Customers choose to buy from brands they know, like, and trust. What’s changed is how you connect with them!
To make a sale – and more importantly, to create repeat customers who are passionate ambassadors of your brand – companies must become known, liked, and trusted. How? Let’s take a look inside the brain of a buyer.
- Can I trust this brand?
- Do other people like this brand?
- Will the product match the hype?
One effective way to answer these important buyer questions is to leverage UGC, or user-generated content.
UGC is content – video, photo, reviews, etc. – created by people rather than by a brand.
When companies share UGC, they flex their authenticity, which creates more trust (brand loyalty) and ultimately, drives a buyer’s decision.
UGC will show you who a brand is, why people like them, and why you can trust them.
If you’re looking to answer the buyer questions mentioned above, start by giving UGC a try. Here are some tips for leveraging UGC.
- Encourage your customers to share their own content using your branded hashtag. Consistent use of a branded hashtag will help boost brand awareness while creating a unique, online space to house UGC. A simple hashtag search will show all of your customers who know you, like you, and trust you.
- Be sure to ask for permission before sharing UGC and always give proper credit when you re-share content. Avoid sticky situations and content rights issues by always crediting the original content creator.
- Be smart about sharing UGC. Does it belong on your stories or in your feed? Some UGC may not align with your brand image, so don’t feel compelled to share every piece of UGC you encounter. Creating a story highlight may be the best way to share UGC – especially content like reviews and testimonials. This way, you can keep your feed clean and on-brand.
UGC plays an important role in answering buyer questions. After all, what better way is there to promote brand authenticity than to share real content from real people – people who know, like, and trust you?
