Every brand dreams of having loyal fans. These are the devoted fans who eagerly await new releases and keep buying from the brand over and over.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If your brand is in need of more of these fans, user-generated content is your ticket to get there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But if you\u2019ve never worked with UGC before, it may be confusing. Isn\u2019t UGC the same thing as influencer marketing?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Well, not quite. UGC is related to influencer marketing, but it\u2019s not the same. We\u2019ll go over the difference in a moment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Once you learn what UGC is and see real examples of UGC campaigns, you might just be convinced to give it a try!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To understand what a UGC creator is, you have to understand how UGC is an interesting twist on typical influencer marketing campaigns. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
An influencer is someone who has their own social media page, blog, etc., and they regularly create content around a certain topic and grow an audience who likes their content. Their whole page is focused on attracting that niche audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The way influencers work with brands is that they either pitch brands<\/a> or brands contact them<\/a> first, then the influencer and brand agree that the influencer will create content promoting the brand. The brand pays the influencer to create this content and put it out to their audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A UGC creator doesn\u2019t have to have an audience. They may have no audience at all beyond their family and friends. They\u2019re not trying to regularly create content around a certain topic and grow a niche audience. <\/p>\n\n\n\n When a UGC creator creates content that promotes a brand, there\u2019s no arrangement made in advance between the UGC creator and the brand. The UGC creator creates content that promotes a brand, then they either post it on their page and tag the brand or they send it directly to the brand. The brand may decide to use the content for their own benefit and pay for usage rights (more on that later). Success Story: Is Going Viral With Nano Influencers Likely? The Answer Lives in Brand Love<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n\n\n\n A UGC campaign is a type of marketing campaign in which a brand encourages its audience to create content about the brand. It\u2019s an open call for anyone to participate. <\/p>\n\n\n\n People can create videos, photos, blog posts, you name it, as long as the content shows the brand in a positive light. Participants in the UGC campaign may be rewarded by having their content shared on the brand\u2019s page or given prizes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n UGC campaigns are great for brands because they\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n Build brand loyalty – <\/strong>Announcing a UGC campaign gets your current audience excited because they may want to get involved and not miss out on the fun. This builds brand loyalty because it gets casual fans more interested in your brand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Spread the word –<\/strong> When people make UGC content and their family and friends see it, your brand is exposed to a wider audience. People are more likely to trust recommendations from their family and friends than a brand promoting itself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Increase sales –<\/strong> The products and services featured in the UGC content are likely to get more sales because of all the extra attention being put on them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Bonus tip: If your brand is already working with influencers (regular influencers, not UGC creators), you can ask them to promote your special hashtag and shout out people who use it. This creates extra excitement among people who want to participate in the UGC campaign.<\/p><\/div>\n\n\n\n When you\u2019re putting out a call for UGC content, ask your audience to tag their content<\/a> with a specific hashtag that\u2019s only used for this campaign. This way, you\u2019ll easily be able to find every public post that includes that tag.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Make sure the tag is unique enough that no one would happen to use it in a way that\u2019s unrelated to your campaign\u2026 but also make sure the tag is simple enough that people won\u2019t misspell it when they\u2019re trying to tag their post.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Those loyal, devoted fans you\u2019re dreaming of? They\u2019re coming\u2026 but only if you actually reward people who participate in your UGC campaigns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When people create awesome content for you, don\u2019t just hit \u201clike\u201d and move on. Share it to your story or feature it on your website \u2013 it\u2019ll make that person\u2019s day. And sending gifts to your favorite people who create UGC for you is an amazing way to show appreciation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you have happy, loyal fans, they\u2019re more likely to engage with you on social media and buy from you again and again. They\u2019re also more likely to tell their friends and family about you. That means anything you can do to build customer loyalty is a win all around.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you use content from a UGC creator and you think their content is especially good, why not keep the relationship going? You can collab with them on more content or even make them an official brand ambassador.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Whether you\u2019re working with a UGC creator or working with an influencer in the typical way, long-term partnerships are the ultimate prize. The great thing about long-term partnerships is that you and the creator get used to working together and can trust and rely on each other. When your brand has partnerships with multiple high-quality, reliable creators, that gives your brand a huge advantage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When you\u2019re using UGC, you have to be careful to respect copyright laws. If someone creates UGC and you take it and use it, you need to have the creator\u2019s permission. You and the creator have to agree on what you\u2019re going to do with the content and how long you\u2019ll have permission to use it for. <\/p>\n\n\n\n This may seem intimidating, but it\u2019s worth it. Having a contract and paying creators for usage rights keeps you protected because there won\u2019t be misunderstandings between you and the creator about how you\u2019ll use their work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For more on content usage rights, check out this blog post<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Because a UGC creator doesn\u2019t have to have an audience like an influencer does, UGC is easier for ordinary people to do than to become an influencer and grow an audience. The whole point of UGC is that it\u2019s an opportunity for ordinary people to create content for a brand.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWhat is a UGC campaign?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
4 tips for creating a successful UGC campaign<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Create a unique hashtag. <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Return the favor.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Consider long-term partnerships.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Consider long-term partnerships.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Our 5 favorite UGC campaigns and why they worked<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Aerie<\/h3>\n\n\n\n