To drive more traffic, create a lasting online brand and get engagements, you have to go beyond the traditional SEO and content marketing methods.
Search engine algorithms keep on changing and you’ll discover that keywords alone don’t just cut it anymore. Content marketing too is no longer about having the most talented writers in your team to create world-class content for your blogs and websites. Don’t get it wrong, these still matter but you need to do more than that today to stay ahead of the competition.
You need to build a loyal community around your brand and use the feedback and engagement you get from them to generate relevant content for your website.
What is user generated content?
User-generated content (UGC) is any form of content created by the fans, followers and customers of a business (who are unpaid)in the form of user reviews of their products, comments and feedback.
UGC helps a company accurately assess the impact of their business on their customers and the society in general. User-generated content also creates conversations around a business in a more authentic way unlike other paid marketing strategies that most consumers can spot from afar.
So, why is it important? Here’s why user generated content is important for your business.
Customer feedback
You get invaluable customer feedback by looking at what your customers say about your brand. Customer feedback are an honest assessment of the impact of your brand on your customers and its influence on their lives.
Unlike paid marketing strategies in which you can direct the conversation about your brand in a certain way, with UGC the feedback is genuine, truthful and without any filters. In this regard, user generated content can provide the useful feedback you need to know whether your marketing strategies are working or not.
This can instigate a rethink of your business processes and customer service.
Brands have realized the value of their UGC especially in this digital age. They can repurpose the user generated content for their own benefit, sharing brand-inspired fan art and customer testimonials across various social networks. Reviews are a form of user-generated content that can easily be re-formatted for different mediums.
Market research
User generated content is primary data when you are conducting a market research. By collecting the engagements on your communication channels, you can find useful information you need to know about your brands reach among various demographic groups.
This can inform your decisions to realign your business strategies to reinforce your strengths and address your weaknesses.
Community building
By taking into account use-generated content and with the help of Your Content Shop, you can generate more relevant content for your audience that build your engagements even more.
This can help create a relationship between your brand and your audience since they feel that value and important. This is essential for community building.
Every now and then, ask for inputs from your audience and take them into account when making business strategies or when writing posts for your blog.
