Looking to up your marketing strategy? Consider having your customers do the work for you. Unlike traditional brand-created content, user-generated content is what it says — content produced by your customers, showcasing their experiences with your product or service on social media and beyond.
UGC is a homerun effort because of its authenticity factor, and 79% of people say that UGC highly impacts their purchasing decisions. It’s even more impactful than influencer marketing. And nearly half of marketers incorporate user-generated content in their marketing campaigns.
If you’re looking to succeed with UGC, listening to your audience is key to figuring out the strongest strategy for your brand. But there’s a lot more that goes into user-generated content. Take a look at how UGC can benefit you and the steps you’ll need to take to get started.
What Is User-Generated Content (UGC)?
User-generated content (sometimes called consumer-generated content) is any content that’s centered around a brand, but created by customers. This content can be:
- Photos
- Videos
- Reviews
- Testimonials
- Podcasts
- Blog posts
UGC is most commonly shared on social media, but can also be posted elsewhere, such as a third-party review site like Sitejabber.
It’s no secret that social media can be a huge factor in our purchasing decisions. When somebody — even a “normal” person who is not an influencer — posts about a brand, product, or service on social media, they can influence their followers’ and friends’ buying decisions. In fact, 85% of people think UGC is actually more influential than content that’s directly made by brands.
Benefits of User-Generated Content
UGC is a gold mine for any brand that wants to grow. User-generated content is highly versatile, providing many opportunities to work with. It’s simple, relatable, and easy for people to understand. And, importantly, it’s perhaps the most authentic kind of content you can share.
Here are a few of the biggest benefits you can enjoy from incorporating UGC into your marketing strategy.
Grow Your Business Social Media
User-generated content can help increase both your following and your engagement on social media. Social media campaigns that include UGC see a 50% higher engagement rate (and email campaigns with UGC have a 73% higher click-through rate).
Launching a UGC campaign on social media is a great way to strengthen your brand and build customer relationships all at the same time. Later in this post, you’ll learn how to get started with UGC.
Boost Your Credibility
Your customers want to know that they can trust you — and sharing user-generated content is one of the best ways to forge that feeling. Would you rather see a slick, polished brand post that’s obviously trying to sell you something, or a “real person’s” photo demonstrating the product? People are drawn to people, and your customers want to see content they can relate to.
Save Marketing Time and Money
Since UGC is created by your audience, it’s very little effort for you. Adding user-generated content to your marketing strategy can save you hours of graphic design or copywriting work. Instead, take advantage of UGC to add some life into your social media feeds. Your followers will appreciate the fresh, interesting content. Your marketing budget will also thank you — getting user-generated content is free.
User-Generated Content vs. Other Marketing Options
Before we talk about how to source UGC, it’s helpful to further define this concept. While UGC is similar to strategies like influencer marketing or sponsored content, they are not the same thing.
UGC vs. Influencer Marketing
Brands work with influencers by paying them (in cash or in free products) to post about you on social media. User-generated content, on the other hand, is created by the customers you already have. They may or may not have a large following online. And typically, you will not pay them like you would an influencer.
UGC vs. Sponsored Content
Sponsored or paid posts on social media are posts that a brand paid or incentivized somebody to create. Usually, it is very clearly disclosed that these posts are sponsored. This is where “UGC creators” might come in — non-influencers who are paid to create certain promotional content. Organic UGC is unpaid.
How to Get Started with User-Generated Content
Start reaping the benefits of user-generated content by following these steps.
#1. Ask For It
Sometimes, customers might spontaneously post content without you asking. But other times, you may need to encourage your audience to share.
The best way to do this is by creating a branded campaign & hashtag. This invites people to share their experiences and the unique hashtag allows all the content to be organized in one place. Many brands put this hashtag in their social media bio for easy visibility.
#2. Get Permission
Don’t repost user-generated content without asking. If you see something you like, contact the user and ask for their permission to share the content on your brand accounts. In most cases, users are okay (and excited!) with their posts being reshared. However, a few may push back and request a one-time payment before you use their content. In that case, it’s up to you to decide if the potential ROI is worth the cost.
#3. Be Creative
Once you have some UGC available, incorporate it into your marketing strategy. Photos and videos are great, but don’t stop there — product reviews count as user-generated content, too. Collect more reviews by giving customers an incentive (like reward points or gift cards) to leave a review. You can share these testimonials or reviews on your brand accounts.
#4. Hit Post
User-generated content doesn’t have to (and shouldn’t) be every post you share. But you do want to figure out a cadence of sharing UGC on a regular basis. Remember to tag and/or credit the person who originally created the photo, video, or review.
User-Generated Content Examples
Ready to jump in? Take a look at these user-generated content examples from Instagram brand accounts to see how UGC can look in practice.
Starbucks
Starbucks shared a candid snap from a customer. What to note: The Starbucks logo and multiple Starbucks products are clearly visible in the photo. The picture is candid and real, and Starbucks made sure to tag the creator, too.
Vans
Vans posted two Instagram photos from a customer (tagged in the photo). Again, the photos are candid, but well-posted and brightly colored. Vans also added a soft CTA in the caption directing customers to their website to shop.
REI
In this Instagram post, REI made use of product tags to show off its Trailmade collection. Three photos (all from the same person) show off the products “in the wild.” Users can tap on the product tags to see more details and purchase the items.
LEGO
These Land Rover photos look amazingly real — but they’re actually photos of LEGOs shared by a customer (a LEGO hobby photographer). Not all of your UGC creators need to share photos like these. In many cases, candid iPhone shots are totally okay. But the 82,000 likes LEGO got on this post were well deserved.
Start Showcasing UGC Using Sitejabber
If you’re looking to establish rapport with your audience and grow your business, the importance of user-generated content can’t be overstated. Give yourself credibility in a time- and cost-effective way by collecting content from your customers and incorporating it into your digital marketing strategy.
Running low on customer reviews to share? Sign up for a business account with Sitejabber. Our review collection and management capabilities make it easy to get more reviews from your customers, and easily share those reviews across other platforms like your website or social media. Learn more and sign up today – it’s free to get started.
