The Value of User-Generated Content and How Get Customers to Create It

User-generated content (also known as UGC) is the bread and butter of social media marketing, whether it’s through micro-influencers, consumer advocates, or even celebrity endorsements.

It should come as no surprise. It’s an efficient type of interaction because it’s a two-way street: brands connect with fans organically by showcasing their product or service, and those fans, in turn, become seen, highlighted, and possibly create their own following.

What is User-Generated Content?

User-generated content (UGC) refers to brand-related content written by someone who is not an official representative of your company. It could be a social media update, a review, a video, a podcast, or anything else. It’s user-generated content if it involves your brand and was not created by any of your workers or associates.

The most essential aspect of user-generated content is not that it exists — people will always talk about items they like. What matters is how you choose to leverage it to benefit your brand.

The Value of User-Generated Content

In reality, we’ve been embracing UGC for ages, but social media platforms have made it more widely available. And, when you consider that a staggering 92% of people are more likely to accept a recommendation from another person over branded content, it’s evident how far people’s trust in marketers has stretched.

The true value of user-generated material is its authenticity, and statistics back this up. Two publications, in particular, emphasize the significance of user-generated content for forward-thinking brands.

• According to Tintup’s 2021 State of UGC research, “93% of marketers feel that consumers trust content provided by customers more than content created by businesses.” People believe in one another.
• According to a Nosto survey, “79% of individuals feel UGC has a significant impact on their shopping decisions.” and “When making a shopping decision, consumers find UGC 9.8x more effective than influencer material.”

Peer influencers are more effective than any other marketing approach, according to both marketers and consumers. Integrate the authenticity of user-generated content into your marketing plan to develop trust with your audience and community of customers.

5 Ways to Get Customers to Create User-Generated Content

Because UGC comes from your customers, it’s a matter of identifying and organizing their promotional content to find the best content based on what you need it for. You can either find UGC (often through social media) or set up a direct submission system where customers can upload content to your company during contests and promotions.

1. Motivate customers to create UGC during certain parts of the buying journey using automation
2. Run contests or quizzes on social media, using official hashtags
3. Create beautiful experiences, physical spaces, and unboxing events that people are more likely to share
4. Ask customers to create UGC in return for an incentive
5. Create an ambassador program

Publishing user-generated content can dramatically improve your brand’s reputation and products, allowing you to create more customers and enhance your revenue.

Results will take time. But if you stick with it, you’ll soon start receiving user-generated content from happy consumers. That is the key.

Need help creating a marketing strategy for your user-generated content or simply expressing your brand’s voice? We can help; send a message!