Leveraging User-Generated Content in Social Media Marketing
What if you could come up with a social media marketing strategy that allowed you to outsource most of the marketing work, while also increasing customer engagement and the effectiveness of your campaigns? Sounds too good to be true, right?
In today’s online world, user-generated content is like modern word-of-mouth marketing. Consumers have always put more stock in other consumers’ opinions and experiences than in a brand's advertising. And thanks to the connected nature of social media and online testimonials, this kind of word-of-mouth marketing is more effective and more pervasive than ever before.
Businesses across the retail spectrum have taken notice of this growing trend, and many have shifted away from traditional advertising and toward user-generated content. In doing so, they are leveraging the goodwill and the trusted authenticity of their customers to expand their audience.
In this article, you will explore the ins and outs of user-generated content, discover why it’s so highly effective and learn a few strategies for encouraging your own customers to become advocates for your dealership on social media.
- What Is User-Generated Content?
- How Important Is User-Generated Content?
- User-Generated Content Strategies
- Modern Word-of-Mouth Marketing
What Is User-Generated Content?
User-generated content (UGC) is marketing content created and shared by customers about your products or services. This content may be created by brand loyalists or ordinary, everyday customers who are satisfied with their purchase and want to share their experiences with others.
Most often, user-generated content comes in the form of social media posts and videos showcasing a brand’s products and inventory. But it can also take the form of blog posts, online reviews, YouTube videos and even podcasts.
User-generated content allows you to leverage the good will of your existing customers and their social network connections to build your brand and market your dealership, inventory and products to a brand-new new audience.
It allows you to leverage modern technology and the popularity of online social networks to distribute your messages through people who are passionate about your company and satisfied with their purchase experience.
How Important Is User-Generated Content?
When shoppers begin to research whether or not they want to make a particular purchase, they have lots of options. They have access to a world wide web of information, where they view photos of inventory, view specs and see prices.
Before long, they’ll want to reach out to someone with knowledge to ask questions and learn more about their prospective purchase. They can go to your dealership or digital storefront to browse inventory, read blog posts, speak with a salesperson and view videos that you’ve created. Or they can go directly to the end consumers themselves—the people who have actually bought the products.
While the content that you give consumers is a valuable, even essential, part of the shopping journey, content creation requires a lot of work on your part. It’s also undeniably biased. Even if you give shoppers all the information they need to make an informed purchase, they still understand that you’re selling something. It’s the reason consumers are 2.4 times more likely to say that user-generated content is the most authentic content posted by brands.
User-generated content can be a highly effective component of a dealership’s marketing strategy simply because the content comes from actual shoppers. In this sense, it feels more genuine and authentic, as shoppers can better relate to other shoppers’ experiences. According to Stackla, as much as 60% of consumers say content from a friend or family member has influenced their purchases decisions.
Aside from the obvious and immediate benefits to your business, user-generated content gives your customer base a stake in your brand. It allows them to be part of your business growth and gives them a sense of belonging and identity with who you are and what you do. This naturally leads to increased lifetime customer value and builds consumer confidence over time as your customers act as ambassadors for your business.
When you have people who are already passionate about their purchase experience speaking about your dealership online, you reap the rewards of their satisfaction. It humanizes your brand and allows you to build trust with your audience as your customers speak on your behalf.
User-Generated Content Strategies
Dealerships that know how to harness the power of user-generated content can grow their business and brand appeal by outsourcing highly effective advertising to their existing customers. Consider the following ways that you can encourage your customers to generate their own content for your dealership.
Customer Photos
With almost 60% of the entire global population (and nearly 93% of internet users) active on social media, there’s no question that Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, YouTube and other social platforms can be an effective way to reach potential customers.
Social media also offers a natural forum for your customers to talk about their latest purchases, as it naturally lends itself to sharing and discussing exciting life events, like the purchase of a new unit.
Take advantage of this time of excitement and encourage customers to post a photo of their new purchase online. Encourage them to tag your dealership’s profile and even use branded hashtags when they post, so your customers’ social followers can know that they purchased from you and easily search other similar photos.
Run a contest at your dealership to encourage user-generated content. Come up with a photo contest with a giveaway, prize or other incentive for winning. Feature your customers’ photos on your social channels and encourage customers to share them with their followers. You may even consider taking photos of your customers with their new purchase and posting them online. Just be sure to get permission from your customers first.
