Optimizing your Marketing Strategy with User-Generated Content

What is user-generated content (aka UGC)?

Let’s break it down. User-generated means customers, brand loyalists or even employees recording and uploading something about their experience with your product or brand. The customer feedback can take the form of a written review, image, video, or even podcast recording that describes (and testifies!) your product in terms other potential customers will understand.

User-generated content is the secret sauce to gaining new customers because it’s “fungi” of the sales cycle. Just as mushrooms break down dying plants and deliver nutrients for new ones, so does UGC with sales. One cycle’s byproduct, such as a product review, is another cycle’s beginning, meaning it’s likely all your target market needs to hit purchase.

3 Reasons Why You Should Utilize UGC

1. User-generated content is compelling social proof.

According to Stackla, 90% of consumers say authenticity is important when deciding which brands they like and support.

The best reason to incorporate user-generated content is it serves as excellent proof of your product. Seeing content from real users increases your credibility and puts your product’s promises into perspective for them. People across ages and demographics trust UGC more because its unbiased and genuine which provides them with clear and compelling reasons to buy your product.

2. User-generated content stretches your marketing budget.

According to Stackla, 79% of people say UGC highly impacts their purchasing decisions. With that many people wanting “off-brand” content, user-generated visuals should be posted just as often as branded content, if not more.

Content creation resources (and cash) are often limited, which means brands have to get scrappy when it comes to obtaining more visual content. Sourcing images directly from your fans on social media means photography, videography, writing, and publishing costs are reduced if not taken out altogether.

3. It’s a win-win for both you and your customers.

You want to grow your brand story so why not let users shape the plot? By spotlighting the people most intimate with your product, you’re painting a more realistic image of the possible ways it fits in users’ lives. Not only does this attract better consumers, but maybe in some niches you never thought to look.

Your consumers want to express their story, too! Why not give them a platform for a shoutout and to show appreciation. Developing a relationship like this also helps with buyer’s remorse and makes your brand community feel like you’re marketing with them, not at them.

Build a Customer-Focused Marketing Strategy with Enventys Partners

If you need help implementing user-generated content in your marketing strategy, reach out to the experts! Enventys Partners is the go-to agency for full-service product launch marketing.