by Andrew Ferris on October 19th, 2023
Introduction
Imagine owning a quaint bistro. You’ve been working hard, farming fresh local ingredients and offering wonderful seasonal pairings and your clientele? They love your place. What would you want to see your patrons doing when you walk out on the floor in the evening? In addition to savoring your food, you’d likely be thrilled to see them taking photos of their good times and good food and posting it online.
Just as a Michelin star (or Yelp review) signifies excellence and trust, user-generated content (UGC) stamps your business with that mark of genuine appreciation in the digital world.
What is User-Generated Content?
Consider UGC as the accolades received by renowned chefs. But the renowned chefs are your clients. And the content—whether it's a candid photo, a video of your clients at work, a heartfelt review on Yelp or Google, or an excited mention— it’s something crafted by your patrons. It's unfiltered, honest, and compelling. It’s genuine in a wonderful way and when you use it for your marketing, it makes the audience you’re advertising to believe in your product and service. We called this Brand Trust and it’s a big deal.
Why UGC Matters to Small Businesses
Why would someone choose your business over one of the probably many other options? You’ve got a gym? Great, get in line. You’ve finally opened your dream CPA business? How are you different from the other ten within a mile of you? You’ve opened an ice cream shop? Well, maybe that’s not a good example…
Point is, you have to look for ways to stand out. And you guessed it, UGC is an excellent place to start.
Simple Strategies to Encourage UGC
How do I get started? Here’s a few starters:
Hashtag Campaigns: Like a signature dish, design a branded hashtag that captures your brand's spirit. Encourage customers to share their experiences. This is searchable on search engines and social media.
Contests & Giveaways: Add a pinch of friendly rivalry! Consider it a culinary contest where patrons flaunt their admiration for your products in exchange for perks. Because this one is not so discernable, let me give you some ideas:
Photo Contests: Ask customers to share photos of themselves using your product or service. For instance, a coffee shop might encourage patrons to post pictures of their favorite coffee moments.
Review & Win: Encourage customers to leave reviews on platforms like Google, Yelp, or directly on your website. Each review could be an entry into a giveaway.
Hashtag Challenges: Popularized by platforms like TikTok and Instagram, businesses can introduce a unique hashtag and challenge users to create content around a theme. For example, a fitness brand might start a #30DayFitnessChallenge.
Caption This: Share an intriguing photo related to your business and ask your followers to come up with a fun caption. The best or most creative caption can win a prize.
Design Contests: If you're launching a new product or service, consider asking your audience to design something for it—like a new logo or packaging—and reward the winning design.
Story Contests: Encourage your followers to share personal stories related to your brand. For example, a travel agency might ask for best travel memories or mishaps.
Trivia & Polls: Engage users with trivia questions or polls about your brand. Those who participate or answer correctly can be entered into a giveaway.
Tag-a-Friend: Encourage users to tag friends in the comments of a post. This not only increases engagement but also exposes the brand to a wider audience.
Recipe Contests: If you're in the food and beverage industry, ask customers to come up with recipes using your products. The best recipes can be featured and rewarded.
Feature Customer Stories: Draft a menu from the most cherished patron tales. Highlight them as your featured dishes. Simple is good here, for social media. For a few of my clients, their best performing social media posts were simple videos from clients, no filters with whatever audio the customer captured in their video. A simple video with a strong caption (I am a fan of the Hook, Story, Solution format currently) can do wonders.
Not sure how to create captions, a strong hashtag bank or any other strategy help? I do all the marketing research so you don’t have to. I like working with local clients, so I make my pricing accessible and I like collaborating! Let’s connect!
How to Utilize UGC Effectively
Curate & Share: Ever thought of revamping a traditional recipe? Well, you’ve revamped it, not created it yourself; you’ll want to tag the original creator. That's the essence when resharing UGC with your unique flair, always attributing the original creator.
Integrate into Marketing Materials: Blend those rave reviews into your marketing strategy. They’re the testimonials that resonate with all.
Make sure it’s on-Brand. After all, it should help strengthen your brand’s identity. So like salt, acid, fat, and heat - your UGC should create a harmonious blend with your brand.
I have helped lots of organizations craft and define their brand identity. Not sure what I’m talking about? Try this: when you think of McDonald’s what colors come to mind immediately? What logo pops in your head when you read ‘Starbucks”? Those are elements of a strong brand identity. Let me help you with yours!
Legal Considerations
An essential footnote, akin to ensuring you have the rights to a chef's unique recipe. Always secure permission before distributing UGC. Honor the creators, whether they’re renowned critics or your loyal patrons. You can do that with a simple release form. Just make sure it is written, dated and saved!
Conclusion
As every Michelin-starred dish has its narrative, every UGC fragment narrates a chapter about your brand. It’s the element that weaves trust, authenticity, and engagement into a gourmet experience. Ready to serve up some growth?
Bonus Tip
The finishing touch! Explore tools like UGC-curating platforms—envision them as the sous-chefs assisting your culinary journey. They streamline, magnify, and present your content impeccably.
Here’s another resource to get your started:
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