Want UGC that Converts? Read this.

10 Commandments of UGC

I’m sure you’ve seen ads pop up on your Facebook screen where a seemingly unpaid, real life, human is using a product in their own not so perfect home. This is a prime example of UGC (user-generated content). User-generated content isn’t just used on Facebook anymore; brands like Zappos and Amazon have built entire ecosystems on Pinterest and Instagram where UGC can live alongside professionally produced content to drive sales through their blog feeds and email marketing efforts.

As a consumer, I have a pretty good handle on what converts- after all, "TikTok made me buy" several products just this weekend. ??

Here are ten things you should know if you're trying to launch a successful UGC campaign- organic or paid ad.

It Needs to Look Real?

UGC is a great way for brands to connect with their customers on a personal level. It's also an opportunity to show your personality, which will help you stand out from the crowd. But there are some things that you should keep in mind when creating UGC:

• Make sure your photos look real by using natural lighting and angles that don't feel too staged or forced
• Don't try too hard to make something look authentic; let it happen naturally instead

It Shouldn’t Look Professional?

The best UGC is found, not faked.

It should look like a real customer took the photo or video and uploaded it to your site (better yet, have a real customer create the content). You want it to be authentic and show off the product honestly, not just a stock photo that looks perfect but doesn't give any context or personality.

The product should be visible! This seems obvious, but there are many times when companies will create UGC that doesn't create curiosity about what they're selling

The Purpose Should be Clear

To the viewer, they must understand what you want them to do and why. So, if your goal is to get them signed up for a free trial of your product or service, make sure it's obvious what they need to do for this action to occur (and give them clear instructions on how). If they don't know where they should go next after watching your video, chances are good that they won't take any action at all.

To the brand: You want people who watch UGC content about your company or products/services created by others who love those same things as much as possible--but not just any love! You want them to feel inspired by what other consumers have shared about their experiences with your brand--and then ultimately inspired enough by these stories so that when presented with an opportunity like this again down the line (for example, through another piece of UGC), their mind jumps straight back into "Oh yeah! That was great!" mode without having thought twice about whether or not there were other options out there worth considering first."

The Product Should be Visible?

It's important to understand that the product should be visible. The more visible your product is, the higher your conversion rate. There are two aspects to this:

• The product should be easy to see
• The product should be easy to find

You want customers interested in what you're selling, so make sure they can easily find what they're looking for by making sure there's enough UGC around that mentions your brand name and products specifically.

There needs to be a Hook

The hook is the sentence placed at the top of a UGC video. It's what gets viewers' attention, so it needs to be good!

The best way to use a hook is by making it personal and relevant for your audience. If you can do this, people will want to see more about what you have created because it relates directly to them or their lives. I have examples in my portfolio (click here)

The Best UGC is Found,?not Faked?

UGC is not the same as professional photography.

There are many different types of UGC, but the best is real people sharing how they use real products in their everyday lives. This means that the photos and videos should be authentic because they showcase something that happened in real life or someone's life. It's not just an image on a screen--it's happening in front of you!

The Second Best UGC Isn't Cheap

The cost of UGC can be high, depending on who is producing it. This is because authentic-looking UGC needs to be produced by a professional and not just anyone with access to the internet. For example, if you are looking for conversions, hire someone who can speak to the conversions their content has created.

If you're interested in learning more about how I can help with high conversion UGC, please send me a message on LinkedIn or email me at: [email protected]

It Can be Repurposed?

UGC can be repurposed in a variety of formats. For example, you might have a video created for one campaign, but it could also be used as part of another campaign. The same goes for images and text (Make sure you get permission from the creator).

This is great news because you can get more bang for your buck! With UGC, there are fewer restrictions on how you use the content, making it easier to reuse across multiple platforms without starting from scratch every time.

I've seen really effective ads where the company essentially created a montage of repurposed clips promoting their product, and it turned out great.

The Focus is Sales, not Aesthetic?

You need to remember that the purpose of UGC is not to look good. It's to sell, meaning you should focus on your product and how a real person uses them.

For example, I saw this great piece of UGC over the weekend where a man was using "croc lights" in the snow. When I saw him using them, I knew that my father-in-law absolutely needed these- adds to cart.

When thinking about aesthetics, things can vary a bit by niche. Some consumers are looking for a very high-end aesthetic so keep this in mind, especially if you're selling on Insta.

The Lighting Doesn’t have to be Perfect

Lighting is important, but you don't need to go overboard. Notice how the light hits the product in this photo? It shows off its features and makes it look good.

The same thing happens when your friend takes a selfie with their new phone case: The light from their phone reflects off of their face and gives them a glowing complexion (which may or may not be real).

Research shows that consumers can tell when a professional camera was used to create UGC vs. an iPhone. The professional camera clues them that the content isn't authentic, meaning.... scroll.

Final Thoughts on UGC that Converts

There are many things to keep in mind when creating high-conversion UGC. It needs to look real but not too professional. The purpose should be clear, and there should also be a hook to get people excited about your product or service. The best UGC is found, not fake! You can repurpose it if needed; the focus is always on sales, not aesthetic perfectionism.

If you're looking to partner with an awesome UGC creator who knows her stuff feel free to drop me a message on LinkedIn or shoot me an email at: [email protected]