User Generated Content (UGC) is becoming a buzzword in the blogging world. However, many people are not sure what it is or how to use it to their marketing advantage.
“A new study is shedding light on the digital habits of millennials. Five hours are spent with media created and curated by their peers, otherwise known as user-generated content (UGC).” – Website Magazine
Take this information and apply it to your blog marketing using either, or both, the “top down” or “bottom up” approach.
The “top down” approach:
A great example of this is products such as the famous Wheaties box featuring athletes. Another, which recently grabbed my attention, is a local real estate commercial that features Barbara Corcoran of Shark Tank endorsing the realtor.
Here’s some ideas you can use:
- Leverage expert bloggers. Ask other, prominent bloggers to write guest blogs for your site.
- Engage professional influencers to drive social influence to consumers. Who does your target audience follow on social media? Contact them and ask for a review of your service or product.
The “bottom up” approach:
“68 percent of millennials trust peer reviews while just 64 percent trust professional reviews.” – Website Magazine
Tap into the power of peer reviews. Create a campaign that empowers fans to share their brand experiences across social media. Here are a few ways to do it:
- Ask for the share occasionally. (Not every post – that looks needy!)
- Get the conversation started. At the end of your blog or social media posts, ask your reader what they think, what their experience is, or if they have any tips to add.
- Run a contest. It can be as simple as tell us what you think of us and share with your friends. The top five people with the most shares wins a _________________. (Fill in the blank with a fabulous prize.)
How are you engaging readers and tapping into the power of User Generated Content? I’d love to hear about it in the comments.
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