How can user-generated content enhance your social marketing efforts?

18 March 2024

In the world of social media marketing, user-generated content (UGC) has become a valuable tool for marketers looking to connect with their audience. UGC is any content created by a user or customer that features your brand or product. It can come in many different forms, such as photos, videos, reviews, or comments. By leveraging UGC in your social media strategy, you can build trust with your audience, increase engagement, and ultimately drive more sales.

In this article, we’ll explore the types of UGC that work for marketers right now and share strategies for sourcing, organizing, and promoting UGC in your social media strategy.

How to Source UGC for Social Media Marketing Strategy

The best way to find UGC depends on the social platforms your customers typically use. Are they scattered across multiple social media platforms? If so, a third-party social media dashboard is the most efficient option for locating UGC across channels. Most automatically collect mentions and tags in a single tab so you can manage UGC easily.

However, you can always use native tools to spot UGC on an individual social media platform. For example, Meta Business Suite consolidates UGC from your linked Facebook and Instagram pages on the Mentions & Tags tab. In most other social media apps, you can find UGC by checking notifications and tags or by searching for your branded and campaign hashtags.

Once you’ve found UGC, it’s important to document and save it. To save social media content natively, create a UGC swipe file for each platform. For example, you can use Twitter bookmarks and Instagram saves to keep content handy. With a social network like Facebook, you can create an organizational system that works for you and save UGC in its dedicated folder.

To consolidate all UGC from across social media channels, create a simple database where you can track it. For example, Google Sheets and Airtable work well for building basic UGC lists. They can easily track the link to the original post, the creator’s handle, a screenshot of the original post, and any other helpful details.

The key is to make it easy to find and access the UGC you want to use in your social media marketing efforts. By having a system in place, you can quickly and easily find the UGC you need to create engaging content.

How to Get Permission to Share UGC In Your Social Media Marketing Efforts

Unless you use in-app sharing tools to repost UGC (see below), it’s crucial to get permission to publish UGC. After all, the content belongs to the original creator. Depending on the methods you use to source UGC, you can get permission before the creator submits the content or after you source it.

If you run a hashtag campaign or a UGC contest, it’s easiest to confirm permission before creators submit content. You can do that by clarifying the terms on your social profile or by linking out to a landing page that details how you’ll use the images or videos.

If you find UGC in your mentions or notifications, you’ll need to ask for permission directly. It’s often simplest to do that by commenting on the post or sending the customer a DM. Thank them for featuring your brand and ask for permission to post the content to your feed.

Remember, it’s important to respect the original creator’s wishes and only use their content with their permission.

Types of UGC to Promote Now

Now you know how to source and organize fan- and customer-created content. Next, let’s explore the different types of UGC so you can find one that appeals to your target audience.

Lifestyle Content

Lifestyle content is a type of user-generated content (UGC) that shows your product or service in action and may include brief commentary from the creator. It is one of the most common types of UGC and may account for a large percentage of your brand's tags and mentions. Sharing lifestyle content is an effective way to build trust with your audience, as it shows your brand in a real way and is usually positive. By including lifestyle content in your social media strategy, you can increase engagement and ultimately drive more sales.

How-To Content

User-generated content (UGC) has become a valuable tool for social media marketers looking to connect with their audience. UGC can come in many different forms, such as photos, videos, reviews, or comments, and is any content created by a user or customer that features your brand or product. By leveraging UGC in your social media strategy, you can build trust with your audience, increase engagement, and ultimately drive more sales.

One type of UGC that can be just as effective as the videos and graphics your team makes in-house is customer-created how-to content. If your products are challenging to use or master, or if your customers get creative with how they use, make, or style your products, how-to content can be a great way to showcase their skills and build trust with your audience. By featuring customer-created how-to content in your social media strategy, you can increase engagement and ultimately drive more sales.

To source UGC, it's important to find the right social media platforms that your customers typically use. Third-party social media dashboards are the most efficient option for locating UGC across channels. However, you can always use native tools to spot UGC on an individual social media platform.

