The people have spoken, and their words are powerful. If your brand has the confidence vote of the people it’s serving on social media, and they’re naturally producing User Generated Content (UGC), then it’s in a great place.
User Generated Content, or UGC for short, is any content that has been created and put out onto social media by people who don’t have any direct affiliation with the brand—in other words, they’re not getting paid to promote a product. From tweets to photos to full-length blogs, UGC can take many different forms.
But why is UGC such a big deal on social media?
It Puts You In Tune With Your Audience
People use social media to connect with people. When you keep this golden rule in mind, it can help you understand why your audience responds to various types of content differently. If your audience is happily sharing some form of UGC about your brand, pay attention because you’ve struck gold. You’ve found an impartial party to back what you offer on their personal social channels, which means you’re on the right path to building stronger relationships within your user communities.
It Provides Proof of Purchase
Whether you’re actually selling a product or a service, UGC is proof of purchase—essentially, proof that people are buying into your brand. Whether it comes in the form of tweets, Facebook posts, or Instagram photos, UGC provides a steady stream of testimonials, and in turn, helps build a trustworthy reputation for your brand.
It Can Help Cut Costs
For small businesses, running large ad campaigns can become fairly expensive. When a UGC campaign is put into practice, costs can be minimal in comparison because publicity is put in the hands of your fans. With content creation and advertising that boosts your brand at no additional cost, a UGC campaign can pay off big time.
It Encourages Your Audience To Share The Love
Enthusiasm is contagious. And what better place to share anything than on social media? When your user community is having fun participating in something, other people outside of your target audience may also take notice and want in. UGC can open doors for your brand by allowing your target audience to naturally introduce it to others. The more, the merrier, right?
You’ve learned the power of user generated content, now put that knowledge to use! Click here to learn how to run a successful user generated content campaign on social media.
