User-Generated Content: How to Leverage Your Community for Brand Growth

On November 15th, 2023, a TikToker named Danielle posted a 14-second video of her burnt car that would turn around the popularity and growth of an over-100-year-old brand within hours.

In the car was a Stanley Cup with ice cubes still intact. Her caption, “Thirsty after you catch on fire? @Stanley 1913 is like no problem, I got you," drew the attention of social media users and the Stanley Brand. As of today, Danielle’s video has over 10 million impressions.?

A Stanley Cup surviving a fire with ice in it is crazy! And even more crazier is the response from Standley.?

How can you get your customers to create user-generated content like Danielle, and how can you leverage your community for brand growth??

I'll answer these questions in this article to help you grow your brand.?

What is User-Generated Content (UGC)?

User-generated content (UGC) is authentic content generated by customers and employees about their experiences with a brand, product, or service.?

Videos, reviews, testimonials, interviews, podcasts, or podcasts about how satisfied a customer is with a brand could be included in these contents.?

User-generated content is out of the will of a brand's customers and not coerced, as most people assume. If you wear a perfume that lasts on you for 48 hours or more, even after several baths, and you chronicle your review of the brand, that’s user-generated content.

You should understand, however, that user-generated content isn’t the same as influencer marketing. Unlike the former, the latter is mostly about people of influence endorsing a product or service without actually using it.? In other words, UGC is organic, while influencer marketing is paid advertising.

Benefits of UGC for Brands and Businesses

UGC has several influences on businesses, depending on their nature.

Builds Trust

While many customers shared their experiences using Stanley Cups, Danielle’s UGC stands out due to the nature of her post. Stanley Cups have been advertised over the years as an authentic product that could keep your drinks cold or hot for hours or even days.?

But who cares when there are other equally good products on the market? Danielle’s car burned. In the car, a Stanley Cup was still holding ice, even stacked together as you could hear them cluttering when Danielle shook the bottle.?

That moment was Stanley’s unique selling proposition or competitive advantage; its customers needed to trust it as the only brand whose products could withstand any circumstances.?

If Stanley had advertised the cups in the same way as the Cup surviving a burning car, I doubt many people would have been impressed.

Enhances Customer Engagement

User-generated content enhances customer engagement. Think about prospects leading to customers because of customer reviews. In the case of Stanley Cups, many TikTok users continue to create UGCs about Stanley Cups, which has boosted sales.

Users continue to engage with Stanley Cups on social media through purchases, reviews, and testimonials.

Builds Brand Loyalty??

When most customers speak well about your brand, they’ll be motivated to patronise you and stay loyal to you. Using user-generated content to grow your brand is a powerful strategy.?

Examples of Successful UGC Campaigns

Coco-Cola?

Using user-generated content (UGC), Coca-Cola's "Share a Coke" campaign transformed everyday drinks into an enjoyable and personalised experience.?

Although this was a strategic marketing campaign, using the everyday names of customers created opportunities for people who find their names on the Coca-Cola bottle to film while sharing a Coke with loved ones.

Netflix

Netflix wanted to promote the series “Stranger Things.” It resorted to user-generated content as part of the promotion. Netflix shared UGCs from fans with hashtags that are typically the show's title.

This campaign created awareness about the series, increasing its viewership.?

Strategies for Encouraging User-Generated Content?

While UGCs are more fruitful and authentic, you can strategise for them. If you’re planning a campaign for UGCs, below are tips on creating a supportive and engaging community.?

Produce Excellent Products and Services?

If your products are good, people will give you an excellent report. Ascertaining the value proposition of your service or product depends on your customers. What are their pain points? Is your idea or business solving those pain points and more? What sets you apart from your industry?

Finding answers to these questions gives you a competitive advantage and gains the trust of your customers to talk, share, and validate your products and services.?

Ask for Permission to Use the UGC

Once your customers generate UGCs organically or through a campaign, it’s ideal to ask for permission to use this user-generated content for your marketing campaigns.

Doing the needful speaks of you as truthful, transparent, and respectful. Asking for permission encourages your customers to create more UGCs for your brands.

Credit the Original Creator

When you post UGCs on your social media channels or website, credit the original creator by tagging them. Acknowledging creators who give you relevant UGCs or free reviews in any format motivates customers to follow.??

Clear Guidelines and Incentives

To encourage UGCs from your customers through a marketing campaign, set clear guidelines for them to follow. This process ensures everyone follows a similar route in generating the content.

For example, if you’re looking for a short video, you can set guidelines on:

• how long do you want the video to be?
• the background of the video
• the type of music to play in the video
• the clothing of the original creator
• or the channel to share the UGC

Moreover, leverage incentives to encourage customers and prospects to take part in the campaign. You’ve probably seen these rolled out by musicians to create awareness of their new releases, including using #hashtags.

In Wrapping Up…

Successful UGCS are strategic tools for marketing and advertising purposes. You can also leverage them for influencer marketing on social media.?

Consequently, curating UGCs in a way that tells stories about your brand builds relationships with customers and prospects, highlights your services, and allows you to engage with your audience beyond making a sale.