A few months ago, I visited Lima, Peru. I spent some time doing the obvious — touring the archaeological wonder Huaca Pucllana and wandering the artsy streets of the Barranco neighborhood. But when it came time to dine on local Peruvian food, I was lost. There were dozens of restaurants within walking distance, but how would I know which one served the best food?
So I did what numerous other travelers do when they’re unfamiliar with the location they’re in — I combed through local restaurant reviews. I chose a place with lots of great feedback from prior clients, and within an hour, I was munching on grilled octopus.
If I hadn’t done a little homework, could I have found the restaurant I went to? Maybe, but probably not. It wasn’t exactly next door, and its exterior wasn’t especially eye-catching. In all likelihood, I would have walked right past it.
I tell you this story to illustrate the impact that user-generated content (UGC) can have on a business. A client who takes the time out of their busy day to share what they love about your products or services can attract interest from others. Those people may not otherwise come across your brand.
What is UGC or user-generated content?
User-generated content, sometimes abbreviated as UGC, refers to messaging shared by regular, everyday people about their experience with a brand. It’s not sponsored by a business or a part of its marketing campaign.
To put the UGC meaning into better perspective, think about the last time you talked to a friend or a family member. Maybe that person commented about the exceptional customer service they received at a local retail store. That’s a form of user-generated content. It’s someone’s authentic perception of their experience with a brand or organization. In this case, you’re the only one who hears about it, but some types of UGC reach vast amounts of consumers.
Types of user-generated content
There are several forms of UGC to know as a business owner or marketer.
Customer reviews
There are dozens of review platforms out there. Google, TripAdvisor, and G2 come immediately to mind. All these sites provide a way for customers to share what they think about a business. Their reviews can help others find information they’re looking for about brands that offer specific products or services and decide whether to give them a try.
Social media posts
A supportive social media post from a happy customer can be pretty valuable to a business. If you’re lucky enough to have a client share their delight about your products, it’s UGC that can potentially reach dozens or hundreds of potential buyers.
Pictures
Clients may use a photo to capture their experience with your brand. Those pictures may provide an excellent testimonial to what your business offers.
Videos
Videos allow a client to record their experience with a product or brand. The video may end up in a text between friends, promoting word of mouth, or on a social media platform like TikTok, where it can potentially become viral and reach hundreds and thousands of people.
Blog
If your brand gets mentioned in a blog, it may pique the reader’s interest and encourage them to learn more about what you have to offer.
Discussion forum posts
Platforms like Quora and Reddit give people a way to ask questions and get answers from anyone who sees the post. A client may mention your brand in the forum, drumming up general interest in your products or services.
How user-generated content benefits your business
These days, consumers are much less likely to rely exclusively on a brand’s marketing messages when making a purchase decision. Savvy people know that a brand can say whatever it likes about its products and services (within legal bounds, of course). Those glossy magazine ads and catchy commercials can only go so far as to convert a client.
According to Statista, 34% of potential clients look at a brand’s reviews before buying something. That number jumps to 43% for local businesses. That’s a pretty strong reason to get your company listed on relevant review sites.
Going further, half of Millennials look to user-generated content on social media for product recommendations from trusted influencers and friends. They value the authenticity a user-generated post gives, feeling that it’s more credible than a traditional brand advertisement.
Businesses that encourage user-generated content stand to benefit. For one, it’s free advertising. There’s no monetary expense to you. The only cost you incur is the time you spend encouraging clients to talk about your company with their friends and audience.
Another advantage is brand awareness. When a client spreads the word about your brand, it can lead others to check out what you have to offer. That means more people perusing your storefront or visiting your website.
User-generated content can be a giant revenue-maker. It’s not unheard of for brands to run out of stock in their products if a positive UGC post goes viral. But even if the post doesn’t generate millions of views, it can still bring in new clients you might not otherwise have reached.
Examples of user-generated content
So, what does user-generated content look like on the internet? Here are a few examples.
The Pink Stuff
In a user-generated YouTube video, a consumer put a cleaning solution named The Pink Stuff through a bunch of tests to see how well it performed. So far, over 530,000 people viewed the video — an excellent testament to how one person’s experience can reach thousands of others interested in a product.
Los Tacos No. 1
A small, unassuming Mexican restaurant in New York City managed to accumulate nearly 12,000 positive Google reviews from happy customers. Despite its tiny size, it’s one of the top-rated places to eat in Manhattan.
