{"id":31863,"date":"2018-09-07T07:11:31","date_gmt":"2018-09-07T14:11:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.constant-content.com\/content-writing-service\/?p=31863"},"modified":"2019-03-13T09:47:03","modified_gmt":"2019-03-13T16:47:03","slug":"user-generated-content","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.constant-content.com\/content-writing-service\/2018\/09\/user-generated-content\/","title":{"rendered":"11 Strategies Top Content Marketers Use to Encourage User-Generated Content"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"entry-content\"><p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>It&#8217;s no surprise that an increasing number of brands are taking advantage of user-generated content (UGC); it&#8217;s one of the most effective ways to build brand loyalty, grow organic traffic, and boost ecommerce sales. It&#8217;s also free.<\/p>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f8c854; padding: 10px;\"><strong>Free Actionable Bonus:<\/strong> Free Actionable Bonus: Want to create better content for social media? <a href=\"https:\/\/try.constant-content.com\/social-media\/\"> Get the complete guide to building a social media strategy and creating content for social, plus 6 awesome examples to inspire your next post.<br \/>\n<\/a><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"the-importance-of-user-generated-content\">The Importance of User-Generated Content<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>In the world of content marketing, UGC is pure gold\u2013 it\u2019s cost-effective and often gets better results than content generated by a brand. In fact, research shows that 85 percent of consumers find <a href=\"http:\/\/www.adweek.com\/digital\/why-consumers-share-user-generated-content-infographic\/\">user-generated content more influential<\/a> than branded content. Beyond just being a cost-effective and convincing advertising channel, user-generated content can help turn your customers into a community by making it ease for people to see and connect with like-minded individuals.<\/p>\n<p>If that\u2019s not enough, there are some convincing stats to back-up the hype:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.adweek.com\/digital\/why-consumers-share-user-generated-content-infographic\/\">93% of consumers<\/a> find UGC helpful when making a purchase decision<\/li>\n<li>UGC results in <a href=\"http:\/\/www.adweek.com\/digital\/why-consumers-share-user-generated-content-infographic\/\">29% high web conversions<\/a> compared to campaigns or websites without it<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.goodvid.io\/user-generated-content-ecommerce-stats\/\">71% of consumers <\/a>feel more comfortable buying a product after researching user generated reviews<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>With the rise of smartphone usage, it&#8217;s much easier for consumers to create content in a variety of formats to share online. How do you encourage this? Here, we&#8217;ll explore various ways to encourage consumers to post content linked to your brand.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"1-customer-reviews\">1. Customer Reviews<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Reviews on product pages give consumers reassurance before buying. According to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.convinceandconvert.com\/content-marketing\/engage-customers-in-creating-user-generated-content\/\">Smart Insights<\/a>, 59 percent of consumers say user-generated product reviews have a significant impact on their buying behavior.<\/p>\n<p>Video reviews are even more credible because people can hear and see the reviewer. Ask your existing customers to submit video reviews with the reward of being featured on your website. Skin-care brand Boom by Cindy Joseph uses video reviews on every product page.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"2-visual-testimonials\">2. Visual Testimonials<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>According to Netsphere Strategies, 63 percent of US shoppers trust customer photos more than brand or retailer photos1. Try to incorporate customer photos into the ecommerce experience.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Email customers encouraging them to share photos of their purchases on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.<\/li>\n<li>Showcase customer photos on product pages or create a photo gallery on your website.<\/li>\n<li>Create a unique hashtag to encourage photo sharing on social media.