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Read MoreAs you’re browsing Instagram, you come across a picture of a friend showing off their new sneakers, accompanied by a thrilled caption. This is an example of user-generated content (UGC), the genuine depiction of brand loyalty that has become the core of social media marketing. After all, we’re more likely to believe a friend’s endorsement than a slick advertisement.
In this manual, we will explore the concept, purpose, and methods of UGC, allowing you to leverage various forms of media content such as natural photos, glowing testimonials, and impromptu videos to enhance the approachability of your brand.
Content created by your customers, such as reviews, photos, videos, and social media posts, that is not paid for or sponsored and is related to your brand is known as user-generated content. It is genuine, authentic, and invaluable for establishing your brand’s credibility.
Encouraging and featuring UGC on your social accounts shows that people are loyal to your brand. Sharing and resharing UGC multiplies a content asset’s reach and attracts more eyeballs toward your brand.
For instance, Haily Moulton (@hailymoulton), who is the Growth Marketing Manager at Biteable, made a reel demonstrating how to utilize AI in the role of a social media manager.
She discusses people’s burning questions regarding AI. Haily is also a Sprout Ambassador who swears by our all-in-one social media tool. By reposting her reel, Haily gets new eyes on her video and we get valuable content.
UGC comes in all shapes and sizes. Customers can feature your brand in multiple ways, including:
Users showcase their love for your brand through posts and stories.
Project management tool Trello, for example, reposted this Tweet from Tony Lango, the world’s first Engagement Relationship Manager (ERM):
View this post on Instagram
Posts like Tony’s are personal endorsements on platforms like Instagram and X (previously known as Twitter). This content generates positive buzz and attracts lots of attention to your brand.
Photos of your brand or products by customers add credibility and social proof. They also have the potential to attract new customers who want to see your product in action.
For instance, Gymshark’s Instagram page features numerous fitness influencers showcasing themselves in the brand’s athletic apparel through top-notch images.
Regular UGC showcases the products in use and highlights the influencer’s loyalty and trust in the brand.
Your followers share videos featuring your product, creating a virtual buzz. For instance, Benefit shared this TikTok by makeup artist Colleen (@colleen.makeupp).
@benefitcosmetics Comment in emojis your aesthetic: pumpkin or strawberry? 💬🎃🧡🍓💌🧺 👩🎨: @colleen.makeupp #benefitcosmetics #strawberrymakeup #pumpkinspice
♬ Pretty (Sped Up) – MEYY
This Halloween makeup post featuring Benefit’s products is an excellent instance of user-generated content that demonstrates the effectiveness of the brand’s products. It also emphasizes the creativity and skill of their customers, making it appealing and inspiring for other prospective customers.
Sometimes, your customers write detailed experiences or stories about your products on their blogs.
Hostinger highlighted Grammarly as the top grammar aid in its compilation article.
Grammarly can then reshare this blog, feature a snippet from the review or collaborate with the blogger for future content. Collaborations build a positive relationship and expose Grammarly to new audiences through the blogger’s followers.
Comments are a treasure trove of opinions and insights. Glassdoor created this Facebook post from existing responses in its Interview Tips Bowl, a social media series featuring interview tips from its audience.
These remarks serve two purposes: they demonstrate active engagement with your brand by other users and provide valuable insights into your audience.
UGC turns your customers into your biggest fans and your most authentic spokespeople. Here’s how it impacts your brand:
Struggling with content ideas? You’re not alone—29% of marketers, per the Content Benchmarks Report, feel that pinch. Luckily, UGC is a goldmine for inspiration. It hands you a content bank brimming with customer posts, reviews and stories.
Here’s why a rich content bank is important: The Sprout Social Index ™ 2023 shows that 68% of consumers follow a brand on social to stay informed about new products or services.
Staying visible means staying on top-of-mind. Plus, UGC is original. The same research highlights that 38% of customers believe the most memorable brands prioritize original content over following trending topics.
