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Whether it’s fans writing articles for your website or submitting product photos as part of a contest, user-generated content (UGC) has become a key component of many modern brands’ marketing strategies. This low-cost tactic can help you crowdsource new content ideas while allowing your audience to shine.
Not only does UGC make customers feel more engaged with a brand, but it also supplements brand-generated content, saving your marketing department time and resources. To that end, eight Rolling Stone Culture Council members share smart and effective ways businesses can encourage followers to submit more UGC and make your marketing a little more customer-centric.
Give Followers the Ability to Profit
In the creator economy, there is nothing more powerful than giving your followers the ability to profit. For example, the Bored Ape Yacht Club gave IP rights to their customers; then their customers turned around and created businesses with the IP. Now you see apes slapped on beer cans, printed on T-shirts and performing on stage at the MTV Video Music Awards. – Sidney Swift, DEFIENT
Invite Them on to Your Podcast
Content is king—but time-consuming and expensive to produce regularly. Podcasting is a cost-effective way to integrate user comments, feedback and insights into your strategy. Invite customers to be guests on your show to share their experiences with your brand. Repurpose this content into blogs, audio and video clips and social media posts. Give them the links and ask them to share them with their followers. – Traci DeForge, Produce Your Podcast
Repost and Champion Creators
Interacting with your community is key. People want to see real people wearing or using the products or services. They don’t want a paid-for, perfectly orchestrated photoshoot. They want to see how the dress fits ordinary people with different body types and in different scenarios. Reposting and championing for creators and customers makes all the difference. – Kathy Schenfelt, MISSMANAGED
The Rolling Stone Culture Council is an invitation-only community for Influencers, Innovators and Creatives. Do I qualify?
Collect Customer Feedback
Make it easy for customers to share their opinions. Posting on social media is a great way to get customer feedback because it’s easier than having them fill out a survey. All you have to do is ask them what they think about your product or service and tag them in the post. This will make it easy for your followers to share their thoughts, which will increase the reach of your message. – Kristin Marquet, Marquet Media, LLC
Create Social Campaigns
Create social campaigns where customers can join and display their creativity through UGC. Make it easy for users to submit their content. Create a dedicated page on your website or blog where users can submit their photos, videos or articles. Ego-bait your customers. Publish those UGC pieces on your social channel and tell them that you have done this. They will feel a personal connection. – Candice Georgiadis, Digital Day
Offer Incentives or Rewards
Offering special incentives to reward others for sharing more user-generated content is a great way to kick off an effort to accumulate more content! – Christian Anderson (Trust’N), Lost Boy Entertainment LLC
Celebrate Customers Who Contribute Content
There is nothing more powerful than having unbiased, authentic content created by your customers. It not only demonstrates your brand’s stickiness and relevance, but it can also validate what you stand for in the eyes of consumers. Amplify the content to engage new customers, reward and celebrate those who contribute with discount codes or products and watch your community grow. – Michael Klein, Sunset Amusements
Build Customer Relationships
People buy from people. When you build a relationship with customers both online and offline, they will do your marketing for you much more effectively within their social circles. Create product experiences that are fun to share, and interact with your customers online. Show your customers that when they share your products, you’ll return the love tenfold in DMs, on social media and so on. – Dan Serard, Cannabis Creative Group
