Charlotte Tilbury’s Flawless Filter, The Ordinary’s 10% Argireline Solution (also known as ‘botox in a bottle’), and Dyson’s Airwrap. These are just some of the products that went viral and sold out because of user-generated contents. In 2021, Trinidad Sandoval uploaded a video on TikTok showing the effects of Peter Thomas Roth’s Instant FIRMx Eye Temporary Eye Tightener, days after the video went viral, the product sold out. The retailer said the amount that sold within less than a week is equivalent to what would normally sell in six months.
@trinidad1967 ♬ original sound - Trinidad1967
What is User Generated Content (UGC)?
User-generated content (or UGC) is original, brand-specific content created by your customers and shared online. It is one of the most inexpensive and effective ways to organically promote your products online. Unlike traditional brand photos and videos that are professionally shot in a studio, user-generated contents are easier to make with less planning and costs needed.
What sets UGC apart from other kinds of content is it humanizes your brand and establishes greater trust between customer and your brand. It can make your brand more approachable, more likable, and ultimately more sellable. With the growth of community-driven marketing strategies, consumers are looking for more than just ads and meticulously curated contents. They want to feel part of something authentic and meaningful by engaging with other humans on a deeper level through participation in activities outside traditional advertising.
5 proven methods to encourage UGC
- Engage with your customers
- Create shareable branded hashtags
- Reward your customers
- Encourage customer reviews
- Foster a sense of community
1. Engage with your customers
Like, comment, and repost existing user-generated contents shared by your audience. This not only increases your platform’s engagement and online visibility, it also makes your customers feel seen and valued, which in return leads to loyal customers.
2. Create shareable branded hashtags
Give your customers a way to easily tag and share their experiences with your brand by creating a unique branded hashtag.
When Calvin Klein launched their #MyCalvins campaign, it instantly went viral! In just a few months, the hashtag #MyCalvins took over Instagram and boasted over 190,000 photos tagged by all kinds of UGC creators—both young and old. In the end, this campaign connected more with the brand’s audience than any influencer post or paid ad ever could, gaining them millions of followers across most social media channels.
3. Reward your customers
Who doesn't love a little incentive, right? Consider offering rewards or discounts to customers who share their experiences with your products online. Rewards could be anything from exclusive access to new products to discount codes. Having an affiliate program in place is one way to do this that makes it easier for customers to earn rewards.
4. Encourage customer reviews
Studies indicate that 64% of consumers look for reviews before making a purchase. Harness the power of social proof by featuring customer reviews and testimonials on your website and social media channels. Not only does this build trust with potential customers, but it also encourages existing customers to share their experiences with your brand.
Take inspiration from websites like Amazon, Sephora and Shein, whose customer reviews are an integral part of their product listings and play a crucial role in driving purchasing decisions.
5. Foster a sense of community
Finally, focus on building a community around your brand where customers feel valued and supported. Engage with their content, respond to comments and messages, and create opportunities for them to connect with each other.
Glossier is known for having a strong community of loyal customers and supporters which is largely because of its “Into the Gloss” platform—the blog that gave birth to the $1.8 billion brand. Glossier also heavily relies on customer-submitted imagery and regularly posts pictures of people using its products, and heartwarming stories from customers who have fallen in love with the brand’s affordable skincare line.
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