Maintaining a steady and frequent presence on social media helps your brand stay at the forefront of people’s minds. Every interaction with a customer can be turned into content that keeps your social media feed lively and your followers interested.
User-generated content turns customers into your most credible salespeople—every photo, review or testimonial is an authentic endorsement. And here’s why that matters: people trust people.
Seeing actual users, not paid actors, experiencing pleasure from your product is akin to receiving an endorsement from a familiar acquaintance. Social proof taps into the human tendency to conform to the majority’s actions. If everyone is purchasing this item, it must be worthwhile, correct?
This kind of validation makes potential customers feel more comfortable and confident in their decision to choose you. It’s the reassurance they need to take the leap from interested to invested.
Now, consider this—the Content Benchmark report also shows 26% of consumers find UGC the most engaging type of content in their social feeds. That’s a quarter of your audience that doesn’t just scroll past UGC—they stop, they look, they engage. Why? Because it speaks to them on a personal level. It’s relatable and, therefore, more believable.
User-generated content helps to increase your brand’s visibility to new audiences. Each time your brand is shared, tagged, or mentioned, it amplifies your reach and promotes your brand’s message.
Brand awareness is the first step in the marketing funnel. Familiarity breeds trust—when people recognize your brand, they’re more likely to consider you when they’re ready to buy.
Each user’s content is a personal shout-out to your brand, and their followers are all ears. It’s a network effect—every post introduces your brand to a new circle. And because it’s coming from someone they trust, it makes a lasting impression.
User-generated content (UGC) positions your brand in a natural and non-disruptive manner. It is distributed by genuine individuals in the moment, providing a level of authenticity that cannot be replicated by paid advertisements.
Our research highlights an obvious gap in brand content—consumers don’t see enough authentic, non-promotional content on social media. Even when they work with influencers, our research shows that 62% of marketers encourage influencers to share their real experiences, while 50% choose influencers who are genuine fans of their product.
There’s an opportunity for brands to bridge this gap and curate content that resonates on a personal level and builds trust.
When you feature user-generated content, you are not only increasing the amount of material on your page, but also fostering a sense of community surrounding your business. You are communicating to your customers that their voices and opinions are acknowledged and appreciated. This acknowledgement encourages them to interact more and share their own contributions.
When you actively showcase user content, you acknowledge and celebrate your customers. It makes people feel connected to your brand and feel like they’re a part of something.
You notice your customers and they’ll stick around—1 in 5 consumers will happily spend 50% more on brands they trust.
Each piece of user-generated content presents an opportunity to increase trust and strengthen brand loyalty. Your most devoted customers are your greatest supporters. By actively cultivating a relationship with them and recognizing their contributions, you motivate them to further invest in your brand, both financially and through additional user-generated content.
These three UGC strategies show how brands can use real customer content to drive engagement and authenticity and build brand loyalty.
Nutrisense, a company focused on health and technology, offers tailored nutritional guidance using data from continuous glucose monitoring (CGM). Individuals use a CGM device that monitors their blood sugar levels in real-time, giving them a better understanding of their body’s reaction to various foods.
Nutrisense’s platform analyzes this data and pairs users with registered dietitians to optimize metabolic health, improve diet and support weight loss.
In the month of July 2021, the brand Nutrisense had approximately 25,000 followers on its various social media platforms. To increase its online visibility, the brand began producing user-generated content and combined it with the analytics provided by Sprout.
Sprout’s reports highlighted the kind of content that resonated with its target audience. By the end of 2022, Nutrisense’s social media engagement grew by 45% and their community had expanded to more than 130,000—an increase of 469%.
Taylor Swift isn’t just a music superstar—she’s a master at making fans the heart of her brand. Instagram account, Taylor Nation, is a part of Taylor’s PR and marketing muscle and acts as her official fan club too. The account pumps life into user-generated content campaigns that fans absolutely adore.
