User generated content for events | SK Click Aruba Events

What do you think of when you hear the term UGC?

Another marketing buzzword?

An acronym that you think you should know – but just can’t get your head around?

Well, if you haven’t heard of UGC or aren’t making the most of it – then you are missing out.

User-generated content (UGC) is any content – text, videos, images or reviews – created by people.

So what?

Well, we all know content is king.

But user-generated content pretty much trumps all other content.

Why?

Well, first things first – it is authentic.

Consumers are 2.4 times more likely to view user-generated content compared to content created by brands.

This credibility is almost priceless. Because people love seeing content that they can relate to, content that hasn’t been posed for by paid actors that doesn’t feel real.

Today’s consumer wants to trust the product, service or experience that they are investing in.

Consumers today browse through social and digital news feeds on their mobile devices as a way of researching new and interesting content as well as finding new, trendy brands.

If the content is rich enough to capture their attention, they’re more likely to click on offers or promotions and build a connection with the brand.

Trust comes from real connections where consumers feel like they are getting a true reflection of the brand that isn’t clouded by marketing speak and contrived advertising messages.

Did you know that 92 percent of consumers trust recommendations from people they know and that 70 percent trust online consumer opinions?

That’s the power of user-generated content!

And even better, UGC can be used to drive purchasing decisions.

A phenomenal 80 percent of people say user-generated content has a high impact on their purchasing decisions!

What does this mean for you?

Well if you aren’t using user-generated content marketing, then you are missing out on an incredibly powerful tool that can lead directly to more sales.

With an average of 60 million images uploaded to Instagram daily, UGC one of the hottest and most effective ways for marketers to showcase products, celebrate fans and drive revenue.

The easiest and most effective way to take advantage of user-generated content is by shining a spotlight on your customers.

Take note of savvy fashion brands that share photos of their customers wearing their clothes on social media.

This approach is nothing new. One of the most successful UGC campaigns was back in 2009 when fashion brand Burberry launched their Art of the Trench campaign.

Designed to highlight their iconic trench coat, the campaign saw the brand showcase photos of real customers wearing Burberry’s iconic Heritage Trench on Facebook and their own website.

As a result of the campaign, Burberry’s Facebook follower count grew to over one million—the largest fan base in the luxury sector at the time. E-commerce sales also jumped 50% year-on-year.

Another great example is Apple’s #ShotOnIphone campaign, which encourages consumers to feel part of the Apple community. The campaign sees iPhone photographers around the world shared their best photos for, capturing remarkable moments with the world’s most popular camera. The 10 selected winners are then featured on billboards in select cities, in Apple retail stores and online. The winning shots came from a range of models, from iPhone XS Max to iPhone 7, showcasing the quality of cameras across the line.

Brands with a loyal customer base should make the most of them and encourage them to post photos or videos of themselves using and enjoying your products.

Research has shown that on platforms like YouTube, UGC fan videos get 10 times more views than brand content.

A great way to build up a library of UGC is to go direct to your fans and customers and get them to submit content.

This could be part of a competition or giveaway that will engage your target audience and spread the word about your brand.

You will find that the people who create and share user-generated content are likely to be among your biggest fans. They are likely to have bought from you more than once and are invested in the brand.

UGC will allow you to harness that brand excitement and create a sense of ongoing loyalty in people who may be less familiar with your brand.

Competitions are also are great way to widen your brand’s reach as entrants will be more likely to share their content far and wide.

Look at Starbucks annual #RedCupContest which promotes the brand’s holiday-themed seasonal beverages and of course their red cups. Coffee drinkers are asked to submit shots of their coffees for the chance to win a Starbucks gift card. This is a great UGC campaign that incentivizes fan participation, promotes the seasonal menu and of course generates sales!

Using UGC not only builds a loyal fan base, but it helps your fans and consumers feel like they are a vital part of your brand.

Savvy brands collect and display UGC, which is one of the best ways of showing authenticity and winning customer loyalty.

Whole Foods is a great example of how to build a content library using authentic UGC. Using the hashtag #WholeFoodsHaul to encourage shoppers to share photos of what’s in their shopping cart has provided the brand with a great, ongoing source of content that is visually consistent and aligns with the brand’s Instagram look as well as ensuring current consumers and fully engaged in the brand values.

Today’s consumers crave authenticity. As brands, you need to tap into that sentiment and user-generated content is the best way to expand your reach all while building a great library of authentic, engaging content.