If you’re a marketer or small business owner wanting to get your audience’s attention, you must be everywhere. Keeping up with content production can be daunting, from email and social media to paid campaigns and product pages.
Here’s where user-generated content can help.
But what is user-generated content? How can you collect it? And how can you repackage UGC to get more mileage out of it? Keep reading to find out.
Contents
What is user-generated content (UGC)?
User-generated content (UGC) is any form of original content created by customers and published on social media or other channels.
In a world of sharp and polished visuals, UGC can help you stand out from the crowd. Moreover, using UGC as part of your content strategy gives you a strong competitive advantage, as that content is unique to your business, and no one else can replicate it.
The best part: Today’s customers crave authenticity and original content.
As reported by eMarketer, over a quarter (28%) of ecommerce marketers in North America believe that images/videos from real customers can have the biggest impact on purchasing decisions. Moreover, nearly as many (26%) think UGC generates the most customer trust.
Around 40% of UK and US adults believe UGC is important when deciding to make a purchase, and 77% of shoppers are more likely to buy a product they found through UGC.
An example of a brand using UGC in its promotional YouTube videos.
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Types of user-generated content
User-generated content is much more than customers’ photos shared on Instagram. It includes everything from images and videos to social media posts, reviews, testimonials, and even comments. Let’s look at some of the most popular types of UGC:
- Photos. User-generated content cuts through the noise of flawless filters, staged photos, and AI-generated images, giving customers something real and relatable.
- Videos. Videos are still one of the most popular type of content, and the same is true for UGC. Whether Instagram and TikTok short videos or unboxing videos, this type of UGC content is very powerful. According to an eMarketer survey, watching videos is the #1 way Gen Z typically discovers new brands and products across all categories.
- Social media posts. Keeping up the pace with social media content creation is hard. Here’s where UGC can help. Use the content your audience creates to spice up your social media strategy.
- Reviews and testimonials. A real customer’s story hits differently. These days, everyone checks reviews and testimonials before buying anything—good or bad, they’re the first thing people look at to get reassured they’re making the right decision.
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How to collect user-generated content
So, you’re sold on the power of UGC—great. But how do you get your customers to actually create it? Let’s break down the real strategies to start collecting UGC without the heavy lifting.
Create a hashtag and ask customers to share photos
Do you ever wonder if hashtags still work? Well, just look at the #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt—with over 12 million posts, this hashtag has single-handedly sparked millions of impulse buys for products that went viral on TikTok.
To start collecting UGC, create a hashtag and encourage customers to use it. For an extra boost, you can also organize a social media challenge and reward the participants with the most likes. NYX Professional Makeup has done this with its #ButterGlossPop, which generated over 1.7 million posts on TikTok.
Partner with local creators and influencers
Influencer marketing is not only reserved for big businesses. If you want to make an impact, focus on partnering with local creators and micro-influencers who can reach your target audience. Whether you’re serving a specific area or selling niche products, partnering with local creators can be the right choice for you.
The Lavendaire Shop is a journaling and self-growth brand that has an open call for everyone who wants to be a brand ambassador, offering them different benefits such as a 15% commission on each order, product giveaways, early access to launches, and a discount code for their followers.
Create a loyalty program
Sometimes, you just need to give customers an extra nudge to encourage them to share photos or leave a review that you can later use as user-generated content. Here’s where loyalty programs can help. Building a loyalty program can gamify the experience and encourage customers to take specific actions to earn points.
This is exactly what the men’s apparel brand Chubbies does with its loyalty programs. In addition to making a purchase and creating an account, customers can also earn extra points for leaving a review. It’s a win-win situation—customers earn points, and you gather UGC content.
Organize a buzz-worthy live event
Getting people to talk about your brand isn’t as hard as it sounds. You just need to create a moment that makes them go, “Whoa!”—and then whip out their phones to share it. Live events or pop-up activations are the perfect way to spark that buzz and get people posting about you. Plus, this is a great way to increase foot traffic.
