This is How User-Generated Content Works on Instagram

1. What is User-Generated Content?
2. Why your company should opt for UGC
3. What should be considered with UGC?
4. How can users be encouraged to create as much qualitative UGC as possible?
5. These brands are already betting on UGC
6. Tools for planning and implementing UGC on Instagram
7. Conclusion

What is probably the simplest and most cost-effective way to get authentic and target group-specific content? Clearly, the answer is User-Generated Content (UGC) and is currently very popular on the platform Instagram. In this article, guest author Luise Deschl will tell you why a well-thought-out UGC strategy is worthwhile for companies of all sizes, what you should pay attention to when working with Instagram UGC, how you can generate UGC for Instagram and which tools can help you.

What is User-Generated Content?

User-Generated Content, or in German, user-generated content, describes contributions that are created by a company's community. These can be photos, videos, texts, reviews, comments, filters, or other social media content. UGC is content that has been created voluntarily and independently by customers and is therefore particularly authentic. In this article, you've already learned why User-Generated Content is indispensable in social media marketing. In the next chapter we delve into why Instagram is the ideal platform for UGC content and how you can develop a meaningful UGC strategy for Instagram.

Why your company should opt for UGC

Instagram is currently the best platform for building a community due to its numerous dialog functions. Therefore, Instagram and UGC are a perfect match! Stories, survey and participation stickers promote interaction between customers and the brand. UGC helps you meet various goals in social media marketing and offers numerous benefits. UGC content is very cost-effective or even free and lends your brand authenticity.
What goals can Instagram UGC serve? UGC can support your company in,

• building trust in your brand
• working resource-efficiently
• increasing interaction between users and the brand account
• generating more reach
• creating a recognition value
• generating sales

79% of users say that UGC affects their purchasing decision. That's why UGC is also used in performance marketing. The community's pictures and videos usually perform better in the ads because they evoke more emotions than classic advertisements and build more trust. In addition, UGC makes your products tangible and helps potential buyers imagine what it would be like to own your product.

One key benefit of Instagram UGC is the increase in Social Proof for a company. Generating so-called social proof builds trust within the company's target group.

What should be considered with UGC?

• Usage rights: Always ask for permission before using UGC. This can be done directly on Instagram in the comments or as a direct message or more officially via email with a signed form. Also, give credit for the picture or video and link the creator in your repost.
• Appreciation: User-generated content should be shown as much appreciation as possible. After all, customers make an effort to create photos and videos of your products and provide your company with free marketing and reach on their channels. Interact with the posts by publicly thanking you in the story or commenting on reels and photo posts to show appreciation to the users.
• Versatility: Instagram UGC can and should be used in a variety of ways. Instagram UGC can be used not only on your own Instagram account, but also in email marketing campaigns or on your own website. As long as usage rights have been granted, there is nothing to stop you! Instagram has an open API that allows content to be embedded.
• Brand values: Always be mindful that your brand values are not violated with Instagram UGC. Is there a lot of plastic waste in the background of a user-generated photo, even though sustainability is one of your brand values? Then consider whether the content should be shared on your company page at all.
• Quality: Watch out for the quality of photos and videos of your buyers. User-generated content on Instagram is often created amateurishly with a smartphone and the picture or video quality is correspondingly poor. You should check these contents in advance and weigh up whether sharing on the company page is worth it for you.

UGC on Instagram has quite a few advantages. But how do I get my customers to create their own content and share it on Instagram with other users? In order to successfully integrate UGC into your own marketing, you need a well thought out strategy to generate UGC on a continuous basis. Incentive options and creativity play a crucial role.

First, however, we would like to clarify what kind of UGC exists on Instagram in the first place:

• Story Tags: Customers can show and tag your company in their story. Even these story snippets, which are only visible for 24 hours, are valuable Instagram UGC.
• Story Responses: Users can enter into direct interaction through story stickers and leave feedback in the form of messages and votes. These reactions can also be regarded as UGC. Share the answers of your community to a question in a post or in a story.
• Feed Posts: Customers can post feed posts with a link to your company or with your company hashtag. If there is no marking or the use of hashtags, it is much harder to find these posts. Encourage users to tag you regularly or establish your own hashtag for UGC around your company.

