User Generated Content: an innovative way to create content for your brand

A master formula for conveying authenticity to potential consumers of your product or service: user-generated content. How? What? Yes, this is what those posts with opinions, references, and reviews left by your customers on social networks and platforms are called: the best advertising for any business. And how is User Generated Content created? The details are below!

81% of Spanish consumers take into account opinions published on the internet about the product or service they are going to purchase or consume, and 60% of them read more than six references before making the final decision. This is reflected in a barometer by the consulting firm Skeepers, a study that shows how this type of content, created more or less unconsciously by customers themselves, is a valuable tool for attracting new consumers.

This is what is known as ‘User Generated Content’ (UGC) and it stands as a master formula for reaching target audiences. It is an increasingly used marketing strategy, and some companies have even turned these references into a major attraction for internet users who come looking for reviews and opinions, especially in sectors such as tourism or in e-commerce giants.

What is User Generated Content?

The key is to define what is meant by UGC: User Generated Content refers, as previously mentioned, to the content created by users of certain products or services. These are obtained through different channels:

• Opinions on a brand’s own website about specific products or services offered.
• Reviews left on specialized platforms.
• Comments posted on social media profiles.
• These are both text and image/video content, with audiovisual formats being the most commonly used.
• They usually generate a significant impact on the brand’s overall audience, creating relevant interactions depending on the type of reference shared across the different mentioned channels.

The advantages of having user-generated content are considerable:

• They strengthen the brand image, giving it credibility within its community.
• They bring the company closer to users.
• They facilitate connection with consumers, both current and potential audiences.
• They encourage others to participate, generating a productive chain of UGC that positively impacts brand perception when things are done well.

Types of User Generated Content (UGC)

There are different types of User Generated Content, some with greater impact than others. The mix of all of them creates a marketing campaign that, when properly managed, maximizes the resources a brand may have.

• Photographs: images taken by customers and uploaded to social networks and platforms to showcase a purchased item.
• Videos: audiovisual material in which a consumer shows how a product works or shares their opinion about a specific service.
• Texts: testimonials, reviews, opinions, and comments on the company’s own content, etc.

These publications are considered within marketing and communication as highly valuable content with controlled investment. In the case of user-generated content, it is essential to have a quality product or service, since for users to spontaneously speak positively about it, it must meet their needs and fulfill the promised expectations.

The key point lies in the fact mentioned at the beginning of this article: how people trust other people rather than companies, as corporate communications are often perceived as having commercial intentions. This is where the great value of UGC lies for a brand.

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How to implement UGC in your marketing strategy?

Generating these comments and opinions about products and services requires implementing a series of actions aimed at this goal: encouraging active user participation. For this purpose, it is important to establish a specific marketing strategy, which may follow these steps:

• Define the objective: what is expected to be achieved? Goals such as increasing engagement, improving brand image, strengthening the positioning of a specific product, among others.
• Select the channels where the audience is concentrated: social networks where the most interaction is obtained or those that generate better feedback with users.
• Implementation of specific actions: launching contests that encourage participation, using hashtags to group content generated on platforms, and initiatives that reward comments and contributions on brand profiles and posts.

Once these publications categorized as User Generated Content are generated, it is important to manage the information shared by the audience properly: request permission for its use, acknowledge the original source of the content and tag the creator, and clearly establish participation rules and rights.

Examples of campaigns based on User Generated Content

Today, there are countless real-world examples of brands that encourage community participation to create this type of content. Below are some campaign examples:

Back Market

Tech companies support this type of strategy. This particular company, dedicated to refurbishing technological devices and gadgets, allows users to share reviews and upload images of purchased products.

Fashion companies

Large brands do not benefit as much from these strategies as smaller companies engaged in a ‘David vs Goliath’ type of competition. Many independent brands manage to get customers to share references and photos of their garments, which often go viral quickly. With this approach, they have found a way to reach more people potentially interested in their products.

Knowing how to develop such specific campaigns and optimize resources to the maximum requires professionals specialized in marketing and communication. At EAE Barcelona, there are several training programs ideal for those who want to develop their career in this sector. To start, the Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing and Digital Communication. As a next step in specialization, the Master in Corporate Communication & Brand Management and the Master in Marketing and Sales Management.