Are you considering using an account-based marketing strategy to target your high-value prospects? Read on for some great insight into what ABM is all about, plus three common pitfalls and how to avoid them. Thinking of incorporating user-generated content into your marketing strategy? We’ve got three easy steps that will set you up for success.
Rather listen than read? In a recent episode of our podcast, Test. Learn. Grow., we sat down with Level Agency’s creative producer, Sean Wade, and media manager, Abby Young, to find out exactly what UGC is and why it can take your ad creative to the next level.
What is UGC?
UGC, or user-generated content, is exactly what it sounds like—content generated by a brand’s user. Quite often, this comes from organic content, such as a post on Instagram from someone enjoying a business’ product and tagging them. It can also be more intentional; someone will purposefully create content on behalf of a brand. In either case, it’s a way for brands to leverage what’s already happening in market and highlight it in a way that feels authentic and not overly produced.
What makes UGC so successful?
Historically, marketing tended to focus on more aspirational messaging—think celebrity spokespeople or glamorous models—to generate an “I want to be like them” feel for products and services. Today, with media at our fingertips 24/7, users are so saturated with advertising that it’s easily overlooked. But UGC is unusual in that a consumer feels directly spoken to; they see someone they can easily relate to, which is breaking through the noise of traditional marketing methods and creating a lot of value for brands.
How do I get UGC?
As mentioned earlier, one way to get user-generated content is to source it organically. But there are ways to generate it intentionally for your marketing purposes. Here at Level, we use a platform called Billo, a creator marketplace where brands can get marketing videos custom made by a community of video makers. Businesses post their needs for a content piece; applicants apply, and businesses choose the best to represent their product. This is followed by sending out a free product for them to review. You’ll receive your content piece in return—and voila, your UGC! There are plenty of platforms out there like Billo. Do some research and find a creative marketplace that will work for you.
3 Tips for Introducing UGC Into Your Marketing Strategy
To get you on your way with introducing UGC into your marketing strategy, we asked Sean and Abby to give us three tips for anyone taking their first steps. Here’s what they recommended:
- Know your audience. Get an idea of who your audience is and what they would sound like. You can easily obtain demographic information from Google Analytics, but don’t forget to take a look at the engagement on your ads. What are people saying about your products in the comments? If your audience were one person, how would they look and how would they act? This can give you insight and inspiration for the kind of UGC you’d like to have for your brand.
- Source the content. We’ve covered sourcing organic content—don’t forget to get permission! We’ve covered intentionally creating UGC through an online creative marketplace like Billo. But don’t limit yourself to just those two sources. Create your own by running a contest where there are video submissions, for example. And for anyone that feels like this is only a tactic for brands selling physical products, don’t despair! UGC doesn’t have to be all product reviews and mentions. Ask for video testimonials for services or programs that you offer.
- Measure your results. While we’ve certainly seen success with user-generated content, it’s not a magic wand. Make sure you’re getting the results you want and need from it. If you aren’t seeing the kind of feedback that you expected, it might be time to pivot to a different type of UGC. It’s even possible that UGC just isn’t for your brand.
There is plenty more info about user-generated content out there. Contact us—we love discussing how UGC could fit into your brand narrative!
What did we miss? Give us your thoughts in a comment!
