What is user-generated content?

In the wild west that is marketing, nothing says "trust our brand" more than user-generated content (UGC). While the term made the rounds as a popular buzzword 10-15 years ago, it's recently made a resurgence - and it's easy to see why.

Today, we'll answer "What is user-generated content?", examine how it could make all the difference in your marketing strategy, and drop some actionable tips so your business can utilise it to its full potential.

What is user-generated content?

If you're wondering "what does user-generated content mean," it is, as the name suggests, content made by your customers and brand audience.

What makes UGC different from traditional advertising and marketing is its natural authenticity. UGC is made by consumers, for consumers. Whether it's a product haul, review, or even a tutorial, this sort of communication really connects with audiences in a way that branded content just can't match.

The value of UGC

The past few years have seen a huge rise in UGC, with many companies embracing it as a key part of their marketing strategies. But why is that exactly, and precisely what is user-generated content good for?

Simply put, whenever consumers see people or businesses using your product or service, it's a stamp of approval. It's tangible proof that others, like them, have made the purchase, which influences their buyer's journey by guiding them to make a decision. In a nutshell, it's social validation - the kind that nudges customers towards your brand.

Campfire took a similar approach when we worked with musicMagpie, tapping into UGC to reach our target audience. By partnering with content creators, we helped spread the word about musicMagpie, resulting in almost 60 million impressions and a return of £5.60 for every £1 spent.

What is UGC content's role in marketing performance?

UGC is excellent for quickly building brand credibility, and more importantly, it's the type of content that customers are most likely to trust. Organic UGC performs well in search engine results, driving organic traffic and enhancing a brand's overall visibility, ultimately strengthening customer trust and engagement.

We're yet to mention the cost-effectiveness of UGC. Instead of investing heavily in content creation, brands can use the voices of their satisfied audiences for a fraction of the cost, typically seeing a return (an increase in sales and traffic) far greater than branded advertising.

We've seen that in Campfire's own marketing campaigns - like our partnership with The INKEY List and IMA-HOME. Our efforts over multiple paid social channels saw UGC far outperforming branded content, with an uplift in CTRs, conversations, and sales across the board.

Creating and sharing UGC

If you want to successfully leverage UGC in your marketing efforts, you need to encourage your audience to get involved. Here are a few easy, actionable tips:

1. The power of trends and competitions

Trends, challenges, or competitions are excellent motivators - especially when there's a prize involved. Tapping into your audience's excitement can boost participation, engagement, and brand visibility. If you're unsure where to begin, our SPARK tool can help you spot upcoming trends early so you can maximise the potential of your challenge.

2. Use hashtags to boost engagement

You might not like them, but hashtags are here to stay. They're excellent conversation starters and can help skyrocket engagement at lightspeed - especially if they catch on. Creating a unique hashtag makes it easier to measure the impact of your efforts, and it also encourages creators to jump on board.

3. Partner with influencers

Teaming up with influencers is a great way to generate organic UGC and amplify your brand's reach. Influencers have the trust of their followers, and if they're joining in with a challenge or trend, then their audience is likely to follow suit. Sponsored posts, collaborations, and product reviews can also help drive sales and build trust with your target audience.

4. Choose the right content creators

Work with creators whose style already fits with your brand. That way, their content feels organic to their audience, which will help more people connect with what you offer.

Using UGC as part of your marketing strategy

Bringing UGC into your marketing mix requires a solid plan. First of all, you need to find where your target audience is and what sort of content they're posting. Create a content plan that blends UGC with your branded content. Successful strategies often grab attention with UGC and then keep customers engaged with branded content.

You might need to do some quality control to ensure it reflects your brand values and quality standards (we've all seen those LinkedIn posts that make us cringe) but don't remove the human element.

Don't forget about the power of UGC from your own team, too. Staff-generated content can be just as impactful and a real opportunity to show the human side of your brand, its culture and values. Always think about who you want to showcase in your UGC - are you showing off your company culture, highlighting a customer win or giving a behind-the-scenes look at your team?

A lot of businesses treat user-generated content as part of their social media strategy, but it doesn't hurt to repurpose and reuse it beyond just that as long as you've asked that customer for permission. There are a number of instances where UGC can be reused - for example, in ads, on websites, or in email campaigns.

Real-life customer experiences provide genuine value to building your brand and driving sales and should be integrated across your marketing efforts. While it sounds simple, putting things into practice can be tricky - so why not let a marketing agency with experience in UGC handle things for you?

If you're interested in Campfire's marketing services, contact us online today for more information. Our team can help boost your brand, drive more traffic to your site, and generate sales through the power of UGC.