The power of User-Generated Content (UGC)

User-generated content (UGC), refers to when a brand is mentioned online other than influencer in non-branded content. For example, a customer directly mentions the product and tags the brand in their images or uses branded hashtags and reviews to share their experiences about the service.

Brand's social media will benefit from user-generated content with organic growth and word-of-mouth effect at no cost.

Why is UGC important in marketing?

In the reality, about 2 hours per day are devoted by an average consumer to social media, user-generated visuals flood our feed with over 250 billion on Facebook and 95 million on Instagram every day. If marketing teams leverage UGC accordingly, it’ll be an effective way to populate the brand's e-shop, product pages, and sales campaign.

 

How do you benefit from UGC?

 

Other than creating word-of-mouth and organic growth on social media, there are benefits such as 

-          Sales growth (amid holiday campaigns, special offers, limited-time gifts)

-          Foster formation of brand loyalty and customer advocacy

-          Improve SEO ranking and gain audience insights

-          Create trust in products and the brand to drive purchase decisions

-          Build an authentic and captivating content library for repurposing

 

Branded Hashtags

By creating hashtags that are exclusive to the brand, such as social media challenges or particular lifestyles associated with the brand, the brand awareness and engagement rate will increase as people include the hashtag.

 

Example:

Marc Jobs, the renowned fashion designer, announced the brand’s advertising campaign would cast models through social media platforms Instagram and Twitter, users could participate by hashtag #CastMeMarc in their post on either platform. In 24 hours the hashtag entries have reached 15,000 and ended up around 93,000.

 
Branded IG story AR Filters

Amid COVID-19, social distance and quarantine have hindered people from visiting physical stores, thus fewer chances to try on. Hence AR filters created by brands that simulate trying on newly launched products are much more vital than ever.

Example:

Dior as one of the first luxury fashion brands to join the trend of Instagram AR filter creation, launched a new filter for users to try on signature sunglasses virtually. This helps the promotion of the products to drive online purchases while raising awareness of the brand.

Gamification

Through Gamification, users have more incentive to accomplish several missions, as they get rewarded and recognized for their effort. When they share/post their achievements, such as grades, points, ranks, and badges or cashbacks, UGC will be created with sustainable engagement. Hence, long-term relationships will be built and the brand could turn them into loyal customers and return more frequently.

Example:

Nike+ fuelband app merged gamification to increase its connection with customers, by letting them link the app to social media, share their achievements, and compete against each other. Users will also be rewarded with badges and trophies when they accomplish certain levels, in turn encouraging them to further engage and drive buying decisions. Meanwhile, users’ data could be referenced for segmentation and retargeting.

 

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