What Is Visual UGC?
First, what is user-generated content?
UGC is content that users of a product create on social media. It is not authored by the brand. Instead, through UGC, users talk about their authentic brand or product experience.
Visual UGC is UGC that is not in text format. There are two main types of visual UGC:
- Photo UGC
- Video UGC
There are pros and cons for both types of visual UGC. Photo UGC is easier and faster to create, while videos require more time and effort.
However, video UGC is more dynamic and drives more engagement compared to photo content.
What is the difference between UGC and professional content?
UGC is authentic, natural content created by users of a product or service, while professional content is directed, filmed, and edited by the brand. Professional content does not inspire brand trust as much as user-generated content does.
User-generated content creates social proof for a brand and its products. It has a higher conversion rate than traditional marketing because it can be trusted. Customer content doesn’t cost as much as professional content does.
Users can create content with their phones and don’t really have to do so much editing. People share their customer experience with others, and they are able to endorse and inspire purchasing decisions a lot more than traditional branded content would.
Let’s see how beneficial UGC is to your brand.
Keep scrolling.
Benefits of UGC for the Brand
UGC is a sure way to get your brand on the lips of users. But what specific benefits does UGC have in promoting your brand across social media platforms?
- Creates a connection between you and your target audience: One of the important roles of UGC is to level the playing field between brands and their customers.
UGC allows you to connect with customers in a personal way, and that’s exactly what branding is about. You can spark conversation, and with that, you can create content that actually matters to your audience.
- Increases engagement rates, and conversions: UGC boosts sales because it ensures that your brand’s content is scattered across various social media pages and available to diverse demographics.
You can even repurpose the visual UGCs later on. Make reels, and use photo testimonials for your on-site product pages or your homepage.
Plus, you can promote your UGC on a different marketing channel.
However, you have to understand the rights management policies for different social networks and work with that in mind.
- Builds social proof: Nothing builds a brand’s credibility as much as customer reviews, photos, and videos of a brand’s product being used by real-life users.
These posts serve as testimonials for the brand and build customer loyalty as people are more inspired to come back and purchase from a brand they’ve used before.
It also reiterates functionality, as many UGC forms show different ways to use the product.
- Visual UGC turns customers into brand advocates: A customer who’s willing to go the extra mile to not just leave product reviews but create visuals on their social media channels is a great asset for the brand.
Customers can spread the gospel of the brand by word of mouth, and the results are amazing.
These aren’t the only benefits of UGC. Did you know that UGC is also beneficial to the customer?
Read on to find out how.
Benefits of UGC for the Customer
The good thing about UGC is that there are benefits for everyone involved. It’s a win-win situation for both brands and customers.
Why is visual UGC so important for customers?
- They have a better understanding of the product and how it works: This helps with their own usage and enhances their user experience.
- They can also drive engagement to their personal social media profiles: People stick around for honest reviews and love it when they’ve been recommended something beneficial. So, users who create visual UGC are invariably also building their personal brands and credibility.
- UGC can help them earn incentives such as referral bonuses, affiliate commissions, and contest prizes or giveaways. Customers who create or watch UGC are more likely to win UGC contests because they understand your brand better and are usually more enthusiastic about contests.
- UGC helps customers make informed purchasing decisions. This includes giving them an idea about pricing, delivery charges, timeline, and other specific information they might not get directly from the brand.
Now you know all these benefits, you’re probably eager to get started. But are there any tips? Best practices?
We’ve covered all these in the next section.
Visual User-Generated Content Best Practices
Here are some ways a business can encourage visual UGC on a social media platform of their choice:
Look through tagged posts or brand hashtags to find happy customers
Customers who are happy with the products they bought will most likely post about them on social media. They will tag the business profile or use a branded hashtag if the business has one. You can go through the tagged photos and hashtag posts and reshare some on your business profile.
However, you must always ask for permission to do so. Either by commenting on the post or sending a DM to the poster.
Remember, not all tagged photos or videos may be good enough or relevant, but the rigorous process of searching for the right ones to post is worth it in the end.
Select the right type of content to promote
Users can create various types of content about a product. There can be customer photos, unboxing videos, video reviews, and demonstrations on how to use the product.
For example, if you have a health and beauty brand, customers may post your product as part of their skincare morning or night routine and talk about how they use it with other products.
However, before you share a post your brand was tagged in, you have to consider some factors.
For instance, if you want to repost on your feed, is the post on-brand? Is it cohesive with your brand identity and mood board for the particular marketing platform? Did they use the best visuals, like high-quality photos and videos?
Once you’ve selected the best type of UGC to promote, hit the share or repost button right away!
Create contests and giveaways to encourage participation
UGC contests or giveaways are a great way to promote UGC buzz. Everyone loves giveaways or prizes. You can leverage this to create a fun and easy UGC contest that your users can participate in.
For example, let’s say you have a snack brand. You can create a contest where users are required to make short video clips showing creative ways they use the snack in their daily activities like reading, working from home, taking strolls, and entertaining guests.
You can ask them to post this content on their social media channels using a specific branded hashtag that you can track.
Partner with the right influencer
Partnering with influencers is a great way to get your brand seen by a large following. They have a high chance of influencing purchasing decisions as well as inspiring other users to recreate the kind of UGC they’ve already created.
Many consumers are likely to get in on the conversation and create their own content.
However, you must be sure that the influencers you partner with are right for your brand. To figure that out, ask yourself:
- Do their audience have the same demographics as your target audience?
- Do they have a proportionate engagement even if they have a large following?
- Can people trust their opinions concerning your industry?
For instance, you can’t partner with a travel influencer when you want to promote a fitness product. Also, partner with influencers who already have a great following, engagement, and credibility on the social media platform you want to work with.
To make the process easy, UGC creator platforms like Insense have the best creator marketplaces. Insense helps you choose the right influencer out of a database of over 20k creators.
You also don’t have to worry about vetting the influencers for authenticity and managing creator rights. The Insense platform verifies that these influencers are real and safe to work with.
With our platform, you get all the guidance you need to run your social media campaigns at scale.
Interact with your followers and customers
On social media, nothing beats actual engagement. Interact with your followers as frequently as possible. Reply to every comment on posts, especially if they’re inquiries. Respond to DMs promptly and apologize if you can’t reply on time.
Also, be very authentic in these conversations. No matter your brand tone, maintain a conversational, friendly, and helpful approach when talking to followers or potential customers.
Give useful information and be patient enough to answer follow-up questions arising from your responses.
Also, be honest when dealing with customers. If there’s a lapse in delivery or anything concerning the product, it’s better to be upfront with customers. That way, they see the human side of your brand, which resonates better with them.
We’ve finally come to the end of this adventurous guide. Let’s wrap things up!
Find the Right Partners for Your Visual UGC
Visual marketing is one of the best ways to optimize your brand’s social media presence and boost sales.
However, it must be done the right way to achieve great results.
Best practices such as UGC contests, promoting the right type of content, interacting with followers, and partnering with the best influencers would ensure that your visual UGC yields great results.
Insense is the perfect UGC platform to help you connect with the best influencers for your visual UGC campaign. Try out Insense.
