Happy Memorial Day weekend! I can’t believe the month is almost over. For this last blog on Content versus Copy month, I will focus on User-Generated Content (UGC). UGC has become a big part of many companies’ marketing strategies and for a good reason. UGC is the digital version of word of mouth. UGC is powerful. Why? Because UGC drives social proof.
What is Social Proof?
Social proof is a documented psychological phenomenon where people adopt the actions of others to reflect standard or acceptable behavior for a culture or situation. We are hardwired to follow the crowd because we assume that if others behave in a certain way, it must be a good idea. Social proof is why your mother used to ask the teenage you, “If your friends jumped off a cliff, would you follow them?” if you were being truthful, you probably would have said, “Yes!”
Why is Social Proof so Important?
Social proof is WOM on steroids. It lends power to any marketing campaign by inspiring trust and giving you an edge over your competition. Customers will believe a positive review on your Facebook page than a boosted post from you on the same page. And that positive review can be a convenient decision maker if a prospective customer can’t decide between your product and a competitor’s product. And, social proof is relatively cheap and easy to leverage when compared to other marketing strategies because you tap others to create the content. Hence, UGC.
What is User-Generated Content?
UGC refers to any form of content, such as images, videos, text, testimonials, and audio, posted by creators on online platforms such as social media, discussion forums, and wikis. When the creators are fans or customers of a brand and the topic of the content is about that brand, the content has the power to drive awareness, sales, and sentiment for the brand. It’s powerful because the source (the creator) has credibility with the people who interact with their content. These people could be their friends, family, neighbors, or co-workers. They could also be fans and followers who have never met the creator but consume their content because it interests them.
Credibility is Power
Here are some stats that illustrate just how influential UGC can be.
Consumers rank authentic UGC as the most trustworthy content. (State of Social & User-Generated Content 2023)
79.69% of consumers look at ratings and reviews before making a purchase. (State of Social & User-Generated Content 2023
68.75% of consumers have purchased something they saw on social media. (State of Social & User-Generated Content 2023)
When websites feature UGC, they can see an increase of 29% in web conversions, a 20% increase in return visitors, and a 90% increase in time spent on-site.
Forms of UGC
User-generated content can appear on any digital channel, not just social media. You’ll see UGC in the comments of your blog posts, stand-alone or guest blog posts, review websites like Yelp and Trip Advisor, forum discussions on industry webpages or media sites, podcasts, and video channels like YouTube.
UGC can take the form of:
Product or brand reviews or testimonials
Comments on your social media or blogs
Blog posts
Forum discussions
Social media posts
Social media hashtags
Unboxing/Review/Hack videos
This is not an exhaustive list. Creators are coming up with new ways to interact with brands every day.
I want to stress that UGC can come from anyone. While we hear many stories about influencer marketing taking over the Internet, impactful UGC can come from your best customer or an employee. The power of UGC is in its authenticity. The less stylized and curated, the better. A brand does not have to spend a ton of money on influencers with millions of followers and a camera crew. Instead, ask your customers or social media followers to send you their content. When appropriately used, UGC can be one of your most successful forms of content marketing.
UGC Best Practices
Here are some best practices for starting a UGC campaign:
1. Set specific goals, KPIs, and guidelines for your UGC campaign.
2. Always ask permission from the creator before sharing user-generated content.
3. Be clear about the type of content you’re looking for when asking creators for UGC.
4. Credit the original creator of the content.
5. Be open to feedback and suggestions from your audience.
6. Strive for authenticity and uniqueness.
7. Share a variety of user-generated content (video, blogs, social posts) for maximum impact.
8. Monitor and moderate UGC to ensure it aligns with your brand values and messaging.
9. Encourage follower/customer engagement with the content once published.
Your customers can be your most impactful brand ambassadors. UGC is a powerful version of content marketing created by your customers and fans. When done right, UGC creates brand recognition, engagement, and loyalty.
If you need assistance in planning and executing an exceptional content marketing strategy, including, UGC, I’d love to help! Let’s talk.
