User-generated content (UGC) is one of the hottest trends in marketing right now. Top brands around the world are starting to realize that UGC is the perfect medium for creating original, authentic, and compelling campaigns that drive results.
What is UGC, anyways?
For the uninitiated, user-generated content refers to any media that was created by users. This can include images, videos, audio files, text posts, tweets, and more. The key factor is that the content was created by users of a service or customers of a brand, rather than by professionals seeking to sell said service or brand. UGC is a highly impactful – and surprisingly affordable – means of marketing your brand.
Can UGC help improve your site’s SEO? >
Four brands that are leveraging UGC:
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Alaska Airlines
The hub of Alaska’s rebranding campaign is this page on their website, an attractive parallax feature that expertly synthesizes user-generated content, marketing materials, and interactive features. As you scroll down the page, you can explore an assortment of real customer reviews, recent social media posts using #iflyalaska, and references to the brand’s many awards. The result is a friendly, informative page that drives home the point that Alaska Airlines wants to make – it’s all about the customer.
Many of you might have raised an eyebrow or two at Pokemon’s 60-second Super Bowl 50 spot, which encourages users to use #Pokemon20 on social media posts in support of the brand’s 20th anniversary. Pokemon’s website in support of that campaign features hundreds of these posts, curated from Instagram and Twitter. The scrolling content feed demonstrates the wide appeal of the Pokemon brand and has something for everyone – from excited ten year-olds in Pikachu costumes to nostalgic twenty-somethings to parents who are just glad that their kids aren’t playing Grand Theft Auto V. Marketing videos and calls-to-action for each of their target demographics are integrated throughout the page, helping to generate leads and inform potential customers.
This 2014 campaign from Mercedes-Benz encouraged users to submit content showing what they would pack in their new GLA. The result was an outpouring of authentic, original content that would have comparatively cost a fortune to pay an agency to produce. An integrated Facebook/Instagram ad campaign that leveraged this content was groundbreaking in demonstrating the incredible value of reaching potential customers on multiple channels – users who saw ads on both social media platforms followed by a Facebook clickthrough ad were 580% more likely to visit the site.
For Yogi Tea, we leveraged user-generated content to help the brand highlight their already-impressive social media following. Our friends at Yogi use Inspirations to easily curate images from Twitter and Instagram and feature them on their website alongside product promotions. The result has been a healthy increase in social engagement and brand ambassadors. Learn more about Yogi Inspirations in our portfolio.
Resources:
- 6 More Great Examples of Brands Leveraging User-Generated Content
- Yogi Inspirations – Converting Social Followers to Sales
- Learn more about User-Generated Content
