Looking for a way for your business to enhance their social media strategy and increase engagement? User-generated content is the way to do this.
What is User-Generated Content?
User-generated content (UGC) is any content that is created by people rather than the brand itself.
Benefits of Showcasing UGC on Social Media
When making a purchasing decision are you more likely to trust the company or another consumer who has bought the product? Today 3/4 of all consumers rely on social media for their purchasing decisions because they are more likely to view other users’ content about the product as more authentic and trustworthy.
Additionally, UGC is a way to establish a sense of community between your brand and the consumer. Rather than your brand dictating the narrative, UGC allows the consumer to.
Where to Start
You’re probably thinking how can I get people to want to post about my company, or how do I find this type of content? The first step is to get on social media and encourage your employees to do the same. Employees can start generating content for your brand because they can promote your company on their personal accounts.
Developing an interactive hashtag, reposting consumer content, getting behind a good cause, and connecting with consumers who show a love for your brand are all ways to generate and showcase UGC.
Interactive Hashtag
An interactive hashtag is a hashtag that is created by a brand to interact with the consumer. #AerieReal is a great example of an interactive hashtag campaign. Aerie launched this campaign in support of the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA). Their hashtag #AerieReal was a “call to action” for their customers to take a stand against the common use of re-touched photos by posting un-touched photos in their swimwear with the hashtag #AerieReal. For every post with the hashtag they would donate $1 to NEDA. Aerie reposted the images that users had posted with their hashtag, which encouraged more users to post.
Aerie was successful in gaining more followers through this campaign and were additionally able to showcase a more genuine side to their brand.
This post was made by @aerie on Instagram and was reposted from @theturquoiseblonde_
Turning Positive Customer Feedback into Something Bigger
When people think of Chick-Fil-A one of the first things that comes to mind is their exceptional customer service. Customers love to share how Chick-Fil-A goes above and beyond online, and Chick-Fil-A took notice. Chick-Fil-A tracked down customers that shared these touching moments online and created “the little things” as a place for them to come to their studio and share their stories.
Chick-Fil-A says, “It’s those moments—that often happen daily in our restaurants—that you’ve snapped pictures of, documented in your feeds and tagged us in at Chick-fil-A. From Team Members changing tires for stranded drivers to the many times they’ve grabbed umbrellas in the face of driving rain to get customers safely to their cars, and even instances where they’ve protected customers from mama birds watching their nests—it’s through the lens of your experiences, the images captured from your phones, that we’ve seen all these little moments, these little things, build up people and communities one tiny gesture at a time.” (chick-fil-a.com)
Because this stemmed from raw content from the customer it creates a trustworthy tone because instead of the brand telling you how great they are, their customers are and that goes a much longer way for the consumer.
Why UGC Works
By showcasing UGC you can develop a personal connection and gain bigger fans and brand loyalty. UGC creates brand desire and drives people to want to post with your content.
So, take this opportunity to develop a community and reach even more audiences on your social media.
