Social media marketing is a new wave that involves the use of user-generated content. This type of marketing allows businesses to interact with their consumers and get their content seen. Trust is often a lost asset in today’s digital world due to the abundance of offensive content and deceptive tactics. A study conducted by IPG Mediahub and Magna revealed that only 10% of customers completely trust online ads.
Due to the increasing number of social media ads, customers are becoming more conscious of their purchases and are looking for authenticity in their brands. This has prompted marketers to rethink their approach and develop effective strategies for promoting a trustworthy brand. We will look into some of the UGC examples later on.
What is user-generated content?
User-generated content can be any content that the users share based on their experiences, feedback, or ideas. Social media platforms are the hub of this type of content. In terms of UGC marketing, this content can be used to promote a brand’s products or services.
User-generated content platform is a powerful tool for consumers to influence their buying decisions. According to Adweek, 85 percent of people say that UGC is more influential than content that is made by the company directly.
What makes user-generated content so effective?
Despite the evolution of social media and smartphones, businesses still have difficulty believing they should use the user-generated content marketing strategy. However, as the increasing number of platforms allows brands to distribute content, it no longer matters if they should or should not use it. Today, consumers are the world’s greatest content creators. Daily, over 300 million photos and videos are posted to Facebook. In a minute, there are around 510,000 comments posted, while over 6000 tweets per second and videos are posted on Twitter.
Advertisers and marketers, sadly, are tasked with making the product unrealistically perfect. They often omit important details that could affect their customers’ decisions. Fortunately, with the advances in technology and easy access to information, advertisers and marketers can’t get away with deceiving the end user anymore. This video broke the internet when it revealed the tricks used by brands for commercials:
According to data, UGC user generated content is becoming the most popular and influential source of content for marketers. There are several reasons why is so effective:
- The companies can benefit from the creativity and originality of the users, as well as the endless amount of fresh ideas that can be generated through UGC.
- Unlike other forms of content, user-generated content marketing does not require a huge investment. It can be used to create new ideas and promote the product. In addition, it can allow users to get involved in the company’s operations.
- Unlike traditional advertising, UGC content focuses on the authenticity of the product. This type of campaign differs from other forms of content because it focuses on the users’ sincerity.
What is the Impact of UGC on branding?
Despite the increasing popularity of mobile cameras, many companies are still hesitant to use the user-generated content strategy to promote their product. This article aims to provide a comprehensive overview of how UGC can impact branding:
1. Authenticity
One of the main reasons why consumer-generated content is becoming more popular is because it is more authentic and reliable than product-driven marketing content. This content appeals to consumers because it is built on trust and experience.
Social proof is an important part of a marketing campaign as it shows consumers that the products they buy are high quality. Having this content can influence their purchasing decisions. Having the ability to highlight the authenticity of your users’ content is also very important for a marketing campaign, as it can help boost conversions.
2. Increase product loyalty
A customer’s loyalty and belief in the product is a form of advocacy. When one customer speaks up about the company’s positive qualities, it automatically encourages other consumers to do the same.
Consumer-generated content is more effective because it makes it easier for brands to connect with consumers. This content allows brands to interact directly with their audience rather than trying to influence them. brands can reach out to their audience and connect with them directly. This content can also help build a deeper connection between the product and its consumers.
3. Expanded Reach
One of the most important factors a product should consider when it comes to UGC marketing is reaching a massive audience. This will allow it to increase its chances of converting its viewers into buyers.
Creating custom hashtags can help you promote your campaign and encourage users to share their opinions and views on social media. With the help of these hashtags, you can also encourage the users to participate in the campaign.
With the help of custom hashtags, users can reach a wider audience and expand the reach of a marketing campaign. This doesn’t restrict the demographic or geographical aspects of the campaign.
4. Trust and Credibility
In today’s digital age, trust is not easily given; most companies are striving to achieve consumer trust. It is a hard thing to achieve, especially since it involves establishing a strong relationship with the actual customers.
