User generated content (UGC) is any content that is created by your customers, fans, or followers and shared on social media or other platforms. UGC can include photos, videos, reviews, testimonials, blogs, podcasts, and more. UGC is a powerful way to boost your brand awareness, engagement, trust, and loyalty. According to a survey by Stackla, 79% of consumers say that UGC highly impacts their purchasing decisions.
But how can you encourage your audience to create and share UGC for your brand? Here are some steps to create a successful UGC campaign:
1. Define your goals and metrics
Before you launch your UGC campaign, you need to have a clear idea of what you want to achieve and how you will measure it. Some common goals for UGC campaigns are:
- Increase brand awareness and reach
- Generate social proof and trust
- Drive traffic and conversions
- Collect feedback and insights
- Build community and loyalty
Depending on your goals, you need to define the relevant metrics that will help you track and evaluate your campaign performance. Some common metrics for UGC campaigns are:
- Number of submissions and participants
- Social media impressions, likes, comments, and shares
- Website visits, bounce rate, and time on site
- Email sign-ups, leads, and sales
- Customer satisfaction, retention, and advocacy
2. Choose your platform and format
The next step is to decide where and how you want your audience to create and share UGC for your brand. You can choose one or multiple platforms depending on your target audience and the type of content you want to collect. Some popular platforms for UGC campaigns are:
- Instagram
- Facebook
- Twitter
- YouTube
- TikTok
- Pinterest
- Snapchat
- LinkedIn
You also need to decide the format of the UGC that you want to collect. You can choose one or multiple formats depending on your campaign goals and the platform capabilities. Some popular formats for UGC campaigns are:
- Photos
- Videos
- Reviews
- Testimonials
- Blogs
- Podcasts
- Stories
- Live streams
3. Create a hashtag and a theme
A hashtag is a key element of any UGC campaign. It helps you to organize, promote, and monitor your campaign across different platforms. It also helps your audience to find, follow, and join your campaign easily. A good hashtag should be:
- Unique: It should not be used by other brands or campaigns.
- Relevant: It should reflect your brand name, values, or message.
- Catchy: It should be easy to remember, spell, and pronounce.
- Short: It should be concise and avoid unnecessary words or symbols.
A theme is another important element of any UGC campaign. It helps you to guide, inspire, and motivate your audience to create and share UGC for your brand. A good theme should be:
- Specific: It should have a clear focus and direction.
- Creative: It should spark curiosity and interest.
- Fun: It should make your audience enjoy the process of creating and sharing UGC.
- Valuable: It should offer some benefits or rewards for your audience.
Some examples of hashtags and themes for UGC campaigns are:
- ShareYourEars by Disney: A campaign that encouraged users to share photos of themselves wearing Mickey Mouse ears in support of Make-A-Wish Foundation.
- ShotOniPhone by Apple: A campaign that showcases the amazing photos and videos taken by iPhone users around the world.
- RedBullCanYouMakeIt by Red Bull: A campaign that challenged teams of students to travel across Europe using only Red Bull cans as currency.
4. Promote your campaign and incentivize participation
Once you have created your hashtag and theme, you need to spread the word about your UGC campaign and invite your audience to participate. You can use various channels and methods to promote your campaign such as:
- Social media posts and stories
- Email newsletters and campaigns
- Website banners and pop-ups
- Blog posts and articles
- Influencer marketing and collaborations
- Paid ads and sponsored posts
You also need to incentivize participation by offering some rewards or benefits for your audience such as:
- Recognition: Feature the best UGC on your social media accounts, website, or other platforms.
- Prizes: Give away some products, services, vouchers, or experiences to the winners or random participants.
- Discounts: Offer some discounts or coupons to the participants or customers who share UGC.
- Charity: Donate some money or resources to a cause or organization that aligns with your brand values or mission.
5. Monitor, moderate, and engage with your UGC
The last step is to monitor, moderate, and engage with your UGC throughout your campaign. You need to use some tools or platforms to track and analyze your UGC such as:
- Social media analytics and insights
- Hashtag tracking and monitoring tools
- UGC platforms and aggregators
- Google Analytics and other web analytics tools
You also need to moderate your UGC to ensure that it meets your brand guidelines and standards. You need to remove any inappropriate, offensive, or irrelevant UGC that may harm your brand reputation or image. You also need to comply with any legal or ethical requirements such as:
- Obtaining consent from the UGC creators and owners
- Giving credit and attribution to the UGC sources
- Respecting the privacy and rights of the UGC subjects
Finally, you need to engage with your UGC by liking, commenting, sharing, and thanking your audience for their participation. You need to show your appreciation and gratitude for their UGC and encourage them to create and share more. You also need to ask for their feedback and suggestions on how to improve your campaign or products.
Conclusion
UGC is a powerful way to boost your brand awareness, engagement, trust, and loyalty. By following these steps, you can create a successful UGC campaign for your brand that will help you achieve your goals and metrics. Remember to define your goals and metrics, choose your platform and format, create a hashtag and a theme, promote your campaign and incentivize participation, and monitor, moderate, and engage with your UGC. Happy UGC-ing! 😊