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Outdoor clothing retailer Poler asked customers to submit photos of their camping adventures using the hashtag #CampVibes. The best images were featured in the brand&#8217;s retail stores and on its website.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-31883\" src=\"https:\/\/cc-west-blog-assets.s3.amazonaws.com\/uploads\/2018\/09\/UGC-visuals.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"813\" height=\"599\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cc-west-blog-assets.s3.amazonaws.com\/uploads\/2018\/09\/UGC-visuals.png 733w, https:\/\/cc-west-blog-assets.s3.amazonaws.com\/uploads\/2018\/09\/UGC-visuals-300x221.png 300w, https:\/\/cc-west-blog-assets.s3.amazonaws.com\/uploads\/2018\/09\/UGC-visuals-768x566.png 768w, https:\/\/cc-west-blog-assets.s3.amazonaws.com\/uploads\/2018\/09\/UGC-visuals-50x37.png 50w, https:\/\/cc-west-blog-assets.s3.amazonaws.com\/uploads\/2018\/09\/UGC-visuals-640x472.png 640w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 813px) 100vw, 813px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"3-gamification\">3. Gamification<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Gamification in marketing is a way of giving users a sense of achievement for engaging with your brand. It doesn&#8217;t have to lead to buying a product, but it usually involves rewards such as discount codes, loyalty points, or free gifts.<\/p>\n<p>To encourage UGC, Samsung Nation rewards customers for writing reviews, watching videos, and taking part in forums. Users can earn badges, receive exclusive perks, and enter competitions to win great prizes.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-31893\" src=\"https:\/\/cc-west-blog-assets.s3.amazonaws.com\/uploads\/2018\/09\/UGC-gamification.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"973\" height=\"612\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cc-west-blog-assets.s3.amazonaws.com\/uploads\/2018\/09\/UGC-gamification.png 973w, https:\/\/cc-west-blog-assets.s3.amazonaws.com\/uploads\/2018\/09\/UGC-gamification-300x189.png 300w, https:\/\/cc-west-blog-assets.s3.amazonaws.com\/uploads\/2018\/09\/UGC-gamification-768x483.png 768w, https:\/\/cc-west-blog-assets.s3.amazonaws.com\/uploads\/2018\/09\/UGC-gamification-50x31.png 50w, https:\/\/cc-west-blog-assets.s3.amazonaws.com\/uploads\/2018\/09\/UGC-gamification-640x403.png 640w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 973px) 100vw, 973px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"4-contests\">4. Contests<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>People love prizes, especially if they&#8217;re exclusive. They also enjoy the social aspect of entering contests and sharing the details with friends.<\/p>\n<p>A few years ago, National Geographic created an Instagram contest where photographers could submit inspirational travel photos using the hashtag #WanderlustContest. The top prize was a trip to Yosemite National Park. What prize could you offer to encourage UGC?<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-31933\" src=\"https:\/\/cc-west-blog-assets.s3.amazonaws.com\/uploads\/2018\/09\/UGC-contest.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"990\" height=\"240\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cc-west-blog-assets.s3.amazonaws.com\/uploads\/2018\/09\/UGC-contest.png 990w, https:\/\/cc-west-blog-assets.s3.amazonaws.com\/uploads\/2018\/09\/UGC-contest-300x73.png 300w, https:\/\/cc-west-blog-assets.s3.amazonaws.com\/uploads\/2018\/09\/UGC-contest-768x186.png 768w, https:\/\/cc-west-blog-assets.s3.amazonaws.com\/uploads\/2018\/09\/UGC-contest-50x12.png 50w, https:\/\/cc-west-blog-assets.s3.amazonaws.com\/uploads\/2018\/09\/UGC-contest-640x155.png 640w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 990px) 100vw, 990px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"5-build-a-community\">5. Build a Community<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Buffer uses the hashtag #buffercommunity to encourage users around the world to share location photos. The photo theme may seem unrelated to the brand, but it makes sense. The user-generated photos show that people can use Buffer&#8217;s marketing automation tools from anywhere in the world, and these shared photos help to create a community around the brand.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-31903\" src=\"https:\/\/cc-west-blog-assets.s3.amazonaws.com\/uploads\/2018\/09\/UGC-community.