By Kayla Waukau
Marketing Coordinator, Lessiter Media
kwaukau@lessitermedia.com
*Aimlessly scrolling through social media* *scrolling* *scrolling* WAIT! My favorite local business posted. *reading* I guess I’ll give it a like. Should I comment? Share with my friends?
That’s the problem with most social media marketing. We post to get our reader’s attention but are we posting user-generated content? We all know social media nowadays is crucial to a successful marketing plan, but as a business, are you producing content that is created specifically for the reader to engage with it? User-generated content, or UGC, encourages the reader to do more than just “like” or comment on your social media.
The goal for UGC is to create easily shareable content that attracts engagement. I like to think of it as “the modern day Ice Bucket Challenge.” There’s several different ways this could be achieved on a smaller scale, such as, "share and comment for a chance to win," "leave a review for 15% off", or even by creating a #hashtag for followers to use when posting about your products or brand. Remember, that UGC can easily be shared across marketing channels, helping create more exposure for your business. Ultimately, it makes your customers feel like they are an integral part of your brand.
But WHY does it work? UGC is like the modern-day word of mouth. People who love your brand WANT to share it! Think: loyalists, advocates, or fans. Afterall, people will be more likely to believe your brand is awesome by others sharing, NOT by it coming from your own social media.
View the infographic below to see all the ways top brands have created UGC to spark ideas to your own brand!
