What is User Generated Content?
User-generated content (UGC) is becoming the wave of the future for many brands trying to build their online presence. This content comes directly from loyal customers themselves and gives brands the ability to interact with their followers in ways that show gratitude for purchases.
UGC also enables brands to showcase real reviewers utilizing their products in everyday situations. This content type delivers a sense of authenticity and provokes other users to tag and share their product experiences as well.
How can I gather UGC?
Many brands utilize a variety of tactics to boost the creation of user-generated content. These tactics can range from simply sharing the post of a loyal customer on your story or feed to creating contests that require buyers to post and tag.
As influencer marketing gains popularity, many Instagram users have been tagging their favorite products and brands in hopes of securing brand partnerships or be reposted into the brand’s feed. These organic growth tactics are one of the driving factors behind UGC in today’s social media environment. Brands that recognize loyal customer posts and repost those to their profiles not only show appreciation but also encourage other users to post their experiences.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, brands have been keen to offer product or experience giveaways to obtain more UGC. For example, Trivago ran a successful UGC contest in 2017. The contest required followers to post an original photo of their favorite hotel and tag #trivagofaves for a chance to win $500. From this contest, Trivago was able to generate over 37,000 post views and a surplus of UGC content of their hotels.
These are just a couple of the many tactics there are to generate UGC for your brand. From giveaways, incentives, and offers to simply showing appreciation to loyal customers, the possibilities with user-generated content are endless.