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"819\" height=\"603\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cc-west-blog-assets.s3.amazonaws.com\/uploads\/2018\/09\/UGC-community.png 733w, https:\/\/cc-west-blog-assets.s3.amazonaws.com\/uploads\/2018\/09\/UGC-community-300x221.png 300w, https:\/\/cc-west-blog-assets.s3.amazonaws.com\/uploads\/2018\/09\/UGC-community-768x565.png 768w, https:\/\/cc-west-blog-assets.s3.amazonaws.com\/uploads\/2018\/09\/UGC-community-50x37.png 50w, https:\/\/cc-west-blog-assets.s3.amazonaws.com\/uploads\/2018\/09\/UGC-community-640x471.png 640w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 819px) 100vw, 819px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"6-support-a-cause\">6. Support a Cause<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Customers like to buy from companies that share their passion for a cause. Women&#8217;s clothing company Aerie created the hashtag #AerieReal to protest against the excessive retouching of images of models, and pledged to stop retouching images of models in their swimwear. They encouraged customers to share their unedited photos and donated $1 to the National Eating Disorders Association for every picture posted.<\/p>\n<p>Are there any causes you feel strongly about, or charities you&#8217;d like to support? Tell your customers and find a way to get them involved.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"7-hashtag-campaigns\">7. Hashtag Campaigns<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>When a Red Bull employee found a photo of a Red Bull can being held in front of a Mini Cooper, making it look like the car was carrying the can, they spotted an opportunity and added the #PutACanOnIt hashtag to it. Within weeks, thousands of images were shared across social media using the hashtag. Think creatively. A clever hashtag campaign can inspire lots of UGC.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-31923\" src=\"https:\/\/cc-west-blog-assets.s3.amazonaws.com\/uploads\/2018\/09\/top-10-put-a-can-on-it-2014.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1050\" height=\"700\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cc-west-blog-assets.s3.amazonaws.com\/uploads\/2018\/09\/top-10-put-a-can-on-it-2014.png 1050w, https:\/\/cc-west-blog-assets.s3.amazonaws.com\/uploads\/2018\/09\/top-10-put-a-can-on-it-2014-300x200.png 300w, https:\/\/cc-west-blog-assets.s3.amazonaws.com\/uploads\/2018\/09\/top-10-put-a-can-on-it-2014-768x512.png 768w, https:\/\/cc-west-blog-assets.s3.amazonaws.com\/uploads\/2018\/09\/top-10-put-a-can-on-it-2014-50x33.png 50w, https:\/\/cc-west-blog-assets.s3.amazonaws.com\/uploads\/2018\/09\/top-10-put-a-can-on-it-2014-600x400.png 600w, https:\/\/cc-west-blog-assets.s3.amazonaws.com\/uploads\/2018\/09\/top-10-put-a-can-on-it-2014-640x427.png 640w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1050px) 100vw, 1050px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"8-offer-small-rewards\">8. Offer Small Rewards<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>You don&#8217;t have to give away expensive prizes in return for UGC. Just acknowledging your followers, or sharing their content can be enough. Here are some other ways to reward your fans:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Include UGC in emails.<\/li>\n<li>Respond to comments on blog posts.<\/li>\n<li>Use UGC within your blog.<\/li>\n<li>Ask influential followers to write for your blog.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"9-ask-questions\">9. Ask Questions<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Asking questions on social media is a great way to boost brand engagement and build trust. Questions you could ask:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>How do your products make your customers&#8217; lives easier?<\/li>\n<li>What kinds of content would customers like to see more of?<\/li>\n<li>Which products do your customers like best?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"10-try-a-photo-booth\">10. Try a Photo Booth<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Beverage maker Fanta took a creative approach to encouraging UGC by installing a photo printer into one of their billboards.<\/p>\n<p>The billboard ad itself asked passersby to take a selfie and post it to Instagram with the hashtag <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/explore\/tags\/fantatasteslike\/\" data-slimstat=\"5\">#FantaTastesLike<\/a>. If they did so, they received a printed copy of the photo.<\/p>\n<p>The combination of the novel user experience and the physical reward for posting inspired users to participate, earning Fanta a lot more mentions on social media than they had gotten in the past.