User-generated content (UGC): What it is and how to use it in your social media campaigns
With billions of pieces of content posted every day, social media strategists are trying to engage with their target audience and insert their brand into the conversation. One of the best ways to do so is through user-generated content (UGC). By learning more about user-generated content, why it’s important, the different types of user-generated content and best platforms and how you can use user-generated content on your platforms, you’ll be able to increase engagement with your audience in no time.?
What is user-generated content (UGC)?
User-generated content is content created by consumers about a specific brand or product that the consumer posts on social media. It can be posted as a photo, video or text.?
User-generated content can be referred to by its letters (UGC) or as “consumer-generated content” or “user generated content.” However, all terms carry the same meaning.?
What are the different types of user-generated content?
Examples of user-generated content include:?
One of the best forms of user-generated content is photos. Users can share photos of their recent purchases, like their dog’s new harness or their recent takeout order. Brands can then repost this content to their own platforms if they wish.?
Videos are also a great way to share user-generated content. #Haul on TikTok has over 15 million posts and counting, with videos of users sharing what they bought recently and where it’s from. Brands can repost this content on their own accounts as well.
Blog posts and guest columns are useful forms of UGC for brands whose content is mostly done through text. When accepting guest columns, newspapers receive content from their readers and post it on their own websites. This can enhance their post diversity and foster community engagement while decreasing the burden on their own writers.?
Reviews are also a form of user-generated content, as consumers are voluntarily sharing their experience with a product or brand. Because reviews come from consumers who have actually bought and tried the product, consumers are likely to trust it, as reviews can increase their purchasing confidence.?
Why is user-generated content important?
User-generated content is the most valuable and authentic kind of media.?
Earned media is one of the cheapest forms of media for a brand. When users create content about a brand and share it with their friends and followers, the brand benefits from this organic promotion and expanded reach without significant costs to the brand.?
Furthermore, 63% of consumers believe that user-generated content is more authentic to the shopping experience than branded content. Therefore, when consumers view content from people similar to them, they’re more likely to believe in the authenticity of the product in the post than if they saw an advertisement from the brand.?
User-generated content is cost-effective for brands to share.?
Social media campaigns can be expensive, even if they run for a very short time. Not only do you have to invest your money into a campaign, but you are also investing time and resources. User-generated content can offset the cost of these campaigns, as users are essentially creating the content for you.?
Users also want to see themselves on the profile or feed of their favorite brands. CAVA, a Mediterranean restaurant chain, frequently receives DMs from its consumers. While DMs aren’t necessarily shared publicly, CAVA has been able to turn this into campaign content by posting DM screenshots on its Instagram. Receiving and sending DMs are free, so the only costs associated with this post are the creation of the graphics.?
User-generated content is a valuable form of word-of-mouth (WOM) and brand awareness.?
Word-of-mouth marketing comes with an endorsement from the consumer for the brand. When sharing positive, brand-related user-generated content, consumers are endorsing the brand, even if that wasn’t their explicit intention. This can lead to big improvements for the brand, as 73% of consumers say that user-generated content increases their purchasing confidence.??
Furthermore, when users share content about your brand with their followers, this increases awareness about your brand among these followers.?
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What platforms are best for user-generated content?
There are many platforms that user-generated content can be curated from, so the platform you pull content from depends on your goals in sharing UGC and the campaign it is a part of.?
If you are selling a product that depends on photos to connect with the audience, you should pull user-generated content from platforms like Instagram and Facebook, where users are likely to be sharing their own photos of your product. However, if you are looking to share how-to videos about your product created by consumers, video-based platforms like TikTok are the place to go.?
What are the pros and cons of user-generated content?
When looking at user-generated content for your brand, there are many benefits that it can bring to your brand. However, not all user-generated content is useful.?
Pros
User-generated content gets you cost-effective earned media and brand awareness.?
When users share user-generated content, the brand mentioned in the content benefits from the promotion and reach without any cost to the brand. This can be more effective than your paid advertising.?
User-generated content can show you how to improve your product.?
When users share content about a brand through product reviews, they may discuss the ways they wish the product was different to bring a more positive experience to their product usage. Keith Lee, a TikTok food reviewer, is popular for his honest restaurant reviews. Brands who view content about their restaurant from Lee can watch these critiques to learn how to better improve their product.?
Cons
Earned media is the hardest form of media to control.
Unlike paid and owned media, brands cannot control what is done with their earned media. Consumers can post very negative or very positive content about a brand, and both have the potential to go viral. This unpredictability means that brands need to be aware of the sentiment around their brands and monitor the user-generated content to see how consumer sentiment is falling.?
User-generated content varies in quality.?
Not all user-generated content is created equal. Some content looks to be shot on professional cameras, while other content looks like it was taken with a much older camera. Make sure that when sharing user-generated content on your brand’s accounts that the content quality matches what else is on your page.
Some user-generated content might slip through the cracks.?
With so much content posted on social media every day, it can be hard to track everything that is posted about your brand. Make sure to have dedicated teams to track user-generated content about your brand and increase the size of this team if necessary.?
How can I use user-generated content on my platforms?
With so many platforms and content that can be posted on social media, there are many ways to post user-generated content to your feeds. These forms include:
Contests are a great example of how to show off the different ways users can use your product. Earlier this year, CAVA launched a campaign centered around user-generated content, where CAVA fans posted their bowl recipes, and three winners ultimately got their bowls on the CAVA menu and received a $5,000 gift card. Videos using the contest hashtags generated millions of views, increasing consumers’ awareness of the brand.
On platforms like Instagram, it is popular for users to tag the brands of the clothes they’re wearing. Brands can monitor the posts that they get tagged in, and if it matches the other content on their profile, they can share it among their followers to get even more engagement.?
Brands can also feature positive reviews on their website, something that 75% of consumers trust when making purchase decisions. Companies like Dryer Vent Superheroes in Nashville have utilized this on their own website by featuring real reviews on their site.?
For products used in combination with other products, like Ritual Zero Proof’s non-alcoholic liquor, how-to videos showing examples of use from consumers are a great way to show user-generated content. Not only can viewers see how to use the product, it is created by a source they trust, including the brand’s credibility.?
Now that you know more about user-generated content, the different types of UGC, why it’s important, the best platforms for user-generated content and how to use it on your platforms, you are well on your way to becoming a user-generated content professional. Share your tips for using user-generated content in the comments below!