Glowsly
The Glowsly blog focuses on skincare, makeup, and beauty products. It regularly posts reviews of its editor’s favorite products — helping to introduce its readers to products they may like.
Where to share user-generated content
Many companies use social listening tools like Google Alerts and Ahrefs to keep track of their organization’s mentions on social media, video platforms, and blogs. Those tools are useful for finding user-generated content that talks about your brand you may not realize is out there.
Another place where you can find UGC about your company is review sites. Any platforms you sign up for — like Google Maps, Apple Maps, and Amazon — allow you to view reviews left by clients who buy with your company.
But what do you do if you want to capitalize on the free publicity you’re getting from your customers? Share it through your social media marketing campaigns and platforms! That way, the UGC gets more traction among your intended audience.
Keep in mind that you may need to ask for permission before sharing UGC. Reaching out to the customer can get you the approval you need to reshare their content publicly. Once you get the a-okay, you can repurpose it through other channels.
Social media
Have you found a few social media posts mentioning your brand? Reshare them from your company’s account! Resharing is a simple and effective way to get more eyeballs on your posts. And since it’s user-generated content and not an ad, you may see higher engagement on the post.
Website or blog
Many brands use their website to highlight positive customer reviews and testimonials from prior clients. It’s a great way to get positive feedback right in front of new potential customers without them needing to search for it themselves.
Ads
You can try placing an ad on social media, TV, or other platforms showcasing positive customer reviews and UGC feedback. Just be sure to get your client’s approval before running it, especially if the review contains personal information.
Print campaigns
Some brands use direct mailers and other printed advertisements to reach their target audience. Try working in a few customer reviews on your ad so recipients see how much people enjoy your products or services.
Paid user-generated content (influencers/digital creators)
Not all UGC has to be free. Many brands work directly with influencers and UGC creators to advertise their products and get in front of a targeted audience.
So, what does UGC influencer marketing entail? Usually, it’s a paid partnership. The UGC influencer gets a fee for creating a social media post or advertising your brand through some other platform, like a blog. These types of partnerships are useful when the influencer’s audience looks very similar to the characteristics of your average customer.
Let’s take an example. Say you create a new skincare cream that targets wrinkles and sun spots. The target audience might be women in their 30s and 40s who take skincare seriously. Partnering with a beauty influencer in a paid UGC social media campaign could generate interest in your product and even boost sales.
Best practices for sharing user-generated content
As your UGC marketing campaign gains steam, keep these tips in mind to make the most of it.
1. Ask customers to leave a review
The chances are, the first thought a customer may have after buying your product or service won’t be, “I have to get on social media and talk about this!” Instead, they’ll likely enjoy the experience and move on with their day. That’s where a little prodding can help.
When a client is wrapping up their purchase, take the time to tell them how happy you are they chose your brand. You might ask them to leave feedback on a review site like Google. Sometimes, all it takes is a simple request to get the positive reviews you’re hoping for.
2. Use contests to encourage user-generated content
Some brands do quite well running contests and challenges to attract user-generated content. You can try a similar strategy. You might ask your social media followers to create posts about your products and services, then reward the winner with a cash gift or free products. Just be sure to give your audience clear instructions so they know the rules and how to enter.
3. Encourage a variety of UGC
Try diversifying the types of user-generated content you get. Ask clients to leave reviews, create social media posts, share photos of their experience — whatever you think will work for your brand! Remember, the more UGC people see about your business, the more likely they are to pay attention and see what’s causing all the buzz.
4. Make the most of integrations to optimize your time
You probably use several platforms and software apps in your business. Try leveraging integrations so you don’t need to switch between different software constantly when running a UGC campaign and other operations.
For instance, Constant Contact’s email and social media marketing software integrates with Zapier, allowing you to automate different parts of your UGC campaigns. That makes it much easier to design campaigns and share UGC content with your audience.
Stand out from the crowd with user-generated content
Marketing can do a lot for your business — boost awareness, connect you with a target audience, and ultimately drive sales. However, in most marketing campaigns, the brand controls the narrative.
When you open your business to user-generated content, you learn what other people truly think about your products and services. It lends an air of credibility and authenticity that’s nearly impossible to recreate with in-house marketing materials.
Think about where you could incorporate UGC into your marketing strategy. You might start small with customer reviews and work your way up to social media contests or paid influencer partnerships. As your UGC strategy gains steam, you’ll reap the rewards of enhanced brand awareness, excited clients, and more sales!