\u00a0You don\u2019t to advertise on billboards to test out this strategy\u2013try setting up a photo booth at a retail location or a company-branded event.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-7100\" src=\"https:\/\/cc-west-blog-assets.s3.amazonaws.com\/uploads\/2017\/09\/fanta-branded-content.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"978\" height=\"428\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cc-west-blog-assets.s3.amazonaws.com\/uploads\/2017\/09\/fanta-branded-content.jpg 978w, https:\/\/cc-west-blog-assets.s3.amazonaws.com\/uploads\/2017\/09\/fanta-branded-content-300x131.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cc-west-blog-assets.s3.amazonaws.com\/uploads\/2017\/09\/fanta-branded-content-768x336.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cc-west-blog-assets.s3.amazonaws.com\/uploads\/2017\/09\/fanta-branded-content-50x22.jpg 50w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 978px) 100vw, 978px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"11-let-customers-model-your-products\">11. Let Customers Model Your Products<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>When you showcase customers who live your brand values, it makes other people want to live that way too.<\/p>\n<p>Activewear company <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/lululemon\/\" data-slimstat=\"5\">Lululemon<\/a> knew this when they launched their #TheSweatLife campaign, which asked followers to send their best photos of themselves \u201cgetting their sweat on\u201d.\u00a0The campaign was a hit, resulting in 250,000 uses of the hashtag, over 700 photo submissions, and more than 40,000 unique visitors to the microsite created for this campaign.<\/p>\n<p>A big part of the campaigns success and be attributed to the fact that these photos represent the same image and values as the Lululemon brand itself\u2013inspirational, yet aspirational.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-31913\" src=\"https:\/\/cc-west-blog-assets.s3.amazonaws.com\/uploads\/2018\/09\/model-UGC.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"584\" height=\"626\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cc-west-blog-assets.s3.amazonaws.com\/uploads\/2018\/09\/model-UGC.png 504w, https:\/\/cc-west-blog-assets.s3.amazonaws.com\/uploads\/2018\/09\/model-UGC-280x300.png 280w, https:\/\/cc-west-blog-assets.s3.amazonaws.com\/uploads\/2018\/09\/model-UGC-47x50.png 47w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 584px) 100vw, 584px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"taking-it-further\">Taking It Further<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>UGC is now one of the most effective ways to build trust in your brand. As well as providing social proof for your products and services, it will also boost your SEO.<\/p>\n<p>Don&#8217;t forget that you can reach new audiences by showing UGC at live events, on screens in your store, and even in printed material.<\/p>\n<p>Are you giving people a good reason to submit UGC?<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&nbsp; It&#8217;s no surprise that an increasing number of brands are taking advantage of user-generated content (UGC); it&#8217;s one of the most effective ways to build brand loyalty, grow organic traffic, and boost ecommerce sales. It&#8217;s also free. Free Actionable Bonus: Free Actionable Bonus: Want to create better content for&#8230; <a class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.constant-content.com\/content-writing-service\/2018\/09\/user-generated-content\/\">Continue Reading <span class=\"icon icon-circle-chevron-right\"><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":26,"featured_media":7104,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[195,197],"tags":[142,1473],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v15.7 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>11 Strategies Top Content Marketers Use to Encourage User-Generated Content - Constant Content<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.constant-content.com\/content-writing-service\/2018\/09\/user-generated-content\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"11 Strategies Top Content Marketers Use to Encourage User-Generated Content - Constant Content\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"&nbsp; It&#8217;s no surprise that an increasing number of brands are taking advantage of user-generated content (UGC); it&#8217;s one of the most effective ways to build brand loyalty, grow organic traffic, and boost ecommerce sales. 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