Once you've found UGC, it's important to document and save it. The key is to make it easy to find and access the UGC you want to use in your social media marketing efforts. By having a system in place, you can quickly and easily find the UGC you need to create engaging content.

Remember to always get permission before sharing UGC and to credit the original creator. With the right strategy in place, UGC can be a powerful tool for growing your brand and engaging with your audience.

Unboxing Videos

Unboxing videos are a type of user-generated content (UGC) that can be used to showcase your brand's packaging and build excitement around your products. By featuring customers opening and using your products, you can create authentic content that resonates with your audience and showcases your brand in a positive light.

To source unboxing videos, you can start by searching for your brand or product on social media platforms and looking for videos posted by customers. You can also encourage customers to create and share unboxing videos by offering incentives or running a contest.

Once you have collected unboxing videos, it's important to get permission from the creators before sharing them on your social media channels. You can credit the original creator and ask them for permission to feature their video.

Overall, unboxing videos can be a powerful way to showcase your brand's products and build excitement around your brand. By incorporating this type of UGC into your social media strategy, you can increase engagement and ultimately drive more sales.

Branded and Campaign Hashtags

If you want to make it as easy as possible for customers to tag your brand in UGC posts, create a branded hashtag. Make sure it’s unique so unrelated content won’t get mixed in with your customers’ UGC. Then list it in your social profiles so customers can easily find and use it.

To encourage customers to create content on more specific topics, create a hashtag campaign. Once again, make sure it’s unique to keep the hashtag feed clean. Then promote the hashtag campaign in organic or paid content, prompting customers to use it. Check the hashtag feed regularly to find campaign content and confirm permission before sharing.

Themed UGC Contests

Although unique hashtags often work well for running UGC campaigns and sourcing customer-created content, they aren’t your only option. With UGC contests, you can encourage customers to create and submit content that fits specific parameters. Then offer a compelling prize to improve participation.

It’s typically easiest to run UGC campaigns through external landing pages, even if the content comes from social media. With a separate landing page, you can outline the terms clearly and collect UGC efficiently without having to scroll through hashtag feeds. This method can also make it easier to select winners and award prizes.

Reviews and Testimonials

User-generated content (UGC) is a valuable tool for social media marketers looking to connect with their audience. Although UGC is often visual, quotes from customer reviews or testimonials can also resonate with your followers. Sharing customer feedback is an effective way to build trust with your audience and showcase your brand in a positive light. By including UGC in your social media strategy, you can increase engagement and ultimately drive more sales.

Case Studies and Customer Stories

Case studies and customer stories are a type of user-generated content (UGC) that can be extremely valuable for social media marketers. This kind of UGC-adjacent content is a partnership between brands and customers, sharing customers’ genuine stories and experiences through the brand’s lens. By featuring case studies and customer stories in your social media strategy, you can build trust with your audience and showcase your brand in a positive light. Sharing customer feedback is an effective way to build trust with your audience, and case studies and customer stories provide a more in-depth look at how your products or services impact your customers’ lives. To source case studies and customer stories, it's important to find the right social media platforms that your customers typically use. Third-party social media dashboards are the most efficient option for locating UGC across channels. However, you can always use native tools to spot UGC on an individual social media platform. By incorporating this type of UGC into your social media strategy, you can increase engagement and ultimately drive more sales.

“De-Influencer” Content

If your brand has a lot of happy customers, then you’re likely to find a lot of positive UGC that raves about your brand. But you might also spot some “de-influencer” content, which does the opposite. This growing trend often features brand and product teardowns, with the creator recommending that viewers don’t purchase the item.

If you find de-influencer content featuring your brand, you have a couple of options. You could bring it to your team’s attention and consider whether the creator has valid points. Then you could respond thoughtfully and professionally in a comment or DM.

Alternatively, you could respond to the post with one of your own. By remixing this kind of UGC, you can share the original context while adding your reaction. When done in good humor, a remix can even help your brand win over new customers.

Keep in mind that you can remix many kinds of UGC, even content that doesn’t directly feature your brand. For example, you might consider remixing de-influencer content about a competitor, especially if you want to position your brand as a smart alternative.

