Why User Generated Content is Cool
You might have heard the phrase user-generated content and wondered what exactly that meant. More importantly, you’re wondering why it’s a thing. “I create my own content for my social media page,” you think. “Why would I need my followers to create content for me? They don’t know my brand as well as I do!”
What Is User Generated Content?
User-generated content is any social media content that’s created by someone who isn’t working for your business or affiliated with your business in any way. In other words, it’s content created by people who use your products or services. That content could come in pretty much any form: reviews (left on your website or page, or even on a third-party platform like Yelp), photos, videos, or even something like a podcast. The defining aspect of the content is that it is associated with your brand.
Every time somebody eats at a restaurant and takes a picture of their food, that’s user-generated content.
Every time somebody takes a photo of themselves wearing jewelry you designed or sold, that’s user-generated content.
Every time somebody mentions in a podcast that your workshop was a gamechanger for their business development, that’s user-generated content.
Free Advertising
You get the picture. User-generated content is basically free advertising for your brand because it’s glorified word-of-mouth. But you have two options: You can passively observe these shoutouts to your brand on social media, OR you can encourage them and harness their power to maximum effect.
Here are just a few ways user-generated content can be so great:
User-generated content is shareable
Anyone who has ever tried to plan out their social media feed knows how hard coming up with good content can be. Here you have a post that’s already done for you. There was no need for you to go out and stage a photo, no need to come up with compelling copy, no need to think about what angle you want to take.
All you have to do is share the post and add a short note explaining why you’re sharing it. (For example: “We love seeing how much customers enjoy what we do!” You can even tag the user who originally made the post.)
Remember to always ask permission before you share something. Yes, even if the person tagged your page, and even if it seems so obvious that they want you to share it — asking is still the polite thing to do.
User-generated content can create brand loyalty.
Let’s face it — people get excited for a little shoutout on social media. Sure, they want to let everyone know how much they love your product or service, but they also like those 15 minutes of fame they get when you offer to share their content on your page.
This is a great way to make your customers feel a stronger relationship with your brand. It’s as if they’re actually part of your team. In this way, sharing user-generated content is a great way to generate brand loyalty.
Just as you should always ask before sharing somebody’s content, you should also ask permission before tagging them in a post on your page. Again, they’ll probably say yes…but asking is still polite.
They’re perceived as way more trustworthy than regular advertisements.
Here’s the thing: You can create the best advertisement in the world, and there are still consumers out there who don’t trust it. They think, “Well, of course, you like the product because it’s your business.” Or they think, “Duh, the ad is saying the product is great — that’s what ads are supposed to say.” Believe it or not, consumers are more than twice as likely to perceive user-generated content as authentic and believable compared with advertisements!
You can encourage people to create content for you.
There are plenty of brands that are practically telling people to give them free advertising on social media — they just don’t do it in so many words. They encourage people to share their brand experience using a designated hashtag — for example, you might have noticed that the grocery store Whole Foods encourages the hashtag #wholefoodshaul on social media. People take photos of everything in their shopping carts and share it on social media with the hashtag. Just like that, all of their followers are seeing what great products the grocery chain has to offer.
Sometimes it helps if you have a contest to make your hashtag gain traction. Let people know that any relevant content using the hashtag will be entered into a drawing for a prize (it can be something simple like a gift card). Watch the hashtag take off in popularity — and you can always ask to share some of the great submissions you get.
Don’t forget to track the analytics on user-generated content you share.
Just because somebody else generated it doesn’t mean you can’t learn from it. Pay attention to the analytics on user-generated content just as you would on content someone on your marketing team created. This will help you further understand what your followers like and how you can create great content going forward.
Our team at Ann’s Social Media & Marketing is ready to help you cultivate a digital presence that your customers will be excited to be part of. Reach out to us today by calling 443-679-4916 or emailing ann@asmmdigital.com.