For startups and emerging brands, user-generated content (UGC) is an excellent way to build a foundation of trust and community from the ground up. This type of content uses authentic customer voices, taps into real experiences, and shares genuine customer stories. Best of all? It’s a cost-effective way to increase brand visibility and engage with your audience.
If you’re a startup or emerging brand looking for ways to encourage, manage, and optimise your UGC, these strategies will give you a head start:
Tap into the Power of Social Proof to Build Credibility
UGC provides a direct way to showcase customer reviews, testimonials, how-tos, and before-and-afters that validate your brand’s value. By sharing your customers’ text, photos, or videos on social media, potential buyers will see that consumers have had positive experiences, and they’ll trust you can offer them the same.
Utilise Reviews and Testimonials on Multiple Channels
In addition to social media, consider sharing reviews and testimonials across various channels, such as your website, emails, and ads. Potential customers often look for social proof before making a purchase decision, so having customer endorsements readily available can enhance trust and drive conversions.
Run Contests and Challenges to Boost Engagement
Contests and challenges are excellent strategies for encouraging UGC, especially for brands with a limited budget. You can host a photo contest or invite your followers to share their creative uses for a product, offering a prize for the most unique entry. These interactive campaigns will engage the community and generate high-quality UGC for your future marketing.
Use Branded Hashtags to Encourage Content Creation
Creating a unique and memorable branded hashtag is an effective way for your startup to encourage your target audience to share content about their experiences. These hashtags also make it easier for you to find and manage UGC and promote posts that best highlight your offerings.
Curate and Repost High-Quality UGC
While gathering UGC is essential, carefully curating and reposting it is crucial for maintaining brand quality and consistency. Not all UGC will be on-brand, so selecting the right images, captions, and stories will ensure the content aligns with your brand’s image. Regularly reposting high-quality content from your followers also shows appreciation for your community, strengthening customer loyalty.
Partner with Shout for Easy Access to Authentic UGC
SHOUT is a helpful platform that simplifies the process of collecting and curating user-generated content (UGC). With tools for organising and managing UGC, SHOUT helps your brand effortlessly share authentic experiences, making it easier to build credibility and community engagement.
For startups and emerging brands, UGC is a budget-friendly way to gain traction in a crowded market. Using these tips, your new brand can establish itself as one that consumers will trust because others who’ve tried it say so!