User generated content (UGC) has been a trend for a few years now. In fact, it’s the basis for the fortunes of social media giants like Facebook and Twitter, and you’ll often see user-contributed pieces on TV news and newspaper websites.

But what about your own brand? Can user-created content boost your business fortunes? At greatcontent, we think it can, so let’s explore how it works and how you need to capitalise on what user-originated content has to offer.

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What is user-generated content all about?

User generated content is any content that is sourced by companies from their customers or web users and that’s used as marketing material in their campaigns. It can be visual or textual, and it often synchs up with social media accounts.

Examples of UGC are everywhere. Artisan furniture retailer Wayfair uses the Instagram hashtag #wayfairathome to showcase interior designs made by customers using their products.

Accounting services company Xero also use Instagram to post stories about how customer benefit from their products instead of just content based purely around accounting – which could get a little dry.

Understanding how user-created content differs from branded content

User created content is generally compared with branded content. In branded content, the brand take centre stage and full control. Marketing teams may commission outside film- or app-makers, but control over the content is retained by the brand itself. The idea is to create content which promotes the brand in question without taking the form of traditional advertising. So branded content often treads a fine line between marketing content and pure entertainment.

UGC is different. Here, the brand relinquishes control and leaves it to its audience to come up with content. Companies can encourage individuals to take certain actions, but they don’t have control over what they will come up with. The actions they encourage could include anything from taking holiday photographs to wearing branded clothing in creative ways or leaving reviews of certain products.

Both forms of marketing try to enhance the authenticity of brands in ways that old-style advertising often fails to do. As such, both are vital parts of modern marketing toolkits.

How to make user-created content work for your brand

If you want to promote the personality of your brand and foster engagement among your audience, UGC is a great way to go. But it needs to be done well. So here are some tips that will help to guide your strategy.

1. Keep things as simple as possible

When crafting a user-generated content strategy, remember that you are trying to encourage customers to give their time and effort freely – and that most people have limited time.

So, connect your campaign to simple actions which ordinary customers can easily execute. Burberry’s “Art of the Trench” campaign is a good example: the apparel giant simply asked customers to take snaps of their trench coats and selected the best images for their Instagram feed. Easy.

2. Give the results of UGC as much visibility as possible

When you run UGC campaigns, don’t hide away the results or make it hard for users to access them.

Have a strategy in place to promote the creations of your customers across relevant marketing channels, and don’t be afraid to promote them above other materials. At least for a while, make every UGC campaign your centrepiece. For UGC to work, as many customers need to see it as possible.

3. Provide enough lead-in time to collect submissions

User generated content campaigns won’t work if they are rushed. So use a period of one to two months to build anticipation of the event. Announce competitions, and inform users about deadlines. Make sure to give them plenty of time to create content that they are happy with.

4. Be ready to capitalise on UGC campaigns

If you’ve attracted hundreds of beautiful Instagram images, that’s great! But it’s only half the story. To really benefit from UGC, companies need a strategy that will turn that customer effort into sales and engagement.

So be sure to use analytical tools which teach you how to measure brand awareness, and if awareness isn’t shifting, create additional content to enhance the impact of UGC.

Blogs about your favourite submissions, how-to guides about taking photos, or stories about the products being promoted are all good companions to UGC campaigns. So mix them together. UGC is great, but it’s more effective as part of wider marketing systems.

Craft user-generated campaigns which work with greatcontent’s help

At greatcontent, we have plenty of experience in helping clients boost their brand authority by using both branded and user-generated content. So get in touch if you’d like to explore how to make the creativity of your customers work for you

Client created content (UGC) has been a pattern for a couple of years now. Actually, it's the reason for the fortunes of internet based life goliaths like Facebook and Twitter, and you'll regularly observe client contributed pieces on TV news and paper sites.

Be that as it may, shouldn't something be said about your very own image? Will client made substance support your business fortunes? At greatcontent, we figure it can, so we should investigate how it functions and how you have to exploit what client begun substance brings to the table.

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What is client created substance about?

Client produced content is any substance that is sourced by organizations from their clients or web clients and that is utilized as showcasing material in their crusades. It very well may be visual or printed, and it regularly syncs up with web based life accounts.

Instances of UGC are all over the place. Craftsman furniture retailer Wayfair utilizes the Instagram hashtag #wayfairathome to grandstand inside plans made by clients utilizing their items.

Bookkeeping administrations organization Xero likewise use Instagram to post tales about how client profit by their items rather than simply content based absolutely around bookkeeping – which could get somewhat dry.

Seeing how client made substance contrasts from marked substance

Client made substance is commonly contrasted and marked substance. In marked substance, the brand become the overwhelming focus and full control. Promoting groups may commission outside film-or application creators, however command over the substance is held by the brand itself. The thought is to make content which advances the brand being referred to without appearing as conventional promoting. So marked substance regularly steps a scarce difference between showcasing content and unadulterated excitement.

UGC is extraordinary. Here, the brand gives up control and abandons it to its group of onlookers to think of substance. Organizations can urge people to take certain activities, yet they don't have command over what they will think of. The activities they empower could incorporate anything from taking occasion photos to wearing marked attire in inventive ways or leaving surveys of specific items.

The two types of showcasing attempt to improve the credibility of brands in manners that old-style promoting frequently neglects to do. In that capacity, both are imperative parts of present day showcasing toolboxs.

Step by step instructions to make client made substance work for your image

In the event that you need to advance the identity of your image and encourage commitment among your crowd, UGC is an extraordinary approach. Be that as it may, it should be progressed nicely. So here are a few hints that will manage your methodology.

1. Keep things as straightforward as could reasonably be expected

While creating a client produced substance methodology, recollect that you are endeavoring to urge clients to give their time and exertion uninhibitedly – and that a great many people have constrained time.

In this way, associate your battle to straightforward activities which conventional clients can without much of a stretch execute. Burberry's "Craft of the Trench" battle is a genuine precedent: the attire mammoth essentially solicited clients to take snaps from their channel coats and chose the best pictures for their Instagram feed. Simple.

2. Give the aftereffects of UGC however much perceivability as could reasonably be expected

When you run UGC battles, don't cover up away the outcomes or make it difficult for clients to get to them.

Have a system set up to advance the manifestations of your clients crosswise over important showcasing channels, and don't be reluctant to advance them above different materials. At any rate for some time, make each UGC battle your highlight. For UGC to work, however many clients need to consider it to be would be prudent.

3. Give enough lead so as to gather entries

Client created content battles won't work in the event that they are surged. So utilize a time of one to two months to assemble expectation of the occasion. Report rivalries, and educate clients about due dates. Make a point to give them a lot of time to make content that they are content with.

4. Be prepared to exploit UGC crusades

On the off chance that you've pulled in many lovely Instagram pictures, that is incredible! In any case, it's solitary a large portion of the story. To truly profit by UGC, organizations need a system that will transform that client exertion into deals and commitment.

So make sure to utilize systematic apparatuses which show you how to quantify mark mindfulness, and if mindfulness isn't moving, make extra substance to improve the effect of UGC.

Online journals about your most loved entries, how-to guides about taking photographs, or tales about the items being advanced are on the whole great buddies to UGC crusades. So combine them. UGC is extraordinary, yet it's progressively compelling as a major aspect of more extensive promoting frameworks.

Art client produced crusades which work with greatcontent's assistance

At greatcontent, we have a lot of involvement in helping customers support their image expert by utilizing both marked and client produced substance. So connect on the off chance that you'd like to investigate how to make the innovativeness of your clients work for you.