The Power of User-Generated Content: How to Boost Your Marketing Strategy and Drive Sales

User Generated Content (UGC) has risen to the top of every big company’s marketing strategy. You may or may not have yet heard of UGC but not to worry, we will cover how powerful UGC is for your social media marketing strategy, how and why UGC became so popular recently, ways to use UGC for your different marketing strategies (like ads) and the qualities of a good UGC video. But first, what is UGC, anyways?

UGC is original content created by a customer or a “user” of a brand’s products or services. It is similar to a testimonial, but optimized in ways that will get it seen on social media, like a video, a carousel, or images of the product in use.

Why UGC Became So Popular

The rise of UGC can be attributed to a few key factors:

1. Authenticity: Consumers are more likely to trust content created by real users rather than traditional advertising. UGC showcases genuine experiences, making them more relatable and credible for potential customers. In a time of rising AI-generated content, the authenticity of UGC becomes even more important.
2. Peer-to-peer influence: People value the opinions of their peers and are more likely to make purchasing decisions based on recommendations from friends and family. UGC taps into this influence, making it a powerful marketing tool.
3. Accessibility: With the proliferation of smartphones and affordable technology, anyone can create content and share it with the world. This has led to a surge in UGC, providing businesses with an endless pool of content to leverage.
   

Using UGC for Your Marketing Strategy

UGC can be a great addition to your marketing strategy, as it helps build trust, engage your audience, and drive sales. Here are some quick statistics on the ROI it brings to businesses:

1. A staggering 86% of companies have incorporated User Generated Content into their marketing plans.
2. When shared on social media platforms, UGC posts experience a 28% boost in engagement compared to conventional brand posts. (Source: SocialToaster)
3. Ads leveraging UGC achieve 4 times greater click-through rates and a 50% reduction in cost-per-click compared to the industry average.
4. On YouTube, videos produced and starring customers garner 10 times more views than those created by the brands themselves.

There are many ways to incorporate UGC into your marketing strategy:

1. Social media campaigns: Encourage your customers to share their experiences with your products or services on social media using a specific hashtag. This creates a sense of community and allows you to showcase genuine testimonials.
2. Website content: Feature UGC on your website to provide social proof and build trust with potential customers. Displaying user reviews, testimonials, or user-generated images can help convert website visitors into customers.
3. Email marketing: Include UGC in your email marketing campaigns to add a personal touch and boost engagement. Featuring customer stories, reviews, or images can make your emails more relatable and interesting.
4. Ads: Utilize UGC in your digital advertising campaigns to increase click-through rates and conversions. By showcasing real user experiences, you make your ads more authentic and appealing to potential customers.
   

Qualities of a Good UGC Video

When leveraging UGC videos for your marketing efforts, it’s essential to ensure that they possess the following qualities:

1. Authenticity: The video should showcase a genuine experience with your product or service, providing an honest and relatable portrayal.
2. Storytelling: A captivating narrative is key to engaging viewers. Encourage users to share their unique experiences or creative ways they’ve used your product.
3. High-quality visuals: While authenticity is important, it’s also essential to maintain a certain level of visual quality. Blurry or shaky footage can detract from the overall impact of the video.
4. Concise: Keep UGC videos short and to the point. Longer videos may lose viewers’ interest, whereas shorter videos are more likely to be watched and shared.
5. Hooks the viewer in: If it’s a video, it should have a “hook” in the first three seconds that captures the attention of social media scrollers.
6. Clear call-to-action: Encourage viewers to take a specific action, whether it’s visiting your website, purchasing your product, or engaging with your brand on social media.
   

Start Creating UGC Today!

UGC is a powerful tool to help your business sell more and it’s time to start leveraging it in your marketing strategy. By harnessing the power of UGC, you can build trust, engage your audience, and outshine your competitors.

Ready to get started with UGC? Our team at Backcourt Marketing is here to help you create and implement a winning UGC strategy tailored to your business needs. Send us an email to team@backcourtmarketing.com and we’ll create a UGC video that you can use across many parts of your marketing strategy!