UGC, or User-Generated Content, refers to content generated by users of their own volition and related to brands or companies on various digital platforms; that is, this content is not paid for by the brand in question.
To explain this better, let’s look at a real-life example. Remember the Coca-Cola campaign where they launched cans of the drink with people’s names? Many of the people who found their name, or that of a loved one, took photos and posted them on social media, not only promoting the brand of the world’s most famous beverage, but also encouraging others to do the same.
Coca-Cola was so successful that people began ordering personalized cans with their first and last names, and even the names of their pets, earning the brand even more posts and likes on social media.
As you can see, using UGC as a marketing strategy can be a great way to grow your brand.
Word of mouth is more alive than ever
Worth of Mouth seems to make sense in the era middle east mobile number list of digital consumers thanks to UGC, as it’s no secret that people listen to recommendations from other people, not from the brands they’re always trying to sell to.
That’s why digital marketing strategies consider placing testimonials on websites, as this builds trust among visitors and speeds up the purchasing process.
Today, many people are still reluctant to shop online; however, a recommendation from someone who has experienced the same problem or need can change their minds in a snap.
It’s not about your brand, it’s about the consumer
Imagine you own a makeup brand and you use Facebook to post: “My makeup brand is quality, approved by professionals in the field .” Do you think it would look good? Do you think anyone would believe it?
Instead, imagine a user posts a post on Instagram dedicated to your makeup line, saying, “I tried this makeup and all I can say is it’s great, excellent quality, and there are great tutorials on their fan page!” Surely, users’ perceptions of your product would also change.
Due to social media updates and recurring algorithm changes, brands have been forced to run increasingly expensive ads on these platforms to avoid being forgotten.
However, user-generated content seems to be a how to grow your business with email marketing automation trend and a solution for the best Content Marketing strategies , as reach improves significantly and without much effort.
Therefore, examples of this type of user-generated content could be:
- Multimedia content generated by a follower from a contest or discount won by the brand.
- A public comment left on social media by a user.
- Blogger posts, which may or may not be paid.
- Reviews made on any digital platform such as TripAdvisor, for example.
In this way, brands gain awareness without having to incur advertising costs, while also differentiating themselves from their competitors who may only be generating content about themselves.
So the best advertising is that which is done by your consumers, because they can become your brand’s best ambassadors for the very reason that people listen to other people. of repetitive advertisements that only seek to sell.
People are online looking for answers to their questions and satisfaction of their needs; imagine if your platform’s own users were driving them, through your content, to make a purchase on your eCommerce site.
How to get a consumer to generate content for my brand
A user will leave content on your platforms for different reasons:
- It’s very easy for Internet users to leave their opinions on social networks.
- They know they can influence others with their opinions.
- Consumers love to share their own experiences
So, how do you integrate UGC as a digital marketing strategy?
Ask your audience
Have you ever seen Starbucks’ Instagram? This brand knows how to express a lifestyle through images.
But they’ve also achieved this through egypt data the participation of their own followers on social media, sharing their moments at Starbucks through photos or videos.
The best thing you can do is invite your audience to submit their own content, being specific about what you want; when they see others sharing experiences with you, they’ll likely want to do so too.
You can post Instagram Stories requesting photos of people in your restaurant, using your store’s props, using a hashtag, or using a location.
Choose which platform to run the campaign on
Studies show that 75% of users share their positive experiences with a brand on social media.
The same studies confirm that a large percentage of the audience makes purchases. From a brand after having positive interactions with it on social media.
>Therefore, it’s not just about choosing the right network, but also about providing your followers with positive user experiences so they themselves want to become your brand ambassadors online.
Set goals
As with any digital marketing strategy, it’s only fair and necessary to set goals for the content your users will generate, as most companies don’t, and everything ends up in vain at the end of the year.