3 Steps to Sparking Social Advocacy with User-Generated Content
/It’s any brand’s dream to have customers and influencers rave about their products and services on social media. From influencers to loyal advocates, what social media users say about a brand gives it life, and in today’s customer-led marketing landscape, can determine the health and trajectory of a brand’s growth.
By harnessing the influential power of user-generated content, brands can accelerate growth easily and amplify any marketing campaign.
User-generated content is any type of content - audio, video, graphics, text, etc. - that has originally been posted by users of a social network or platform. However, despite all of its benefits, many businesses today aren’t capitalizing on the power of user-generated content (UGC).
Businesses tend to use UGC sparingly, or not at all. From our own experience, we have seen some companies be more reactive to UGC than proactive.
For example, many brands may respond to happy customers buzzing about their brand online, but they don’t necessarily make an effort to share or repost that content so other users can hear first-hand benefits of the brand products.
According to AdWeek, users are twice as likely to share UGC with friends and family than they are to share original content from a brand itself. That said, the benefits of incorporating UGC into your marketing strategy greatly outweigh the stand-alone benefits of using strictly original content.
So, how can businesses take full advantage of UGC, from simple reviews to raves on social media? All you have to do is begin listening - there could be a plethora of untapped UGC potential waiting for you to incorporate into your marketing campaigns.
Employ Social Listening
Use social monitoring tools to stay in-the-know about users who are actively mentioning you or talking about your brand across social media. A few of our favorite social listening tools include:
As you employ social listening, be sure to track conversations surrounding topics, keywords, phrases, industries and hashtags that pertain to your brand.
Begin Engaging
Proactively engage with users who are already talking about your brand, engaging in relevant hashtag communities, or asking questions related to your product or offering. Provide thoughtful, non-automated responses for the best results.
By listening and engaging with UGC, brands will be able to see new and relevant marketing opportunities and content insights that wouldn’t have been apparent otherwise.
As you engage with UGC on social media, take note of the following:
What aspects of your brand are attracting your target audience?
What aspects of your brand or product are repelling your target audience?
What common themes appear within your users’ UGC?
Share and Repost UGC
When users talk about your brand, ask their permission to share or repost their content. Be sure to give the user full credit when making any post!
Reach out to influencers whose brand aligns with your brand mission and vision and engage in a partnership. Give influencers and brand ambassadors full reign to create their own content instead of sharing pre-made brand posts like videos, photos and even account takeovers.
Interested in developing a comprehensive marketing strategy that employs a User Generated Content strategy? Book a free consultation with us today!
