Discover 10 effective strategies to build UGC (User-Generated Content) communities from big brands like Netflix, CocaCola,…
Identify Community Goals and Values
Target: Create a platform for sharing content that aligns with your Brand values.
Making:
- Conduct customer surveys to understand their values and preferences
- Build a clear community mission statement
- Create content guidelines that reflect your brand values
Specific examples: Patagonia builds community Worn Wear Encourage users to share stories about their well-worn Patagonia clothing, promoting the brand’s sustainable values.
Create a Safe and Friendly Space
Target: Create a comfortable environment for sharing ideas and content.
Making:
- Establish and publish clear community rules
- Train your admin team to handle sensitive situations
- Implement easy-to-use reporting and feedback tools
Specific examples: Forum Reddit r/SkincareAddiction has a detailed set of rules and an active team of moderators, creating a safe space to discuss skin care.
Encourage interaction and sharing
Target: Create regular opportunities for members to create and share content.
Making:
- Organize regular challenges and competitions
- Use your own hashtags to track and aggregate content
- Create weekly or monthly discussion topics
Specific examples: GoPro’s “Photo of the Day” challenge encourages users to share their daily GoPro photos with the hashtag #GoPro. Selected photos will be posted on GoPro’s official Instagram account.
Provide Platform and Share
Target: Facilitate content creation and sharing.
Making:
- Develop or integrate content editing tools into your platform
- Provide user manual and Video tutorial
- Ensure the platform is cross-device compatible and easy to use
Specific examples: The VSCO app offers professional photo editing tools and filters, and allows for direct photo sharing within the VSCO community.
Honor and Reward Contributions
Target: Recognize and encourage outstanding contributions.
Making:
- Create a reward points or badge system for active contributors
- Organize monthly or quarterly awards for outstanding content
- Feature outstanding contributions on official brand channels
Specific examples: Starbucks’ White Cup Contest invited customers to draw on a white Starbucks cup. The winning design was produced into a limited edition cup and the winner received a $300 gift card.
Create an Ambassador Program
Target: Nurture your most active content creators.
Making:
- Define clear criteria for becoming an ambassador
- Provide training and support to ambassadors
- Create exclusive opportunities for ambassadors (e.g., early access to new products)
Specific examples: Lululemon’s Ambassador Program selects local yoga and fitness instructors as brand ambassadors. They are given free clothing and the opportunity to host classes at Lululemon stores.
Integrating UGC into Marketing Strategy
Target: Use UGC in marketing campaigns to increase community value.
Making:
- Create a process for selecting and managing UGC
- Ask users for permission before using their content
- Incorporate UGC into different marketing channels (Website, Email, Advertising)
Specific examples: Campaign Share a Coke Coca-Cola printed people’s names on bottles, encouraging them to share photos on Social Media. These photos were then used in Coca-Cola advertising.
Provide Educational Value
Target: Improve community members’ content creation skills.
Making:
- Organize webinars and online workshops on content creation skills
- Create a resource library with tutorials, tips and tricks
- Invite industry experts to share knowledge
Specific examples: Adobe Creative Cloud hosts weekly “Adobe Live” webinars where experts show how to use Adobe tools to create content.
Create Opportunities for Cooperation
Target: Encourage community members to collaborate on projects.
Making:
- Create a forum or space for members to connect
- Organize online or offline networking events
- Initiating community projects requires the cooperation of many members
Specific examples: The music platform SoundCloud has a “Repost” and “Share” feature that allows artists to easily share and collaborate on each other’s tracks.
Listen and Adapt
Target: Continuously improve the community experience based on feedback.
Making:
- Conduct periodic community surveys
- Track and analyze key engagement metrics
- Create open feedback channels and encourage members to contribute ideas
Specific examples: Netflix’s “Request a Title” feature allows users to suggest content they want to watch on the platform. Netflix uses this information to decide whether to license or produce new content.
Conclude
Building a UGC-focused community requires ongoing commitment, but the benefits are huge:
- Increase user engagement
- Create authentic and diverse content
- Building brand loyalty
- Provide valuable customer insights
By implementing the above strategies, you can build a vibrant community where members feel empowered to contribute and share, while creating a rich source of content for your brand.
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