There are countless methods and means of promoting your brand, but user-generated content comes out on top when it comes down to it. 

User-generated content successfully places your consumer at the front of the brand, solidifying the authenticity to both new and existing customers. 

With such a vast range of user-generated content to choose between, it can be difficult to know where to start. So we’ve compiled a list of the 4 key ways you can begin incorporating it into your social media marketing:

What is user-generated content?

Before diving in, it’s crucial to understand what user-generated content is. Essentially it’s pulling content from your users, for your users. 

One of the best things about user-generated material is that it acts as good social proof. Seeing information from real customers strengthens your brand’s trust and puts its promises into perspective. With 66 percent of consumers thinking transparency is one of a brand’s most attractive qualities, now is the time to include it in your strategy. 

1. The power of ‘regramming’

Brands strive to attract customers through more innovative and intelligent ways. To achieve this, many have turned to their users to put this vision in full force. 

Regramming is the practice of uploading other people’s Instagram content to your own feed in order to give your business a more genuine feel and perception. As a result, of all user-generated content strategies, this is one of the most popular.

Consumers are 2.4 times more inclined to trust user-generated content than content created by the brand, encouraging them to invest in your product and boosting your credibility.

Regramming is a fantastic way to promote your business. It not only promotes real users of your product, but it is also free advertisement. This useful tool stimulates user engagement while also increasing conversions and revenue.

2. Truthful testimonials 

Every company has its own reviews on its website, however, these can be handpicked to reflect the desired viewpoint on their products. When they come in the form of user-generated content, reviews are considerably more honest, whether that be positive or negative feedback. 

Testimonials are essentially the internet’s word-of-mouth, as they help people form opinions about a company before they even visit it. This strategy must be incorporated into your social media marketing, with a staggering 92 percent of consumers admitting to considering reviews before making a purchase decision.

As this is one of the most organic methods of user-generated content, businesses should embrace it on their websites and other marketing channels. Sometimes it’s even worth including the not-so-positive reviews as the more genuine your company appears, the more trust that can be built with your audience.

3. Shareable hashtags and stories 

Hashtags are great for when you’re running a promotion or a campaign as they encourage users to engage with your content. 

Creating your own unique hashtags for your customers to use in their posts will aid in the creation of a fun and innovative user-generated content collection. Posting these on your brand’s story is a fantastic way to show customers that you care about what they think of your product. 

Encourage customers to share their experiences or content with you by tagging you in their stories. These can then be shown to a worldwide audience to increase audience reach, generate valid promotions, and accomplish the desired outcome.

Why not take it a step further and add a highlight to your profile? All customer content can be added to the highlight to curate a place full of feedback, success stories, and positive uses of your product.

4. User-generated video content 

Source: YouTube

Modern consumers expect to know exactly what they’re getting before they order something, whether it’s a product, a service, or an experience. 

When it comes to advertising, videos are quite a powerful tool. However, having your consumers feature in the video content is much more powerful.

Several brands have used this method to portray a true perspective of who uses their products and services in recent campaigns. For example, GoPro utilizes its user-generated content to fuel its YouTube channel. Some of their most liked videos are from their users, with them offering rewards such as free products, exposure, and cash prizes to encourage their consumers to send in their videos.

This form of user-generated content is great for creating a feeling of desire towards your brand from the customer when they see existing consumers using your product. These types of videos rarely come across as sales-driven, instead, focusing on the user experience to reaffirm brands’ trust with their customers.

Change the way you use social media 

Now is the perfect time to start incorporating user-generated content into your social media marketing strategy. Change the way you engage with your customers and place them at the centre of your brand in a simple yet innovative approach to turn it into an authentic and credible entity.