It’s the age of authenticity. Now more than ever, companies need to get real about connecting with their customers and what better way to do that than with user generated content.
User-generated content, or UGC for short, is any content that has been created, and published by real customers and users of a brand. It can be content of any type, and usually comes in the form of images, videos, social media posts, reviews, or testimonials.
So why is UGC so important anyway?
Well, according to the Nielsen Consumer Trust Index, 92% of consumers trust organic, user-generated content more than they trust traditional advertising.
User-generated content offers your brand credibility and promotes your brand’s message, helping you expand your social followers, strengthen relationships with clients, instill trust in the target audience, while also building SEO value and boosting sales.
Below are three ways you can use UGC in your content marketing strategy.
Reviews
You should encourage your customers to leave reviews about your brand where possible. Reviews show your potential customers that your offerings are reliable and can help you increase traffic to your website, build dependability, and enhance conversion rates.
Videos
User-generated videos have immense potential for shareability and offer original perspectives to your products and services, giving credibility to your brand. There’s also a higher possibility of videos going viral, which can help to boost your following substantially. Encourage customers to share videos by creating unique unboxing experiences or create a reward for them.
Hashtags
Another way to create user content is by creating unique hashtags and get your followers to contribute to your hashtag. For example a few years ago, Warby-Parker began allowing people to request five pairs of the company’s glasses to try on at home. They encouraged trial wearers to post photos of themselves to social media with the hashtag #warbyhometryon. If you search now, there are over 24,000 posts featuring people looking for, and giving advice on, which Warby-Parker frames to choose.
The power of UGC is easy to see, but if you still need help tapping into the power of your audience, reach out to us! We’ll be more than happy to start helping you connect with your audience.