How to Organize UGC for Your Social Media Strategy

Below, we’ll cover strategies for sharing UGC. But before you get to that point, make sure to save and document the content. It’s typically best to save UGC both on- and off-platform so you can easily access the original content and share it with your team.

To save social media content natively, create a UGC swipe file for each platform. For example, you can use Twitter bookmarks and Instagram saves to keep content handy. With a social network like Facebook, you can create an organizational system that works for you and save UGC in its dedicated folder.

You can also use your UGC database to brainstorm captions and other elements to add when you share the UGC. You may also want to add notes about when to include each post in your content calendar, as you may want to work it into a marketing campaign.

How to Amplify UGC From Your Social Media Presence

After finding great user-generated content (UGC) and getting permission to share it, you can add it to your content calendar to publish it most effectively and maximize the benefits of this kind of content. Retweeting, reposting, or sharing natively across different social media platforms is the easiest way to amplify UGC. Adding your brand's spin in the caption or with a sticker is a good way to add context and start a conversation with your audience. You can also use in-app remix tools to create conversations with your customers. UGC can also be a powerful tool for creating ads and promotions, such as a UGC contest where customers submit photos or videos of themselves using your product. Creating a dedicated UGC campaign is another effective way to leverage user-generated content in your social media marketing. By sourcing, organizing, and promoting UGC in your social media strategy, you can build trust with your audience, increase engagement, and drive more sales. Remember to always get permission before sharing UGC and to credit the original creator.

Retweet, Repost, or Share Natively Across Different Social Media Platforms

The easiest way to amplify UGC is by using native tools such as retweets, reposts, or shares. In theory, you can use these tools to share UGC to your brand’s feed or Stories in a single click. But in practice, it’s usually a much better idea to add something to the conversation.

In other words, add your brand’s spin in the caption or with a sticker. Here are a few options to consider:

Thank the original creator by tagging them in the caption or a story sticker.
Use emojis and stickers to reflect your gratitude or reaction to the content.
Share context to help your audience understand what they’re watching such as naming the product or clarifying where the customer purchased it.

Note that you don’t need permission to share UGC using these native tools. Since you’re resharing original content rather than uploading the content to a completely new feed post, you can safely retweet, repost, or share any UGC you like.

Remix Photos and Reels

When you want to add a reaction or provide context for UGC, using in-app remix tools can be a great way to create conversations with your customers. Remixes typically let you take a short clip from the customer’s UGC and then add your footage in response to it. Depending on the app, the clips can be displayed side by side or one after another.

On Instagram, you can remix photos and reels by placing the original content at the beginning or alongside your reaction. When you publish the remix, Instagram automatically links the original content and credits the creator.

Use UGC to Create Ads and Promotions

UGC can also be a powerful tool for creating ads and promotions. By using UGC in your ads, you can build trust with potential customers and show them what your product or service looks like in real-world situations. For example, you can use a customer photo or video in your ad, with the creator’s permission of course.

You can also use UGC to create promotions, such as a UGC contest where customers submit photos or videos of themselves using your product. Then you can offer a prize for the best UGC and feature the winning content in your marketing efforts. This is a great way to engage with your audience and get them excited about your brand.

Creating a dedicated UGC campaign is another effective way to leverage user-generated content in your social media marketing. A UGC campaign involves encouraging your audience to create and share content related to your brand or product. You can do this by creating a branded hashtag or by offering a prize for the best UGC.

A UGC campaign can be a great way to build brand awareness, engage with your audience, and generate buzz around your product or service. Make sure to promote your UGC campaign on all your social media channels and through email marketing to get as many participants as possible.

User-generated content is a valuable tool for social media marketers looking to connect with their audience. By sourcing, organizing, and promoting UGC in your social media strategy, you can build trust with your audience, increase engagement, and drive more sales. Remember to always get permission before sharing UGC and to credit the original creator. With the right strategy in place, UGC can be a powerful tool for growing your brand and engaging with your audience.