Creating fresh content on a regular basis is time consuming and well, hard work. Harnessing user generated content (UGC) can not only make your job a whole lot easier, its power is mind blowing.

In our last blog, we explained what UGC is and why it’s so effective. Read it here to see if it’s right for your brand.

Once you’ve decided that UGC is a strategy for you, how do you encourage users to engage with your product, create content and then share it? It seems like an arduous task. It doesn’t have to be.

Think. What do your users want? Do they require incentivising with a prize or is being associated with your brand and being seen using your product enough?

Once you’ve figured that out, then give it to them.

One of the most famous UGC campaigns first emerged in 2013, with Lays “Do Us a Flavor” campaign. They invited customers to invent their own flavours and allowed fans to vote for the winner. They offered a massive one-million-dollar prize. Now that’s an incredible incentive, and not surprisingly, they received 3.8 million submissions. Not only did the campaign skyrocket consumer engagement, Lays received the added benefit of gaining information about consumer flavour preferences without paying for market research. Clever.

lays-do-us-a-flavor-2014-a

Don’t have a million-dollar budget? No worries.

Starbucks asked customers to get creative and decorate one of its white cups and submit a photo of it to Twitter with the hashtag #WhiteCupContest. After receiving 4000 entries, and an enormous amount of activity on social media, the winning design was printed on a limited edition reusable Starbucks plastic cup. No individual prize in sight. Just the notoriety of being the winning artist. Nice.

labelside1

But UGC doesn’t always need to be wrapped around a competition. Take an example closer to home, and close to our hearts.

Rangers Valley is a Red Candy client. They are one of the world’s most respected premium marbled beef producers specialising in long fed Pure Black Angus and Wagyu cross breeds. Their incredible quality and highly regarded brands are loved by chefs and consumers alike. Their products are so revered, users can’t help but share their pics and videos of the product on Instagram – raw, charring on the grill or made into stunningly creative dishes.

One of our strategies for Rangers Valley is to repost this UGC, putting the user squarely in the spotlight for their five minutes of fame, and exposing them to Rangers Valley’s 25,000 followers. This pat on the back and brand association works. The UGC just keeps coming. Check out Rangers Valleys Instagram to see what we mean.

usg_content_2_sml

From these three completely different examples, budget aside, you can see that UGC as a strategy is all about empowering your fan base and encouraging them to become part of your tribe. And let’s face it, they have great ideas, create inspirational imagery and provide you with serious intel.

Authentic content, exposure, connection, amplification and trusted delivery. Need we say more?

If you’d like Red Candy’s assistance with your social media, feel free to buzz on (07) 3122 0950 or email info@redcandy.com.au.