Tips on how to use UGC for your brand
In today’s digital age, where advertising floods social networks, consumers are looking for more honesty in ads, while brands are looking for innovative ways to connect with their audiences and build genuine relationships. One of the most effective strategies that seems to solve the needs of both brands and consumers is the use of User Generated Content (UGC). Not only does this type of content engage consumers in a unique way, but it can also be a powerful marketing tool. Below, we explore what is UGC and how you can leverage it to boost your brand.
What is UGC?
User Generated Content (UGC) refers to any type of content such as texts, videos, photos, reviews, and social media posts created by people who are not brand officials, but their consumers or followers.
The content created by these followers or consumers is created organically, but can be shared publicly and can include experiences, opinions, and recommendations about products or services.
Benefits of UGC for your brand
Having fresh, organic content for your brand can attract more attention from customers than traditional ads. In fact, according to a MASV survey, 85% of consumers review UGC content before making a purchase, but using this type of content can be beneficial to your brand in several ways:
1. Authenticity and trust
UGC brings a level of authenticity that brand-created content often cannot match. Consumers tend to trust the opinions and experiences of other users more than direct marketing from brands.
For many consumers, knowing the opinions of other consumers is a key factor in their purchase decision. Many review questions or comments within e-commerce to get better information, but UGC doesn’t stop there. You can also incorporate videos or images.
2. Engagement and Participation
On the other hand, involving consumers in the creation of content for the brand increases their engagement and loyalty. By inviting your consumers to leave you reviews or images with your products, you not only get attractive and quality content but also your users will feel valued and part of the brand’s community, which, in the long run, encourages greater participation and loyalty.
3. Increased reach
UGC can help increase brand reach on social networks. When users share content related to your brand, they are introducing your product to their network of followers, thus expanding your potential audience and encouraging social media algorithms to suggest you to other buyers.
4. Reduced content costs
One of the most significant advantages of UGC is cost reduction. Leveraging UGC can drastically reduce both the time and money costs associated with content creation. So, instead of spending significant resources on marketing campaigns, you can use high-quality content generated by your own customers.
5. Improve SEO
UGC can also contribute to improving your brand’s SEO. Online reviews, comments and mentions can generate additional organic traffic to your website and improve your search engine rankings.
Strategies to take advantage of the full potential of UGC
Now that you know all the potential that UGC has for your marketing strategy, maybe you are wondering how to motivate your consumers to generate content with your brand or products. Here are some strategies that you can implement:
1. Encourage and solicit UGC
Encourage your customers to create and share content related to your brand or products. There are several ways, but one of the most effective is to do it through social media campaigns, contests, and calls to action on your website or emails. Don’t forget to offer incentives, such as discounts or prizes, this will motivate users to participate.
2. Create Hashtags related to your bran
In UGC hashtags can be your best ally. Develop a hashtag strategy specific to your brand and promote them on all your marketing platforms, especially on the social networks where your audience is most active. Not only does this make UGC easier to follow, but it also builds a community around your brand and makes content easily accessible to other users.
If you are going to use content generated from these hashtags, be sure to request permission to use it on different platforms.
3. Highlight UGC on your channels
Once you have user-generated content don’t just waste it on one channel, showcase UGC on your website, social media and other marketing channels. You can create a dedicated section on your website for customer testimonials and reviews, or share user posts on your social media profiles. Be sure to credit the content creators to encourage more contributions.
4. Incorporate UGC in advertising campaigns
UGC can enhance your online advertising, but it can also be significant for your offline advertising, so using it in your ad campaigns can add authenticity and credibility. Real photos and videos of customers using your products can be more effective than professionally produced images, as well as cheaper.
5. Respond and say thank you
It’s important for your consumers and brand engagement to interact with users who create and share UGC. Thank them for their contributions, respond to their comments and questions, and show appreciation for their support. This not only strengthens the relationship with your customers, but also encourages others to participate and create a community around your brand.
6. Analyze and measure impact
A marketing strategy is not over until the results are measured, so use analytics tools to measure the impact of UGC on your marketing campaigns. Start by reviewing metrics such as engagement, reach, and conversions generated to understand how much your followers like it or not, but above all use these analytics to understand what type of content generates better results, with these metrics you will be able to adjust your strategy accordingly. Also, they will give you the data you need to understand why a product or service is not as successful as you expected.
User Generated Content UGC is a powerful tool for building a marketing strategy that is authentic and connected to your audience. By encouraging, highlighting and integrating UGC into your marketing strategies, you will not only increase customer engagement and loyalty, but also expand your reach and improve the credibility of your business. Harness the power of UGC and see how it can transform the way you interact with your customers and how they perceive your brand. Tell us, do you use User Generated Content in your marketing strategy?