Benefits of Implementing User-Generated Content for Social Media
Social media has become a very competitive platform for brands to market products and reach potential customers. As a result of companies utilizing social media, the average user is exposed to roughly 5,000 ads daily. People are constantly targeted with advertisements. So how can your brand stand out and encourage people to follow and interact with your account? User-generated content creation has proven to be a successful method for companies to attract and keep their online communities engaged.
User-generated content (UGC) is any form of content, such as images, videos and text that have been posted by people on social media about your company. Let’s take a look at the benefits of using UGC to strengthen your brand’s online presence and how you can encourage people to post content to build a stronger brand.
Pros of User-Generated Content
UGC Helps Save Time on Content Creation – If your company is in need of more original posts for your social platforms, utilizing your fan base’s shared photos and videos is a great place to start. This will allow your company to get unique and personalized content. Partnering with a social media agency in Los Angeles can help you navigate the entire process from discovery to reposting.
UGC Helps Build Brand Trust – According to the Nielsen Consumer Trust Index, 92% of consumers trust organic, user-generated content over traditional advertising. Most people don’t trust online ads but will listen to influencers and online reviews. By reposting someone’s positive experience with your brand, UGC has the ability to attract potential customers who are on the fence about your product and boost your credibility as well.
Reposting Builds Customer Relationships – People often get excited and share when their posts are used by a company which increases social traffic and brand awareness. UGC humanizes your brand and gives it a personality that can engage and build a community of users. When sharing UGC, you’re interacting with your audience and giving them a voice at the same time.
How to Encourage User-Generated Content
Create a Custom Hashtag – Hashtags can be very useful for a brand. When clicked on, Instagram displays all photos posted under that hashtag. There is also a new feature which allows people to follow hashtags. Companies have used hashtags as a campaign to create a social buzz. The #AerieReal campaign on Instagram and Starbucks’ #RedCupContest are two examples of companies that successfully used hashtags to engage with customers and collect UGC.
Influencer Marketing – According to Forbes, influencer marketing is growing faster than digital ads. People trust influencers more than they trust online ads. By giving your ad a face, people are more likely to trust the product and your brand. This is a fast way to reach multiple audiences that are already established and build brand awareness.
Launch a Photo Contest – This strategy is like killing two birds with one stone – you are engaging with users while obtaining content at the same time. Social media contests that encourage people to follow your page, tag friends, and/or post a picture will also result in brand awareness. This is a great way to get people involved with your company and spark conversation.
Steps to Utilizing User-Generated Content
Choosing Which Social Platform to Use – The first step you need to take is to find out where your audience lives on social media. It is important to know where your brand has the most influence and which social network will help you reach your goals and target audience.
How to Find UGC – The most effective way to find what people are posting about your brand is to see what posts you have been tagged in. Another way is to look 
under the location of your company or any hashtags that involve what you sell or promote. Using a social media agency in Los Angeles makes finding UGC easier.
Always Ask for Permission – Make sure you send a message to a person or tag them in a comment before using their post. Most people will be happy you like their content creation but it’s better to take precautions. The exposure to your followers is usually enough of a compensation but some people may want you to pay them to use their content. When reposting make sure to tag that person to give them credit.
Hire a Social Media Agency – There is so much that goes behind gathering content for social media and engaging with your audience that you might feel overwhelmed. But we’re here to help! Bright Age is a social media agency in Los Angeles that has experience in all areas of social media marketing and content creation. By working with us, your online presence and relationships with customers will strengthen and grow.
