UGC is a cost-effective and impactful marketing strategy, standing for User-Generated Content. As the name implies, it involves content created by users, ranging from testimonials and customer reviews to social media posts tagging your company or business. Similar to word of mouth, people are more likely to trust your business when they hear positive and authentic things about your brand. UGC is open and honest, building trust within your community and enabling you to reach new potential customers.
In a competitive world, authenticity is crucial for your brand, ensuring that your customers know they are guaranteed a product or service that is trusted and loved.
UGC can take various forms, including:
- Images
- Videos
- Social media content (e.g., tweets/Facebook posts)
- Testimonials
- Product reviews
- Live streams
- Blog posts
- YouTube content
Examples of Brands Incorporating UGC:
1.GoPro
Video equipment company GoPro sustains its YouTube channel using UGC, with its top three videos all originally filmed by customers. As of December 2021, those three videos have amassed over 400 million views combined. GoPro promotes daily photo challenges to inspire users to get creative.
2. Lululemon
Athleisure brand Lululemon, known for its premium leggings and yoga pants, increased its social media reach by encouraging followers to share photos in Lululemon garments using the #thesweatlife. This resulted in a treasure trove of easily searchable UGC content, expanding the company’s brand awareness and reach across social media.
3. Summer Fridays
A new vegan, cruelty-free skincare brand, Summer Fridays, creates aesthetic snippets of upcoming product launches that users share on their social media. Summer Fridays reposts these images, raising brand awareness and spreading the word about the launch with minimal effort.
Top 3 Tips for Using UGC in Your Marketing Strategy:
1. Always ask for permission:
Consent to share content is mandatory. Always ask before republishing or using a customer’s content to avoid copyright concerns and show appreciation.
2. Credit the original creator:
When sharing user-generated content, give clear credit to the original creator by tagging them directly in the post and specifying whether you’re using their visuals, words, or both.
3. Be strategic:
Assess your social media strategy and outline ways in which UGC will add value. Share UGC where people are likely to interact with your brand, such as your website, social media, social channel bios, or a physical location.
In conclusion, user-generated content has become a major trend due to its power and influence in the online environment. The benefits, including increased credibility, user engagement, and reduced production costs, make UGC a valuable trend in marketing.
