Authenticity wins.
Yes, you’ve likely heard this phrase before in a marketing class or two. But have you ever considered what it means in correlation to your brand’s credibility?
Consumers in 2023 want to feel connected to the brands they support—and the content a company posts can make or break the sale. To resonate with a brand’s products, customers want to see how they add value to real people’s lives.
But how? The answer is user-generated content (UGC).
UGC can go a long way in establishing your brand’s credibility by giving content creators a chance to drive the conversation forward. They can engage with your products by making unboxing videos, sharing reviews, and snapping pictures for their followers to see. Your company can use this high-quality, authentic content in paid ads and organic social strategies.
Shining the spotlight on UGC is already going a long way in influencing consumers.
Just take a look at these stats from a 2021 report by Stackla:
- 88% of consumers say authenticity is important when deciding what brands they like and support.
- 59% of consumers say user-generated content is the most authentic type of content
- 79% of people say UGC highly impacts their purchasing decisions
- 66% of consumers have been inspired to purchase from a new brand after seeing social media images from other consumers
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At Bambassadors, we connect clients with the best and brightest in content creation to boost their credibility through user-generated content. We are pros at knowing what resonates with each brand’s audience and how to position them as leaders in their industries through the power of UGC video marketing.
Need more persuading? Here are three reasons to invest in user-generated content to boost your brand’s credibility.
UGC Tells Real Stories By Real Customers
User-generated video content aims to share the customer’s perspective on what you have to offer your market. They are real stories told by real people, making this content more relatable and trustworthy for viewers than brand-generated content.
Say you’re marketing a skincare brand. A successful UGC video campaign would ask content creators to make “before and after” videos highlighting their transformations when using each product. To drive your credibility home, you could even encourage them to share a story about their skincare journey or how your brand makes them feel.
Types of UGC that can drive credibility include:
- Product reviews
- Unboxing videos
- Video tutorials
- Personal recommendations
Here's an example of a video we made for a Bambassadors client:
Establishing credibility means understanding your target audience and what it needs to view your brand as an industry leader. Specific demographics resonate with different pieces of content on different platforms, so keep the following in mind:
- Gen Z goes to TikTok for their product reviews and unboxing videos
- Product reviews and personal recommendations on Facebook resonate with Gen X and Baby Boomers
- A mix of all audiences goes to YouTube for product tutorials
- Short-form videos and unfiltered product images go a long way on Instagram for Gen Z and millennials
When only 9% of Americans trust mass media “a great deal,” it is crucial to bring transparency and honesty to the forefront. Offer consumers UGC videos made by content creators who share the same values, wants, and needs as them.
UGC Builds a Sense of Community
Think of your brand like a band. Just as any musical artist hopes to sell out stadiums and hear their lyrics sung back to them, you want to build a community of loyal customers engaged in what you do.
UGC allows customers to interact with brands, unlike other marketing strategies. This content enables content creators to be active in their growth and create stronger relationships beyond the business transaction.
So how can community-building foster a brand’s credibility? It is about building trust beyond a brand’s social media followers. A brand's community is more likely to spark conversations with friends and family, create online buzz, and make content to emphasize their loyalty to the company.
The more the public goes out of their way to spread the word about their favorite brands, the more credible the brand becomes in offering products that work for their customers. This fosters a positive reputation, which puts your brand at the forefront of prospects’ minds during the research phase.
UGC Can Inform and Improve The Brand Itself
Lastly, UGC can boost your brand’s credibility by creating a powerful feedback loop for content creators to directly express their thoughts surrounding your products. Content creators can create this content to inform the company of their favorite features, new ways to use the product, and any technical issues. Authentic reviews like these can go a long way toward improving the quality of the product—and brands who actively watch and listen to their consumers will rise to the top.
If you receive more critiques in UCG videos, don’t hide them; embrace them! Comment on these poor reviews with empathy and show you are working on solutions. Then, give those creators a chance to review the product again once it is updated. Remember that you are human, and there are always ways to improve. Your consumers will appreciate your transparency and accountability.
In short, establish credibility in these situations by:
- Validating customers’ challenges and offering strong customer service
- Highlight a diverse range of UGC video reviews by sprinkling in lower ratings (3.5-4 stars) with higher ones (5 stars).
- Give customers updates and outline solutions to improve their experience
- Provide testimonials and other links highlighting product reviews
Have we persuaded you? Partner with Bambassadors and take the first step towards positioning your company as a leader in your industry. UGC can make your brand relatable, build a community around it, and improve your product tenfold. We would love to work with you to find the right creators to weave an authentic narrative behind your product and how it can help real people. Schedule a call today!
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