Using User Generated Content for Great Reviews and Brand Awareness

DIY Sprocket Solutions

Fresh content is a must. With daily posting and an ever-shifting newsfeed, encouraging users to share their own content about your brand is a great (free) way to increase brand awareness and boost positive reviews on your business and products. What is the secret to drawing in customers to post their own user generated content to your pages and about your brands?

Give people a good reason to post about your brand. Here are a few ways to accomplish this:

Let everyone feel like an influencer for a moment

Right now everyone is watching influencers. The thought of being one themselves? Intoxicating. You can make users feel like micro influencing stars when you stop before sharing user generated content and take the time to say thank you and give them a small discount or a gift. This makes a lasting impression that easily leads to word of mouth referrals. When you do share their content – feature them. Tag them in the post, give them a shout out, make sure to thank them for sharing. Feature their content, and also them, on your brand’s page. This will encourage more people to share and get the same featured treatment.

Incentivize sharing

Having a hard time getting started? Incentivized sharing might be the right first step. Retailers, encourage buyers to share photos wearing your products and post those photos with a specific hashtag. Selling home services? Ask them to pose while relaxing on their newly finished back patio. Offer a percentage off, a free small gift or a discounted service in return for sharing. You can also go a step further and host a contest for those that do the most posting. Giving away incentives consistently is a great way to show your customers that the contests are real and that you’ll follow through. Once the posting starts, others will want to join in to be a part of the conversation and the rewards.

Let people post the types of content that they already want to post

If we’re being honest, we know that people are not going to go out of their way to post things that aren’t convenient for them. Did you build a pool for them? Ask them to take a photo lounging out by their new pool – not a video of them answering questions about the process. Is your product saucepans? Ask them to take a photo or video of them cooking in the kitchen, not a review of the pans or a photo of a saucepan. You have to request content that people want to post anyway. You’ll find a much more willing audience when you ask for photos and videos that people already would have been happy to post. Asking people to take to social media to share your posts on their own page or create content they don’t want to share with friends and family is not a smooth approach.

Taking advantage of user generated content is a great approach. Like we said though, you have to give people a good reason to post about your brand. This includes not requiring them to create obscure posts that they never would have wanted to create in the first place. Make it as painless and free flowing as possible and the results will come much more easily. How are you using user generated content in your marketing? Do you have a plan to incorporate it this year? Comment below!

Breanne BannonBreanne Bannon

Breanne is a Content Writer, Social Media Marketeer, and Sales Associate for Sprocket Websites.

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