With it being one of the easiest ways to boost your ROAS, there's a reason why user-generated content (UGC) is considered the king of content. It can quickly build your brand's awareness and credibility through its multiple formats, coming in all shapes and sizes. UGC always works because it can help any marketing campaign become more relatable for its new customers and recurring ones as well, offering a genuine connection between the two. In its most basic format, UGC is content created by consumers rather than the brand itself. The power of authentic experiences and perspectives shared by real people creates a more relatable narrative for the brand to carry out. By incorporating UGC into your brand awareness strategy, you can tap into the authenticity that consumers crave, ultimately bolstering your awareness and credibility.
In this article, we're going to take a dive into How UGC can help your brand's awareness and credibility and take you to the next level.
Authenticity Drives
UGC puts the pedal to the metal when it comes to driving authenticity and credibility. As previously stated, UGC comes in loads of various formats, but as a whole, UGC is the only content that can consistently drive your brand awareness strategy. This authenticity resonates with audiences, making UGC more relatable and shareable. As users share their content across social media and other platforms, it creates a ripple effect, expanding your brand's reach and increasing awareness organically.
Actual Real-World Usage
Who would have thought an actual person sharing their real experience with a service or product would get more attention than a paid employee reading from a script? UGC often showcases real-world scenarios where users are actively engaging with your brand's offerings. This practical demonstration of your products or services being used in diverse situations enhances awareness by presenting a clear understanding of what your brand offers while simultaneously enhancing credibility through real-life application.
Peer Endorsement Boosts Credibility
Yes, while that ad of Kylie Jenner promoting the smartphone game Travel Town was, without a doubt, a paid ad, but it gets the wheels moving in the right direction. I'm not saying you need somebody with currently 399 million Instagram followers, but seeing people's favorite influencers, social media peers, or best friends enjoy a product makes the consumer think:
"Well, if they like it so much, then so will I!"
This peer-driven validation strengthens the trustworthiness of your brand, contributing to its overall credibility.
Diversify Your Strategy
Building your brand from the ground up is, without a doubt, one of the hardest things to do in this day and age. Having professional branded content is crucial to make your first impression. It tests out the water to see how cold it is. Once you're comfortable and have learned how to swim, you can dive right into the deep end with UGC. By Integrating UGC into your content strategy it diversifies your brand's narrative. This diversity keeps your messaging fresh and exciting, attracting a wider audience and contributing to both awareness and credibility through multiple social media platforms.
Engagement and Interaction
Encouraging and showcasing UGC creates a two-way street of interaction between your brand and its target audience. This engagement not only starts to develop a sense of community but also enhances credibility as it demonstrates that your brand values and actively appreciates its customers. Some brands only do branded content when rolling out a new product but rely entirely on UGC to carry it the rest of the way until they drop their new hottest thing.
Social Proof in Action
Maybe you've skimmed the whole article or just randomly stopped here, but if you haven't caught on by now, UGC is the living embodiment of social proof in action. Positive UGC serves as visible social proof of your brand's value. When potential customers witness others enjoying or benefiting from your offerings, it establishes credibility by demonstrating that your brand delivers on its promises.
This is the best-case scenario, but people tend to ignore the ugly side of UGC. While the pros outweigh the cons without a doubt, an easy no-brainer, UGC can bury you and your company. This only tends to happen when you don't take your UGC into consideration. A perfect example is one of your local restaurants. No matter where you're from, you got that one sketchy-looking place that has a 2.9 Google rating. One or two bad reviews will always happen in any industry, but when everyone has the same opinion, something needs to change.
Long-Term Loyalty Building
Long-term loyalty to brands is absolutely real and is something you do every day without thinking. For simple everyday things such as your groceries, you usually go for the same brands or staple snacks without even thinking or even things such as your hairdresser or barber. Over time, as UGC becomes a regular part of your marketing strategy, it contributes to long-term loyalty. Continuous positive interactions and the ongoing creation and sharing of user-generated content contribute to sustained awareness and credibility. This not only comes from social media posts such as photos, videos, or testimonials but also from word of mouth.
Work Equals Reward
I'm not going to lie; when first starting a brand new company with a lower budget, you will need to work for that UGC. Nobody knows about your product? Get your friends, their friends, family members, classmates, colleagues, and really anybody to give you your first building block in your brand awareness content strategy. As long as you put in the work, the rest will fall into place. UGC is special. It creates a symbiotic relationship between brand awareness and credibility, leveraging the authentic voices of your customers to build a stronger and more trustworthy brand image.
If you still want to learn more about UGC or how to market your brand, click HERE to check out all of Bambassador's blogs.
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