Sourcing User Generated Content For Advertising Strategy

One source of content generation you may not have tapped into yet is user-generated content. Content marketing is a critical component of any successful marketing strategy. However, it can take a lot of resources to produce your own content on a regular basis. Even if you’ve managed to regularly generate high-quality content, you should look for other ways to create new content for variety’s sake, such as high quality user generated content.

Types of UGC

• Photos/videos on social media
• Reviews and testimonials
• Unboxing content
• Blog posts or vlogs from customers
• Social media mentions/tags
• Case studies from customers

What Is User-Generated Content?

User-generated content refers to content created by consumers and not brands. Such content includes videos, pictures, reviews, articles, and more. For instance, if a consumer takes a picture of themselves using your product and posts it on Instagram, that’s user-generated content. The following are just a few of the benefits of user-generated content:

• Free publicity

Your audience is essentially promoting your brand on your behalf. As a result, user-generated content can help increase brand awareness.

• Free content

Creating your own content requires a lot of resources. User-generated content requires none — your audience is creating the content for you. While you don’t own it, you can share it and reap the benefits of it.

• Positive word of mouth

Customers trust other customers more than they trust brands. Positive user-generated content can, therefore, help to boost your brand reputation by creating trust.

3 Brands That Turned Customers Into Marketers

GoPro’s UGC-driven product launches
GoPro built its entire marketing model around customer-submitted footage through hashtags like #gopro and #GoProChallenge, plus a Million Dollar Challenge that ties directly to new product launches, since participants have to use the newest camera to enter. The tactic works because it doubles as a product demo while building a content library the brand can reuse in ads, and visitors to the challenge page converted at nearly 3x the normal rate, generating around 25,000 transactions. CuratorCurator

Glossier’s always-on referral program
Rather than running one-off contests, Glossier built UGC into a permanent system: it collects customer photos under a branded hashtag, reposts the best ones, and turns popular contributors into brand ambassadors with unique promo codes that earn them a cut of the sales they drive. The payoff is real — about 70% of the brand’s online sales now come from peer referrals rather than paid ads. CuratorCurator

Wayfair’s evergreen hashtag strategy
Wayfair keeps things simple by posting a branded hashtag in its Instagram bio and asking customers to share photos of Wayfair products in their homes, then reposting the best shots with creator credit — no contest, no prize, just an always-open invitation. The hashtag has accumulated more than 55,000 posts, proof that a low-friction ask can outperform a flashier one-time campaign. Young Urban ProjectYoung Urban Project

How To Source Usable Generated-Content

Considering how beneficial this free content can be, you’ll want to do everything you can to encourage it. However, the biggest challenge lies in the lack of control you have over the content. You can’t control the message, format, or quality, after all. But there are a few ways that you can guide your audience to create the content that will benefit you most. The following are a few tips on how to source high-quality user-generated content:

• Encourage 

Don’t just wait for your audience to create content relevant to your brand. You need to encourage it. For instance, hold a contest on social media in which users vote on the best submission. You can then give the winner a prize. There are many ways that you can encourage content generation.

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• Provide clear guidelines

If you’re looking for a specific type of content, then you need to provide guidelines. For example, if you want user reviews, consider providing a basic review format. Such a format could list three broad questions that users can answer in order to generate a review.

• Provide content creation tips

Your audience does not consist of professional content creators. As such, provide tips that they can use to create higher quality content. For instance, if you’re holding a video creation contest on YouTube or on Instagram, provide your users with a list of basic filming tips. Such tips can help cut down on the amount of poor quality content that you might receive.

• Offer an example

If you’re looking for a specific type of content, then provide an example. When users see what you’re looking for, it will help them create the kind of content you want. For instance, if you’re hosting a picture taking contest, upload a few pictures of your own that would be considered exceptional examples. By providing an example, you also make sure that users understand your instructions more clearly.

• Identify the channel

Make sure that your audience knows where to send it. The last thing you want is users posting their content on different platforms or sending it to you via different channels. If you’re promoting a contest, specify what platform they should post to or what hashtag they should use. Provide detailed instructions on how to submit content. By making it clear what channel you’re using, it will be easier for you to track and organize user-generated content.

• Open a line of communication

Provide a channel through which your audience can contact you. This channel should be specifically for users who are creating content. You can do this by providing a specific support email address, a phone number, or a page they can DM on social media.

• Monitor performance

Track how the content users create for your brand is performing. By doing so, you can identify what types are the most effective. You can then adjust your guidelines and instructions to encourage the creation of that type of content.

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Start Turning Customers Into Creators

User-generated content isn’t a nice-to-have anymore — it’s one of the most cost-effective ways to build trust, expand your content library, and get your brand in front of new audiences without stretching your production budget. The brands doing it best, whether it’s GoPro tying UGC to product launches or Wayfair running a simple evergreen hashtag, all share one thing in common: they made it easy and rewarding for customers to participate.

You don’t need a massive budget or a viral moment to get started. Pick one channel, create a simple hashtag, and give your audience a clear reason to share. Start small this week: choose a single platform, draft your guidelines, and ask your most loyal customers to be the first to post. The content — and the trust it builds — will follow.