During the “TS The Eras Tour,” Taylor Nation encouraged fans to share their tour attire using the hashtag #TSTheErasTour. Enthusiastic fans displayed their Taylor Swift-inspired ensembles, featuring sparkling accessories and friendship bracelets.
View this post on Instagram
But Taylor Nation didn’t stop there—they reposted their favorite picture. Fans got to be the stars, and it happened in every city on the tour.
User-generated content is a key component of Taylor and her team’s comprehensive customer marketing approach, which aims to foster a close-knit community. Fans are not simply purchasing a ticket; they are investing in a shared narrative and a communal experience.
Wahl Professional specializes in the production and sale of professional grooming equipment, including hair clippers and trimmers. Professional barbers and stylists trust Wahl for its durable, reliable and precise tools.
Wahl has been around for 97 years. It needed a fresh strategy to target and appeal to a new generation of customers.
Starting in June 2015, Wahl changed its strategy to actively engage with its audience and began using Sprout Social to oversee and track interactions on various Instagram accounts, especially @wahlpro. This change resulted in a deliberate approach of sharing user-generated content.
Wahl’s target audience—a vibrant community of stylists and barbers—was already sharing their work with the hashtags #Wahl and #WahlPro.
Wahl monitored these Brand Keywords with Sprout and transformed its social feed into a showcase of professional talent and authentic user experiences.
In under 12 months, @wahlpro saw a 4,307% increase in engagement on Instagram and gained 84,788 new followers using Sprout.
Adding UGC isn’t just hitting the reshare button now and then. It’s about listening to what your customers are sharing, and weaving it into your brand’s narrative in a way that feels seamless and authentic.
Here are a few pointers to assist you in making user-generated content a fundamental aspect of your content plan.
You need to know where your audience lives on social media and where potential advocates have the most influence. For example: Instagram is naturally great for sharing visuals, but reference the data to double-check if that’s the network where your target audience lives.
Think about who you want to reach and what you want to achieve when selecting a social media platform. Choose the appropriate network and establish a social presence to share content and interact with customers, fostering lasting connections.
At the same time, identify what types of UGC perform best on each network and how to present them based on each app’s culture.
And then, bring it all together with Sprout. Centralize posting on one platform and create a single source of truth. With analytics, posting features, and content calendars under one roof, executing your UGC strategy requires only a fraction of your time.
When you spot a gem—a user post that just nails it—you’re halfway to great UGC. But before you hit ‘Share,’ ask for permission. It’s about respect and legality. You don’t want to be the brand that gets called out for taking someone’s creativity for free.
Send a quick message—it can be as simple as, “Hey, we love your post! Can we feature it on our page with credit to you?”
A simple “Photo by @username” or even a tag in the caption (like how skincare brand La Roche Posay does it) is enough.
Displaying respect and maintaining transparency are important. Additionally, it fosters a feeling of camaraderie. When content creators observe your positive interactions with others, they may be inclined to collaborate with you. Including the creator’s tag could also enhance your visibility. Their audience will take notice, potentially attracting new attention to your brand.
Take the gratitude a step further. A DM saying “Thanks!” can turn a one-time poster into a brand ally. Relationship-building makes UGC a permanent part of your content strategy.
Transform your team members into advocates for your brand through employee advocacy. Motivate them to interact with and distribute content created by users on their own social media platforms.
When employees share UGC, it does two things: it amplifies the reach and puts a human face to your brand. A post from a person rather than a brand page often gets more traction, feels more genuine and can spread like wildfire.
Start by creating a culture where sharing is celebrated. Offer guidelines, sure, but don’t micromanage. You want authenticity, not a copy-paste vibe.
Offer templates as an alternative. Templates provide employees with a headstart and increase the likelihood of them posting. According to our report, 72% of engaged users would post about their company if the content was pre-written for them.
Pro tip: make it fun. Throw in a monthly contest or highlight the best employee-shared UGC. Make your team feel like they’re part of the brand’s story.
