User generated content strategies: how to create your own

By David Tomas, posted on June 7, 2023

User generated content, also known as User-generated content is a term that is directly related to the interaction and relationship that users have with the brand.. Although many companies focus exclusively on creating their own quality and original content to reach and attract the target audience and ignore that created by users, the latter can also contribute a lot. In fact, it is a content that can build credibility and increase reach without spending time and money on it.

But what exactly is user generated content and why is it so important in content marketing?

What is a user generated content strategy?

The user generated content or content generated by users refers to any form of content that has been created by non-experts or non-professionals within the sector to which the company belongs or by persons outside any media. This type of content would include everything from text, images, and videos to comments, reviews, and posts on social networks. In other words, UGC is considered to be all content not paid and not sponsored created by people outside the brand in question.

This is a type of content that has become a very important part of digital marketing, since it has been seen that it can be much more effective than traditional advertising or even your own content, since it generates greater credibility and trust among the public when arriving from people who are not linked to the brand. It is also a type of content that allows the company to extract ideas, knowledge and experiences that allow them to improve.

Taking all this into account, it would be considered a user generated content strategy all those actions that aim to encourage user participation and take advantage of the content created for these for the benefit of the brand. This would include, for example, creating specific platforms or channels where users can comment and share their own content, soliciting feedback and reviews, or running contests and challenges where users are encouraged to create content related to the brand in general or to a specific product or service. All this in order to increase the visibility of the company, strengthen the relationship with customers and make themselves known and build trust among the target consumers.

Channels where you can create your user generated content strategy

There are several channels in which a UGC strategy can be implemented. One of the most used are social networks, since any of them, such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube and TikTok, allows users to leave comments as well as create content related to the brand. This content would include, for example, photos, videos, reviews and hashtags.

Another of the most common channels are blogs or the websites themselves, where it is possible to add the option for users to send content created by themselves, as well as opinions and experiences with products or services of the brand.

A user generated content strategy can also be carried out within mobile applications that allow adding the functionality that users can put comments, reviews, photos or videosas well as any other relevant content.

Another quite effective option is to use platforms for the collection of user reviews and comments, such as Trustpilot, TripAdvisor or Google Reviews itself. These are very useful tools when what is sought is create content that is trustworthy for the target audiencesince everything is based on real experiences.

In a UGC strategy, email can also be very useful, a medium through which request photographs, videos or other materials related to the brand or with a specific product or service so that they can be shared on social networks or other channels that serve as a means of communication.

And finally, they can also be used in-person events to encourage attendees to share photos, videos, and other content on social networks or other channels using a specific hashtag related to the brand.

Depending on the type of content and the objective, one channel or the other can be used. What is clear is that there are numerous options, so it is easy for one or more of them to fit what you are looking for and the purpose.

How to create your user generated content strategy step by step

Considering the impact user-generated content can have on the target audience, It is important to take into account the following steps In order to create a good UGC strategy:

• Choosing the channels to be used to create a UGC strategy. In order to choose the channel, it is necessary to take into account which is the main communication channel between the company and customers, where the audience comes from and where the potential defenders of the brand have the most influence.
• Set specific goals with user-generated content. Although it is a type of content that, to a certain extent, cannot be foreseen, since it is quite casual and improvised, it is important to know what you want to do with it. For example, the goal may be to get more engagement with the brand, achieve higher conversion rates, build more trust, or simply reduce resources on content creation.
• Tell the audience what type of content to create. Depending on the objectives, the next step will be to tell the audience what type of content to create and share. This can be achieved, for example, by encouraging the use of hashtags, directly asking for a comment or review, encouraging the sharing of photos or videos using the product or service, or through contests and challenges.
• Create a two-way relationship. Responding to comments, thanking users for their participation, and any action in which the user feels listened to, strengthens the relationship. This consequently makes the brand image much more positive and increases the engagement rate.
• analyze results. Any strategy must be analyzed on a regular basis to be able to assess the benefits obtained through it and to detect its weaknesses. In the event that the desired objectives have not been achieved, it may be necessary to choose another channel or to address the public in another way.

By following these steps you can easily create a UGC strategy. What must be taken into account is that the content may arrive slowly. However, this should not be a problem, since the important thing is that the brand and its products or services are talked about in a positive way. That is, the most important thing is not the quantity, but the quality and the content itself..

Key aspects to succeed with your user generated content strategy

To be successful in a user generated content strategy, it is important to take certain aspects into account.

One of them is that always you must ask the content creator for permission to use it. This means that before republishing unbranded content, you need to contact its creator for permission. This can be done through an email, a comment or a private message through social networks or another communication channel. In addition to being a way of not appropriating content that you are not the owner of, it is a way of making yourself look good to the user. It is also important to mention the person who created that content.

Another aspect to take into account is that users want their content to be shared, so the clearer the brand is about the type of content that is wanted, the better. This can be achieved by offering specific guidelines on what is being sought, which must be clear and concise.

They can also be thrown campaigns that invite to be shared. An example of this is Coca-Cola, which launched its popular soft drink with proper names on its labels. Consumers shared Coke cans and bottles with their names or those of family and friends online, making it one of the most successful UGC strategies in marketing history.