How can users be encouraged to create as much qualitative UGC as possible?

• Contests or sweepstakes: Encourage UGC creation through a contest in the form of a participation contest. The most beautiful photo or video that is uploaded wins. But beware: The prize should be as attractive as possible to make the incentive to create your own content big enough.
• Show & share best practice examples: Highlight qualitative content of your users by sharing it on your company page and affording users a shout out. Through best practice examples, other users also feel called upon to create content of your products and share it.
• Involve influencers: Influencers can help your brand get more UGC from your fan base. A targeted campaign involving one or more influencers can generate targeted content from the community using a specific hashtag.
• Create venues where people like to create content: You are probably familiar with the famous “Instagram walls” in Los Angeles where people stand and have angel wings. This concept also works for businesses. Make it as easy as possible for your customers to create beautiful and extraordinary content. An especially decorated wall in the restaurant, unique hotel rooms or stylish sitting corners can encourage customers to create content without being actively asked to do so.
• Pack your products in a special way: Even special packaging of products can lead to people creating content from it. By adding a small greeting card with reference to Instagram, you can encourage your buyers to become active.
• Incentivize through vouchers or discount codes: The direct reward of UGC through a discount code or a voucher for a free product can ensure that more UGC is created around your company.

These brands are already betting on UGC

The following company examples demonstrate that Instagram UGC works not only for certain industries but generally very well for B2C brands.

@paulaschoice

The skin care company Paula's Choice provides a great example of a successful UGC strategy. By integrating before and after photos of buyers of the cosmetics products, the brand creates authenticity within its target group. The Instagram handle of the person is linked under the contributions with photos of the users and a quote is added. In addition, Paula's Choice has developed its own hashtag for its #BHAChallenge. Anyone who owns the product can participate in the Challenge and post a picture of it. In this case, Instagram UGC not only builds trust, but is particularly conducive to community building. As a part of this group, one feels belonging and identifies much stronger with the brand.

@purelei

The jewelry label Purelei uses carousel posts to share customer wear photos with the community. To obtain permission for the usage rights of customers' photos, the jewelry brand comments under the respective post and asks for a reply with the hashtag #ShareMyPurelayering (see screenshot). A win-win for customers and brand, because the Purelei account currently counts over 800 thousand followers (as of February 2023).

@lumo_biolimo

The organic lemonade Lumo stands for mindfulness and enjoyment in everyday life. With the hashtag #LuMoment, Lumo Bio Limo wants to capture and share the special and beautiful moments of their community's everyday life. To generate even more of these #LuMoments, Lumo collaborated with influencer @allmydeer, who generated various #LuMoments from her community through a competition. Lumo shares these moments on their own company account on Instagram, thus motivating other Lumo drinkers to post their personal happy moment in daily life on Instagram.

Tools for planning and implementing UGC on Instagram

Which tools aid in organizing and planning UGC? Especially for international brands with various target groups, it makes sense to systematically arrange and process UGC.

UGC collection with squarelovin

The tool has a UGC management tool and is able to collect images and videos based on mentions, hashtags, geo-tags and target content and pre-filter or exclude certain hashtags. This way, you can find your UCG all in one place and you can even create your own folders, for example, for a specific UGC campaign.

Content planning with Airtable

Airtable is suitable for content and UGC planning and coordination. In this tool, you can collect and manage links and content across teams.

Social Monitoring with Meltwater

To not miss any posts on Instagram, it can be useful for larger companies to use a software for this. With meltwater you have all UGC posts in view and can react to them in a timely manner.

Conclusion

UGC on Instagram has clear advantages for your business - no matter which industry you operate in. The trust in user-generated content is significantly higher than in company-owned content and consequently brings numerous benefits for Marketing & Sales. Instagram provides a great basis to encourage UGC with its story function and the ability to set tags. Repost the stories of your customers and launch your first UGC campaign! You will soon realize: It's worth it.