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Boost Marketing with User-Generated Content!

 Tuesday, October 25, 2022

3 clever ways to create valuable UGC(User-Generated Content)! 

Businesses strive to build trust among their audience and potential customers and sometimes go to great lengths to create marketing campaigns, social media posts, or blogs to establish their brand identity. 

In the end, potential customers are more likely to believe reviews from real people than they are to believe marketing messages from businesses. Consumers trust content created by existing customers leaving online reviews and testimonials. 

We’ve all seen the impact Amazon reviews, social media influencers, and celebrity endorsements have on products and the brand’s identity! It’s what marketers term User-Generated Content (UGC).  

In this blog, let’s dive deeper into what makes user-generated content important to marketing efforts and how you can leverage it to attract loyal customers for your business. 

A Killer UGC Strategy to Attract Customers 

UGC can help to forge a closer connection between customers and your brand. Customers who feel like they're part of a community are more likely to become loyal, repeat customers. UGC is an incredibly cost-effective marketing tool for small businesses on a tight budget. 

Give People a Reason to Share Your Content 

Coca-Cola’s ” Share a Coke” campaign in 2011 replaced its traditional label with 150 of the most popular first names in the country. It encouraged fans to find a bottle with their names and share it with friends and family. Not only was the campaign successful, but it also created significant user-generated content.  

The lesson? Give your page followers a reason to talk about your brand. You don’t need to go all out with the budget. They may share your brand’s Facebook posts for several reasons — discounts, recognition, and rewards. Or simply because they like it and can’t resist sharing it. 

Don’t Underestimate the Power of Hashtags 

Using hashtags strategically on social media platforms like Instagram and Twitter can inspire people to share your content.  

Run a hashtag campaign and encourage your fans to use your brand hashtag in their comments, shares, and content to promote you. In turn, give them an incentive. Sometimes, just featuring the shares on your brand account is enough for users. You can also propose free merchandise, membership, or service.  

Airbnb has effectively leveraged the use of hashtags. Their branded hashtag #airbnb - simple and memorable - is used heavily by customers to post about their properties. The brand even tracks the hashtags and reposts the content. 

Must Read: Slow and Steady Wins the Race 

Simply Ask! 

Let your customers know the kind of UGC content you’re looking for and encourage them to send it to you.  

Starbucks does it tactfully! They ran a contest asking customers to design their coffee cups and submit online entries. The contest led to an exponential rise in UGC submissions, dramatically increasing brand awareness. 

Try asking open-ended, interactive questions to your audience. Make the questions thought-provoking and relevant to your business, and post them on your social media channels.  

If you haven’t tapped into the power of user-generated content, it’s high time to start. Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest are sites that run primarily on user-generated content — take a hint from the experts! 

Walibu can help you leverage user-generated content and enhance your brand awareness. Reach out to us at (916) 358-3950 and drive more attention to your business. 

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