If you want to appeal to your Instagram audience, you’ve got to be one of them, whether it’s with your content or your engagement with them. The audience today connects with brands who share the same value as them, are trustworthy, and appreciate them. This need to build a credible connection has contributed to the popularity of user-generated content (UGC) as an essential element in an Instagram marketing strategy for businesses. UGC involves content created by users, in varied formats such as photos, videos, reviews, and comments, that showcase their experiences with a brand. This type of content is highly valuable as it allows brands to leverage their customers' content to increase engagement, brand awareness and ultimately, conversions.
What contributes to the success of user-generated content?
79% of people say UGC highly impacts their purchasing decisions. Your audience derives confidence in using your products or services from the experience of other customers of yours. Considering that they base their expectations on how your brand has been perceived by others, you must let user-generated content talk about your brand.
UGCs appeal to diverse age groups of your audience. In fact, 62% of millennials say that they are more likely to become loyal customers if a brand engages with them on social media.
Real stories are more credible, and convincing, and hence have a 4.5% higher conversion rate than non-UGC posts. Moreover, UGC-based ads get 4x higher click-through rates (CTRs) and a 50% drop in cost-per-click (CPC) compared to traditional ads.
It's evident that UGC plays a significant role in shaping customers' purchasing decisions and driving conversions. So, how can brands leverage UGC to enhance their Instagram marketing strategy?
Encourage Customers to Share Their Content: You can encourage your customers to share their experiences using their products or services by creating unique hashtags, running contests, or featuring their content on their respective Instagram pages.
Share UGC on Instagram Stories: Instagram Stories are an excellent platform for showcasing UGC as they create a sense of FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) and urgency. By featuring UGC on Instagram stories, brands can increase engagement and foster a sense of community.
Highlight UGC on Instagram Feed: Brands can also feature UGC on their Instagram feed by reposting customer content or featuring it on their profile highlights. This strategy helps in creating a visually appealing feed and also serves as social proof for a longer span.
Monitor UGC: It's essential to monitor UGC to ensure that it aligns with your brand values and guidelines. It not only helps you with acing content marketing but also helps you with insights about your products or services.
User-generated content is a valuable asset for brands looking to enhance their Instagram marketing strategy. By incorporating UGC into your content strategy, you can increase engagement, build a sense of community, improves brand awareness, and ultimately, drive conversions. Its openness to format inclusion, cost-effectiveness, and contribution to visual content marketing makes it more appealing. So, if you want to enhance your Instagram marketing strategy, the user or customer-generated content can be the new ace in your deck. Connect with us to know more about the best practices and techniques to integrate UGC into your content strategy.