And lastly, track your progress. Use employee advocacy tools like Sprout Social to identify and distribute content that resonates most, increase employee participation with curated content and increase social ROI.
An employee advocacy strategy that covers all bases turns your workforce into a powerhouse of authentic brand promotion
To bring it all home, if you want your UGC strategy to work, you have to measure. No matter what your goals, benchmarking is a must.
According to The 2023 State of Social Media report, 91% of marketers agree data from social enables them to better their target audience. This finding emphasizes the crucial role good reporting plays in a UGC strategy.
Utilizing Sprout Social, you possess tools for social analytics that enable you to monitor your overall interactions with user-generated content.
Whether you’re posting to Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn or Instagram, access detailed audience reports that reveal which content is driving the most engagement and growth on your profiles.
Using our social listening tools, analyze your social data to understand the content and conversations happening around your brand.
Understanding what others are tagging your brand in can be beneficial for your user-generated content (UGC) strategy. Sprout’s tag report provides a comparison of the performance of your UGC versus your campaign imagery. Utilize this information to determine budget allocation for various creative assets based on their level of engagement.
Whether it’s contextual analysis of keywords, hashtags or customer experiences, these powerful social tools let you measure your efforts and uncover new opportunities to source and share user-generated content.
When adding UGC to your content mix, check the music copyright. It’s easy to get caught up in the visuals and forget that tunes need clearance too. If there’s music in any user-submitted videos, make sure it’s all above board.
Here’s the reason – it’s not only about adhering to the regulations (which is necessary). It’s also about acknowledging the rights of the creators. The music playing in the background? It’s a form of artistic expression and the creator should be recognized (and potentially compensated).
Before you repost that catchy customer review or that dance-off video featuring your product, check if the music is licensed for commercial use.
Sometimes, it’s as easy as reaching out to the artist. Other times, you might need to swap the track with royalty-free options. Bottom line—clear those tunes. It’ll save you a headache and keep your brand on the right side of copyright law.
UGC is that secret sauce you need to add authentic flavor to your brand’s social presence. But it isn’t just a one-off strategy. It’s a steady conversation.
Make UGC a cornerstone of your social strategy. Keep asking for that content, keep crediting those creators and keep that content flowing. And manage it all with Sprout Social.
Sprout keeps a pulse on the UGC that resonates with your audience, helping you track, curate and showcase the content that tells your brand’s story through the eyes of your customers.
Interested in integrating it into your daily routine? Give it a shot now and discover how it simplifies your user-generated content approach.
The post User-generated content (UGC): what it is and why it matters for your brand appeared first on Sprout Social.
User-generated content (UGC) is a powerful tool for businesses to engage with their customers and build brand loyalty. UGC is content created by users, such as reviews, comments, photos, videos, and other forms of media, that is shared online. In the modern digital landscape, UGC has become an essential part of marketing strategies for businesses of all sizes.
The benefits of UGC are numerous. For starters, it helps to build trust and credibility with customers. When customers see other people talking positively about your brand or product, they are more likely to trust what you have to offer. UGC also helps to create a sense of community and connection between your brand and its customers. By encouraging customers to share their experiences with your product or service, you can create a sense of belonging and loyalty.
Another benefit of UGC is that it can help to increase brand visibility. When customers share their experiences with your brand online, it can help to spread the word and attract new customers. UGC can also be used to drive sales by providing potential customers with real-life examples of how your product or service has helped others.
Finally, UGC is a great way to gain valuable insights into your customers’ needs and preferences. By monitoring user-generated content, you can gain a better understanding of what your customers like and don’t like about your product or service. This information can then be used to make improvements and create better customer experiences.
In conclusion, understanding user-generated content and its benefits for your brand is essential in today’s digital landscape. UGC can help to build trust and credibility with customers, create a sense of community and connection, increase brand visibility, and provide valuable insights into customer needs and preferences. By leveraging UGC, businesses of all sizes can reap the rewards of increased customer engagement and loyalty.
Source: sproutsocial.com
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