5 Benefits of Incorporating User-Generated Videos in Your Content Strategy

What is user-generated content?

User-generated content (UGC) is any piece of content (video, image, review, testimonial, tweet, etc) that other people create for your brand. And we're not talking about paid influencers or brand ambassadors, but rather content that is created by your customers and people who have experienced using your products. 

One of the best examples of UGC is Charli D'amelio and Dunkin collab. In 2020, the TikTok star made a video showing her favorite coffee order from Dunkin that went viral. This video, which was not sponsored, spiked Dunkin's popularity among Charli's audience and helped boost their sales. Later on, the company signed a deal with the influencer, leading to the release of "The Charli" coffee beverage.

5 benefits of incorporating user-generated videos in your content strategy

Let's dive into the main benefits of using user-generated video (UGV) as a brand owner and how it can help you build a stronger connection with your online audience.

#1: Build authenticity and trust

Building an authentic brand that people can trust is one of the most difficult things to achieve as a modern marketer. With the rise in AI-generated content, your customers will find it hard to trust and relate to brands. But when you get your customers involved in creating videos, reviews and testimonials about your brand, they are helping you build authenticity and a trusted brand image. 

#2: Cost-effective marketing 

Video is expensive to produce, but UGV is a cost-effective marketing strategy. Instead of spending your budget on creating video ads you can rely on UGV and get your audience to create videos for you at no cost. UGV are easy to share on social media, and blogs and you can even embed your customers' videos on your website using a tool like StoryPrompt. This allows you to easily compile a "Wall of Love" with your best customer videos and display them in front of your website visitors.

#3: Increased engagement with your audience

Videos are the best content format if you want to grow engagement on social media. When people create UGV for your brand, they're helping you grow your brand awareness and get more engagement from your audience. Just remember to track your brand mentions on social media using a good social media listening tool so you don't miss out on engaging with new audiences.

#4: Gain valuable customer feedback

Customer feedback is an important tool for growing your brand. UGC can help you find out what your customers think about your product, brand and customer service. By watching those videos you can understand what your customers' experience is with your brand and use it to improve your product development and customer service. 

#5: Diversified content strategy

Incorporating UGV into your content strategy will help you diversify your content. It will also help you balance your promotional content with authentic videos that include your clients' thoughts and experiences. By sharing content from other users, you can project the value of your product without trying to hard sell. 

Examples of successful user-generated video campaigns from brands

Now let’s look at some case studies of popular brands and see how they have been using UGV on different social media platforms. 

GoPro on TikTok 

A simple look at GoPro's TikTok content will show you that the majority of their posts are UGV created by their customers. The brand is resharing these videos and tags the original creators in the caption. By resharing UGV on its page, GoPro is building an image of a customer-centred brand that knows how to value feedback.   

Gymshark Women on Instagram and TikTok

Instead of paying Instagram models to promote their gym outfits Gymshark Women is using UGV and hashtag campaigns. Their main hashtag #GymsharkWomen has gained more than 2.6mil photos and helps customers see how Gymshark products for women look on real people and in everyday settings.  

Adobe Video on Facebook, YouTube, TikTok and Instagram

One of the most successful examples of a company using UGV across its social platforms is Adobe Video. This tech giant can afford to hire a team of professional video editors - yet they choose to repost videos from users. This shows you the power of authenticity in online marketing and how a simple tutorial from your clients can be more effective than brand videos.

How to effectively incorporate user-generated content into your overall marketing plan

The Attract-Engage-Delight model is an easy and effective way to incorporate user-generated content into your digital marketing strategy. This model covers the entire customer cycle from the attraction stage to the conversion and after-sales process. 

The Attract-Engage-Delight Model  

Step 1: Attract: Research trends and create monthly video challenges to attract new people to your social media pages

Step 2: Engage: Run giveaways and offer incentives to encourage your social audience to participate and create videos for your brand. You should also be active and engage in discussions with your target audience by leaving comments on their posts. 

Step 3: Delight: Create a process that allows you to automatically collect customer testimonials and track social media posts that mention your brand from all channels with StoryPrompt.

Tips for encouraging user-generated content from your audience

To encourage your audience to create more UGC, consider implementing some of these strategies: 

1. Create hashtag campaigns that make it easy for users to share their content with your brand.
2. You can also offer rewards or incentives for users who create UGC, such as discounts, promo codes or exclusive access to content for free.
3. Don't forget to thank your community for their contributions and always give credit to the original creators when resharing UGC on your social media channels. 

With these tips, you can build a strong community of brand advocates who are eager to share the experiences they’ve had with your brand and inspire many others to start trusting you.