson. What consumers look for now are stories, connections to the brand, and interaction with other humans. UGC is a great strategy that you should be using, but first, make sure you choose the social media marketing and network that is most effective for your campaign. This will be based on your goals and target audience and it's very important to know where your audience lives on social media and where your potential advocates have the most influence.