One of the most important bonuses a company can get from its users is their trust in its product. When they see that you are genuinely interested in their ideas, thoughts, and feelings, they will feel they have a good relationship with the company.
Consumer-generated content has become one of the most popular forms of created content due to how it is widely trusted and is easily accessible in people’s lives.
5. Improve SEO Rankings
A positive review or survey can boost a brand’s search engine visibility. In addition to being able to post content on social media, consumers also use search terms and phrases to interact with a brand’s website. This helps brands improve their keyword research.
Almost a third of online shoppers start their purchases through a search engine. They’re looking for content that’s relevant to their needs, and over 80% of online shoppers research the product before making the purchasing decision. Content that’s fresh and relevant is often the most important factor that search engines consider when it comes to ranking a product.
One of the most important goals of a marketing campaign is to generate revenue, ensuring that the company will continue growing and will be successful in the future. One of the easiest ways for a company to boost revenue and conversions is using UGC content.
6. Boost Conversions and Increase Revenue
According to studies, people tend to trust content from other users more than product advertising. This is because it can give them credibility and validation, which can help boost conversions and increase revenue.
User-generated content types
Visual content (Images and videos)
A user-generated content platform like Facebook, YouTube, and UGC Instagram allows creators to create videos without being paid. They also allow them to feature product unboxings, and with user-generated content on Instagram, customers will tag and @ mention your business.
Videos and images that are vibrant and colourful are an integral part of any marketing campaign, especially when it comes to buying goods online. When people cannot inspect a product, they rely on visual and video clips to make an informed decision when it comes to buying.
Rated Reviews
A product review is a type of content that can be posted on a third-party website or a product’s website. It can be done by customers who are already on a site that’s affiliated with the product.
When making a purchase from a website, it’s important to consider the various factors that go into making a decision. For instance, when you open a website, you are likely to search for clients’ reviews to find out more about them. This is because we want to know more about their experience with the company.
UGC Social Media
Whether it’s celebrity endorsements, micro-influencers, or just a regular customer sharing their experience with your product via user-generated content, Instagram post, Facebook post, or a tweet that refers to UGC social media.
The right tools can help measure the effectiveness of the UGC user-generated content marketing campaign efforts. Although seeing more likes, mentions, and comments on your social media channels can sometimes be a good sign, it is also important to have the proper tools to measure the efficiency of your efforts.
Blog posts or Tutorials
A review or product tutorial that a blogger posted on their website without being paid, the creators of these tutorials are usually not professional marketers they go into detail regarding the pros and cons of the product.
Question and Answer Forums/ Community
A Q&A forum is where people can discuss their concerns and questions with the company. It’s also a great opportunity for customers to interact with the brands directly.
User-generated content examples
As Seen On Me by ASOS
One of the most popular trends in social media is fashion blogging, where users post their «outfit of the day.» This allows companies to capitalize on this growing market by creating a feed that features free advertising for their products. Fashion retailer Asos launched a section on its website called As seen on Me, which featured photos of its customers wearing their clothes.
This strategy also benefits companies as it allows shoppers to see how the clothes look on different people. They can then compare the different body types in the photos to their own.
Coca-Cola campaign
Coca-Cola launched a campaign called «Share a Coke with Your Love» worldwide. The goal was to create a personalized bottle for each person, and the company printed the most common male and female names in the country on its bottles. The campaign went viral, and people started sharing their bottles on social media. The excitement generated by the campaign reached 80 countries, making it the biggest UGC marketing campaign ever.
My Calvins by Calvin Klein
Calvin Klein’s «I _________» campaign features celebrity endorsers such as Justin Bieber, Kendall Jenner, and Kendrick Lamar. The campaign also allows customers to identify with the brand’s products. In the ads, the stars talk about how their jeans play a role in their lives.
To promote the campaign, the company invited customers to share their photos on social media using the #MyCalvins hashtag. They then featured their images on its website. The images were then linked to the products’ pages.