Customer Reviews
As much as 93% of consumers read and trust online reviews from other customers to make purchase decisions. In fact, 82% of consumers say that a review has convinced them to make a purchase. These numbers are hard to ignore, especially considering that the vast majority of your customers (77%) are more than willing to leave a review when asked.
There are several effective ways to invite your customers to leave online reviews. Start by inviting them to leave a review at the time of purchase. Give them a physical card or pamphlet with a step-by-step guide for leaving a review on your website, Google Business Profile page or social media channel(s).
Follow up via email and include a link to your website to leave an online review. Use this opportunity to thank them for their purchase and include specific details about their purchase and purchase experience to build trust and encourage a positive review.
You may choose to invite your customers to leave a review via text message. Text messaging is a highly effective way to get ahold of your customers. In fact, it may be their preferred way to communicate. Again, provide a link where they can quickly reach your review site and make the message quick and simple.
When your customers are ready to leave a review, invite them to post their review on social platforms like Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram and other online review sites like Yelp. You can even automate the review request process via email or text to encourage a steady flow of reviews on your website.
If your customers leave a negative review, address it quickly. Follow up with the customer personally to see how you can make the situation right and post a reply message to their review so that others understand that you care about your customers and you’re willing to go the extra mile to ensure a positive experience.
Social Engagement
When you post to social media, do it with purpose. Invite your followers to engage with you by asking questions and encouraging participation. Consider giveaways, user polls and surveys, and ask direct questions that are relevant to your business. Sharing user-generated content is also a great way to encourage engagement on social media.
Make a habit of following your customers on social media. This not only builds brand affinity, but also makes it easy for you to see when customers are posting share-worthy content. During the purchase process, ask where you can find your customers on Facebook or Instagram, so you can see how they’re enjoying the unit. This may encourage your buyers to create posts about their purchases and give you a reason to repost their content.
Respond to comments quickly, as this shows your involvement with your audience and commitment to your business. You could even consider starting a community forum for people to discuss their passions about your products. Align your social media campaigns around big industry events or notable times in the calendar year when excitement in your products and services could use a boost from your social following.
High engagement on social media will encourage likes, comments and shares from your followers, giving you more eyes on your content and driving more traffic to your website. Remember, as much as 71% of consumers who have a good customer service experience on social media are likely to recommend that business to their peers.
Videos
Videos are a great way to showcase your inventory and engage with an eager, attentive audience. When your customers post videos of themselves using their new vehicles in the great outdoors, it generates excitement.
It’s a natural way to show the real-world benefits and applications of your business. In fact, there may not be a better way to market your brand than by having your actual customers post videos with your products.
Invite your customers to post videos on their social channels using a branded hashtag. Encourage involvement with a promotion or contest. Award winners with cash prizes or a chance at winning a new accessory or other similar incentive from your store.
Of course, you can also repost your customers’ videos on your social channels to encourage more participation and to give credit to your customers.
Blog Posts
Social media is a natural forum for distributing blog posts and interesting articles related to retail. With the right subject and distribution strategy, a blog post has the potential to be shared over and over again and reach an even wider audience.
As most customers won’t take the time to write an entire article for your dealership, consider asking them to send you their experiences with their unit. This might include a quick paragraph about their favorite travel story, a favorite camping trip, a new landscaping endeavor or a favorite outdoor summer or winter activity. Then, you can assemble snippets from different customers’ experiences into a fun article for your audience to read.
You might also ask your customers to write reviews about your products or travel logs detailing their adventures with your inventory. If you know about a popular blog related to your industry, reach out and invite them to write a post about your products or business. Then share it with your social following and feature it on your website.
Modern Word-of-Mouth Marketing
User-generated content can be a powerful tool for building social credibility and promoting your products and services. When potential customers see positive reviews, view photos or watch videos of happy customers on social media, it builds trust and brings more people to your dealership.
It’s modern word-of-mouth marketing that helps you build your brand and outsource much of the marketing work to your customers, making it both highly effective and cost-efficient. By leveraging the power of social media and the authenticity of your audience, user-generated content can strengthen relationships with existing customers, who find further investment and belonging with your brand, while also leaning on them to influence others to come to your business.