User-generated content (UGC) is, as the term suggests, media content that is made by user, as opposed to company. As all contemporary marketers know, the era of company’s monologue is dead. We live in a world where customers are not only the buyers, but also can become influential marketers for brands they associate. There is certainly a great risk in transferring the control to consumers but at the same time, the potential payoff is also big if done successfully.
A few brands have been aware of the great potential and have taken serious attempts to take advantage of it to advance themselves. The early form of UGC was review sites and blogs where customers put their own posts about their brand or product experiences. Now with the rise of the social media platforms, especially visual ones, such as Instagram and Pinterest, it is even easier for users to generate posts and share them. Brands have noticed this and tried to integrate these social media platforms with UGC to really allow their customers to engage with them and be part of the brands.
One article I found introduces stories about 5 brands that successfully utilized Instagram in their business. These 5 brands include fashion retailer, restaurant, jewelry, and consumer goods. They differ in industry but they all have one thing in common. They understood how social media and UGC worked and used them wisely. One particular case I want to highlight is Urban Outfitters’ ‘Free People Instagram campaign’. By attaching individualized hashtag cards to its jeans, Urban Outfitters encouraged its customers to post a photo of themselves in the jeans with a specific hashtag. The fashion brand facilitated them with an easy way to express themselves.
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