The campaign helped Calvin Klein break from the traditional image of its ad campaigns. It also helped the company show its appreciation for its customers. By featuring select user-generated content, the company could create new sales opportunities.
Doritos: Legion of Creators
To keep its users engaged, Doritos launched a new website called doritoslegionofthebold.com, which featured branded images of its products. They allowed users to create content for them. The company’s users created various types of videos, such as weather forecasts and photos of themselves sitting on the thrones of chips. They also participated in public challenges.
The company’s strategy is ideal for its most loyal fans, such as college students and gamers. It allows the company to create content for its audience. Give your fans the necessary resources and tools to create something special.
Starbucks White Cup Campaign
The Starbucks white cup contest is a common example when speaking of user-generated content examples. Starbucks asked its clients to create their very own white cups. They could then post their creations on social media. The company invited its customers to decorate their own white cups using the hashtag #WhitecupContest. In return, they could win a $300 gift card. The number of people participating grew by five times.
Shot On iPhone by Apple
Despite the advancements in smartphone cameras, iPhone users have been criticized for their poor picture quality. To restore its reputation, Apple launched a marketing campaign that featured real-life videos and photos taken by iPhone users.
The campaign encouraged iPhone users and photographers to share their high-quality photos on social networks. It was a great way to change the perceptions of the company’s image.
How to incorporate UGC content into your marketing
Besides being beneficial for marketing, user content can additionally help boost sales. It can additionally help boost the customer experience. Let us look at various ways that companies can integrate user-generated media into their content marketing strategy:
Videos
Videos can uniquely connect with customers. Their potential for viral success can boost a company’s following. Also, customers can be filmed using certain products or shopping experiences, which can instill confidence in the services and products that the company offers.
Through the use of user content, brands can create videos that are designed to showcase their genuine insights and original perspectives. These kinds of videos tend to gain more trust than branded videos, as they can be engaging and interactive.
Reviews
To effectively integrate review-based marketing into your marketing campaign, your business should encourage customers to review every product they buy. Your business should also provide the customers with the option to leave reviews on various platforms, such as Google, Facebook, and Trustpilot.
Incentives Strategy
Rewarding and entertaining customers through incentives is also a key component of the user-generated content strategy. It involves rewarding those who complete certain tasks and sharing their experiences with the product. Some of the concepts used by brands include leaderboards, high scores, badges, and points.
Incentives can be used by businesses to encourage their customers to share their experiences and write social media posts. These can then be used to get discounts and coupons. Offers such as receiving free gifts can also be made through these incentives.
Holiday Promos
During the holiday season, businesses can use social media to promote their services and products. Various platforms can be used to promote their goods and services.
Before using seasonal social media marketing techniques, businesses should thoroughly study their audience and goals. They can then ask their followers to post videos, write testimonials, participate in contests, and share images.
Conclusion
Sometimes, you’ll want to share your customer’s branded content on your own channels. This can be done through the use of stories, reels, ReTweets, and Facebook Shares, but it’s important to get the permission of the people who created the content or model release. For instance, if you want to share a user’s reel on Instagram, you’ll need permission from the individual who created it.
The great news is that with the Picvario DAM system, you can have all the agreements and communication transcripts from the content creators (bloggers, models, or influencers) saved and easily accessible just in case you need them in an urgent matter.
Getting the most out of user content is not as simple as creating a hashtag. It requires collecting valuable content to help the product stand out from the crowd. A good strategy can also help boost the awareness of a particular product or service and spread the word about the brand. One of the most important factors you should consider when building effective post-click landing pages is ensuring that all of your ads are linked to personalized pages.
The rise of consumer-created content is expected to be huge in the coming years as brands take a break from the sales tactics used to gain a competitive advantage. The benefits of user-created content are numerous: It can be very cost-effective to create and distribute, and it can help brands connect with their customers. However, managing and sourcing these user-generated digital files are very challenging. With the help of our digital asset management solution, you can easily create and distribute content across multiple channels, sign up for our demo now!
