83% of consumers say word of mouth has an influence on their purchasing decisions.

User-generated content is essentially online word of mouth. As a brand, consumers’ opinions matter and have more influence on purchasing decisions than what you might think.

• UGC(User Generated Content) is authentic and trustworthy, as it is not sponsored.
• UGC drives brand awareness.
• UGC gets more conversions.
• It builds a loyal brand community.
• It is cost-effective.

It would be great to have usable UGC organically and consistently, however, this will likely not happen on its own. If you are looking for a specific piece of content perfect for another marketing campaign, you might have a hard time.

To encourage users to create UGC, you can:

• Create a contest where people have to submit pictures with the products
• Create a social media challenge or hashtag
• Ask for product reviews with images
• Tell your followers to show you how they use your products

The First step is to invite your customers and followers to represent your brand through the creation of UGC in exchange for exclusive rewards.

This way, your biggest brand fans can become your brand ambassadors and create amazing content consistently that you can repurpose for other campaigns.

You can then use the UGC in your website, social media accounts, paid adverts and promotional email.