BÉIS is a chic luggage brand that created an interactive luggage ‘car wash’ experience that got people waiting in lines and sharing videos, which helped them rack up thousands of views on TikTok.
Turn comments into social media posts
Comments are underrated user-generated content, and businesses often forget to use them to create content. Platforms like TikTok now allow you to engage with a comment by responding with a post. It’s a great way to show customers you appreciate them and an easy way to create content that your competitors can’t copy.
So next time you’re wondering how to collect UGC, check your social media and see what’s already there. Mala is a candle brand that uses this tactic to engage with customers and create an authentic social media presence.
Use QR codes to generate UGC
If you want to create a shortcut for customers to share reviews, you can use QR codes. So, instead of asking them to go to your website, you can create a QR code that makes leaving a review quick and easy. This can be especially helpful for professional service businesses. Kind Pest Solution uses its business cards, asking customers to leave a Google review, and in turn, they tip the technicians $10.
7 ways to repackage UGC content: Best practices and examples
Now it’s time to check all the creative ways to repackage UGC and spice up your content strategy with fresh ideas that’ll make your brand pop and keep your audience engaged.
1. Reshare on social media
UGC is not only about sharing customer photos or videos. Reviews and testimonials can be the perfect type of UGC to share across your social media channels. This is especially true for home and professional service businesses, where customer reviews are crucial to getting more clients.
Mr. Electric is a local electrical and electrician services business that regularly shares customer testimonials on social media.
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2. Use UGC on your product pages
Adding product reviews and user-generated photos on your product pages can boost your customers’ confidence and encourage them to add the product to their cart.
Beautiful Earth is a jewelry brand that uses authentic product photos on its product pages, giving customers the extra boost they need to make a purchase decision.
3. Promote through paid ads
User-generated content is not reserved for your organic channels only. It can be a great way to share authentic, relatable content in your paid ads, giving your brand that “real” vibe while boosting your credibility without sounding too salesy.
The outdoor furniture brand Outer uses customer reviews in its paid ads, highlighting the high-quality materials.
Could your Facebook Ads benefit from UGC? Find out with our free Facebook Ads Grader!
4. Create shoppable content on your website
Creating a customer gallery on your website is great. You know what’s better? Turning it into shoppable content. Instead of putting customers through the hustle of finding the product on your website, turn your UGC into shoppable content that customers can buy with a click.
The waterproof jewelry brand Hey Harper uses this tactic to enhance the customer experience.
5. Use product reviews above the fold
If you want to grab customers’ attention right away, make sure to add customer photos and videos above the fold. After all, why make them scroll when you can hit them with social proof right from the start?
Dezi is an eyewear brand that focuses heavily on UGC. Besides sharing it on social media and the home page, the brand also uses UGC right below the add-to-cart button on its product pages.
6. Use UGC for email campaigns
Email marketing is still one of the best ways to reach your customers. The trick is to share content that resonates with customers and creates value. And since customers appreciate hearing about first-hand experiences, using UGC in your email campaigns can hit a home run.
Cole Hardware is a local, family-owned hardware store that uses UGC in its emails with a spin — sharing product reviews and recommendations from their crew.
7. Use UGC on your homepage
Your website is one of the first touchpoints for your customers, and your homepage is your virtual “doormat,” welcoming customers. So if you want to highlight UGC, whether that’s customer photos and videos or reviews and testimonials, your website homepage can be the perfect stage to show off all that real, authentic content that makes your brand feel human.
Brookfield Residential is a real estate developer that showcases customer reviews on its homepage using a third-party, independent reviews platform to boost credibility.
Embed UGC in your content strategy today
Now that you know how to collect and repackage user-generated content, it’s time to get your creative gears turning. The best thing about all these examples and best practices is that you can start applying them today. Curious to find out how we can help? Let’s talk.