Today, consumers are far more likely to believe what their friends have to say rather than the branded advertising of any company. Authentic connections and sales can help with business growth through user-generated content. If applied strategically, UGC can do wonders for business growth.
Here at Ladera Ranch Marketing, we search through all the value that can be acquired by tapping into UGC and provide actionable tips for businesses on how to successfully incorporate user-generated content into their marketing strategies.
What Is User-Generated Content?
A title for user-generated content is any form of content, whether videos, pictures, reviews, or even social media posts, created and shared in front of a wider public by customers, fans, and advocates. For instance, examples of it include product reviews on an e-commerce site, Instagram posts tagged with hashtags along a brand name, YouTube tutorials that use a company’s products, or community forums where conversations are being held referencing services.
When customers voluntarily create and share experiences relevant to a brand without any encouragement or compensation, it reflects greater customer satisfaction and acts as very convincing social proof for others.
Why Is Ugc So Influential For Business Growth?
There are several compelling reasons why taking control of UGC via strategic programs can boost business results:
Authentic Social Proof: Actual people endorsing a brand through their actual words and media carries much more credibility than traditional advertising. UGC actually provides authentic social proof that reduces the risk associated with the buyer’s journey.
Increased Engagement: Contributions from users create two-way conversations and a community around shared passions. It fosters deeper emotional connections and loyalty to the brand.
SEO Benefits: Organic UGC that is placed or linked to a site adds new relevant content the search engines like. It fosters natural linking and can help rankings if properly optimized.
Sharing: User-generated content often goes viral through word-of-mouth because the users are encouraged to share their experience whenever it is emotional, entertaining, or helpful.
New Audience Insights: The study of UGC themes, language, and hashtags offers great markets research as to what resonates and where opportunities may lie.
Improved Sales Conversion: Studies have shown that UGC leads to a better conversion rate. Really, 75% of consumers have indicated that their purchasing decisions were based on user reviews because they seek peer product recommendations and questions or concerns that reduce friction from the buyer’s journey.
How To Leverage UGC As Part Of a Marketing Strategy:
There are plenty of smart strategies for companies like Ladera Ranch Marketing to approach UGC methodically and integratively, including but not limited to:
User Generated Reviews
- Offer incentive to customers to give photos or written feed-back on company website, Google, or Facebook;
- Promote the best reviews across channels using user profile pictures and links.
- Host hashtag contests or photo sweepstakes with rewards for user-generated content engagement
- Celebrate creative UGC winners across owned channels with user credits
Customer Story Spotlights
- Engage the most keen fans through interviews on experiences and produce video case studies for the website
- Ask those customers that have had the most dramatic customer journey transformations to share on social
Unboxing & Tutorial Videos
- Solicit creative unboxing, tips, or demonstration clips from product experts
- Highlight the best of peer content across the site with click-to-subscribe on the icon
Online Communities
- Create discussion boards or Facebook groups based on main topics
- Ask questions in order to start conversations and establish yourself as a useful community collaborator
Analytics Are The New Gold
- Monitor UGC performance data closely, including views, shares, and comments to identify top contributors
- Foster relationships with influencers and recognize top engagement over time
All successful Digital Marketers are aware of the fact that user-generated content provides any business with a particularly powerful means of strengthening authentic relationships, when implemented in the right way. Ladera Ranch Marketing advises clients to turn to strategic programs involving UGC for maximum results through the voices of real users.
