Content is the name of the marketing game in business these days. With so many social media platforms to populate and push out content, businesses are often left scrambling to produce it. One valuable source that shouldn’t be ignored, however, is the customer and what’s known as user-generated content.
Not only is user-generated content engaging, low-cost and shareable, it’s content people trust. In fact, studies show consumers trust user-generated content more than any other media because it humanizes your message.
As for how to get user-generated content, we’re not suggesting you ask your customers to start writing blog posts. Rather through fun giveaways and contestants, you can produce it organically. Here’s how.
Video power
Guess which channel reaches more 18-49-year-olds than any cable network in the United States? YouTube. That’s right; it’s a powerful tool if you have the right content. While you may not have a fancy video department if you ask users to enter a contest with a video — perhaps of them using your product in a unique way — you can easily create a fun compilation video to post on your company YouTube channel and promote on other social media channels as well.
Snaps
If a picture is worth a thousand words, just think how much power your followers can provide if you ask them to submit shareable photos as part of a giveaway. The more fun and unique they are, the more shareable they will be. You can highlight the winner and also compile the best runners-up for engaging shareable content.
Opinions Count
Ask customers to tell you why they love your product in 140 words or less, or to leave a Facebook comment stating their favorite thing about your business and why. Those answers can be compiled into blog posts, tweeted out or otherwise shared. Those quoted will be flattered and happy that their opinions are shared, and their testimonies can be effective in attracting new customers.
Winner, Winner
Whether you video tape the winning drawing and post it on YouTube, profile the winner in a blog post or otherwise hype up the final results of the contest, that all makes good shareable content and gets people all jazzed up for their chance to be the next winner.
So get creative and start thinking about how you can get your customers to help you create some fantastic content.
