When it comes to digital marketing, targeting the right audience matters.
Your target audience is the specific group of consumers who you want to invest in your product or service. With their own wants, needs, ages, and cultural backgrounds, these people will be your biggest fans–as long as your marketing content is engaging and relevant to solving their pain points.
User-generated content (UGC) can go a long way in attracting your target consumer and influencing them to support your brand. Research shows that an estimated 90% of consumers say UGC has more influence over their buying decisions than promotional emails and search engine results. This includes short-form video reviews, images, tutorials, live streams, and blog posts, all created by a mix of content creators, everyday customers, and brand loyalists that do not work for your company.
No matter the targeted demographic, UGC can drive authenticity and relatability to the forefront of companies’ marketing strategies. Consumers are 2.4 times more likely to say that user-generated content is more authentic than brand-created content. The goal is to meet your target audience where they are and relate to who they are–whether they are a Baby Boomer, Gen Z, or somewhere in between.
Where should you start? Let’s dive into some best practices.
Best Practices for UGC
Of course, there are best practices for leveraging user-generated content that companies should follow no matter who they are marketing their products to. Make sure you are repurposing and utilizing UGC that successfully follows these key points:
- The content aligns with your brand’s values and vision
- The content is creative, engaging, and informative
- The content creator highlights your products in an authentic way
- The content creator is targeting the right audience
At Bambassadors, we pride ourselves on connecting clients with content creators who can best inspire the audiences they are looking to target. But, of course, not all user-generated content is created equal. So we evaluate our data to better understand what different consumers are looking for, their shopping habits, and the types of content that resonate with them–which, in turn, gives our clients a leg up in their digital marketing strategies.
Let’s review the best practices for curating and leveraging UGC that connects with each demographic.
UGC for Baby Boomers
Baby Boomers are the least engaged in marketing content on social media. According to HubSpot, only 17% of individuals ages 55 and above have discovered a product on it in a three-month period—and only 4% have purchased a product on a social app in that time.
Instead, they find the products they are looking for through television ads, internet searches, and visiting retail stores. But that doesn’t mean UGC isn’t effective for Boomers. In fact, boomers are more likely to prefer written content and photos over short-form videos and prefer Facebook and YouTube to all other social networks. They react positively to straightforward and informative content, so be sure to cut the fluff. Instead, focus on how your product can bring value to their lives and make for a smart financial investment.
Here are some types of UGC to implement when marketing to Baby Boomers:
- Long-form and in-depth product reviews via YouTube
- Reviews and photos published on blogs, digital publications, or Facebook
- Reviews on community forums and discussion boards
- Facebook ad campaigns repurposing UGC photos and videos
In short: Make sure your UGC geared towards Baby Boomers is informative, accessible in design, and relatable.
UGC for Generation X
If you’re targeting the Generation X crowd, you should know that 90% of them use social media platforms like Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram. While they prefer to discover new brands through internet searches, television ads, and retail stores, they find the most success on social media. They use it as a resource to research businesses and ensure that brands align with their values and needs.
This demographic also loves video marketing and appreciates the shareability of digital content. Whether this is a video clip embedded into your email newsletter or an Instagram reel, Gen X wants to see your products for what they are in real life.
Here are some types of UGC to implement when marketing to Gen X:
- Repurposing testimonials for email newsletters
- Facebook videos
- Instagram reels
- YouTube reviews
- Client reviews on your website
UGC for Millennials
When it comes to UGC, millennials support authentic, creative, and customer-focused brands. They also believe UGC is 35% more memorable than other media.
Millennials are asking brands to ditch marketing fads and focus on building customer relationships. They want the shopping experience to be immersive and experiential rather than transactional. Successful UGC geared towards this demographic should be both informative and entertaining. They want a brand’s expertise to be highlighted but in an authentic and transparent way. They also want to feel like companies want to use their insights to help them solve their pain points.
Here are some types of UGC to implement when marketing to millennials:
- Quick video tutorials on social media
- Product reviews on blog posts
- Testimonials in E-books
- Unboxing and “first-impression” videos on YouTube
UGC for Gen Z
Last but certainly not least, Gen Z primarily discovers new brands through social media, YouTube ads, and internet searches. As the demographic with the most prominent presence on TikTok, Gen Zers are the most influenced by digital content creators.
In fact, 33% of Gen Z have bought a product based on a creator's video recommendation in the past three months.
When it comes to creating and repurposing UGC that resonates with them, ensure that your product is not glamourized. Content that looks like a sales pitch or glossy commercial is not going to be as effective as a video of a real person on TikTok trying your product. Just make sure that there is a strong opening that hooks them into watching the entire video.
With watch-times continuing to decline, you want to get to the point fast.
Here are some types of UGC to implement when marketing to Gen Z:
- Memes and gifs
- TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts videos and paid ads
- Unfiltered product photos and videos via Instagram
- Livestream product reviews
Do you want to take your digital marketing strategy to the next level? Schedule a call with us, and we’ll walk you through our process of connecting your company with relevant, proven creators who are excited about your brand and will produce content that relates to your target audience.
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