Getting Started with User-Generated Content and How to Use it in Your Strategy

Whether it’s product reviews, social media posts, or customer testimonials, User Generated Content (UGC) can help build trust, drive sales, and foster a sense of community. This type of content is a powerful tool that allows brands to truly connect with their audience in an authentic and engaging way. But how can you get started with UGC, and what are the various ways you can use it in your marketing strategy? Here’s a guide to help you leverage UGC for your brand.

Why UGC matters

UGC is effective because it’s created by real people, not brands. When potential customers see others using and enjoying a product, it builds social proof. In fact, studies show that consumers are more likely to trust content created by other customers than traditional branded content. According to Adweek, a whopping 92% of consumers trust UGC more than traditional advertising.

UGC also saves time and resources. Instead of creating all the content yourself or through your team, you can leverage the creativity of your customers. This approach can humanize your brand and create a strong sense of community. Plus, you’d be surprised at how genuine and well-crafted content can emerge from real customer experiences. 

How to get started with UGC

Identify Your Goals: Start by defining what you want to achieve with UGC. Are you looking to increase brand awareness, boost engagement, or drive sales? Clear goals will help you design a more effective UGC strategy.

Create a Call to Action (CTA): Encourage your customers to share their experiences with your brand by creating a compelling CTA. This could be a branded hashtag, a photo contest, or simply asking for reviews. Make it easy for them to contribute.

Choose the Right Platforms: Select the platforms that make sense for your audience. Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook are widely popular platforms for visual content, while platforms like Twitter and LinkedIn can be great for customer testimonials or reviews.

Incentivize Participation: Offer incentives like giveaways, discounts, or being featured on your social media accounts to encourage customers to participate. The more you can incentivize, the more likely your audience will engage.

Different ways to incorporate UGC in your strategy

Social Media Content

Social media is one of the best places to showcase UGC. Encourage your followers to tag your brand or use a specific hashtag when sharing their experience with your products. Reposting this content on your brand’s profile not only fills your feed with authentic testimonials but also makes your audience feel valued.

Product Pages

UGC can be incredibly impactful on product pages. Featuring customer reviews, photos, and videos directly on the product page can help boost conversions by giving potential buyers real-world proof of your product’s quality. It reassures customers during the decision-making process and can act as a trust signal.

Email Marketing

UGC can also enhance your email marketing strategy. Incorporate customer photos or testimonials into your newsletters or promotional emails to add authenticity and relatability to your brand messaging. Sharing how others are using your product can spark interest and drive engagement.

Paid Ads

Incorporating UGC into your paid ads can significantly improve your ad performance. Ads that feature real customers using your products often perform better than those with stock images or branded content. Including UGC in paid ads can increase click-through rates by up to 50%, according to Hootsuite. These ads resonate more because they appear more genuine, relatable, and trustworthy. 

Website Banners and Hero Sections

Displaying UGC prominently on your homepage or other key sections of your website can instantly capture attention. High-quality user-generated visuals and testimonials in hero sections can set the tone for authenticity and help establish credibility with new visitors.

Product Unboxing and Reviews

Unboxing videos and review content have become incredibly popular. Encourage customers to create unboxing videos or provide reviews. Featuring these on your website or social media can demonstrate the real-life value of your product and create excitement around it.

How to encourage high-quality UGC

While quantity is great, quality also matters. Here are a few tips to encourage high-quality UGC:

• Share clear instructions on how to submit content, including what types of photos or videos work best. This can help ensure the content aligns with your brand aesthetic.
• Highlight the best UGC examples to encourage others to create similar high-quality content. This can help consumers get inspired and produce great content.
• Make sure to acknowledge and thank your customers for creating and sharing content. Engaging with UGC creators not only encourages more contributions but also strengthens the relationship between your brand and your customers.
• While UGC is prized for its authenticity, it’s essential that the content doesn’t stray too far from your brand’s voice and message. Provide creative guidelines to help users stay on-brand, and curate content that feels like a natural extension of your brand values. This way, the UGC will feel authentic yet connected to the narrative you’re trying to build.

Some things to consider

If your customer base isn’t large enough or ready to generate substantial UGC, platforms like Billo, #paid, or AspireIQ can help you connect with real consumers or micro-influencers who are eager to try your products and create UGC. These platforms provide a streamlined way to source high-quality, authentic content while still building social proof and boosting engagement.

Before using UGC in your marketing, make sure you have permission to do so. You can either ask for explicit permission or use a UGC platform, like those mentioned above, that helps manage rights and permissions for user-created content.

Not only does UGC content build trust and loyalty but also provides a steady stream of authentic, relatable content. Whether it’s through social media, product pages, or paid ads, integrating UGC into your strategy can help drive engagement, build community, and ultimately boost conversions.

With the right approach, your customers can become some of your most powerful brand advocates!