6 Ideas for Killer UGC Content You Need To Create ASAP
You can shout your message from the rooftops and still not make an impact. While sometimes, a simple tweet or text post can go viral overnight. Advertising is unpredictable indeed! But some strategies are pure gold. No matter the occasion and no matter the marketing goals, they almost always work. One such strategy is the use of UGC content (user-generated content).
Simply put, UGC is the least promotional type of “promotional content” a brand can use. Created by your customers, brand advocates, or UGC creators, it’s at the heart of word-of-mouth marketing—a true marketing treasure.
Non-intrusive, authentic, and grounded in real-life experiences, UGC content has the power to convert new leads and strengthen loyalty among existing customers.
Wondering how to get started and maximize the impact of this strategy? We’ve got you covered. In this guide, we’ll explore a variety of UGC content ideas that have proven successful for brands worldwide. Ready to dive in? Let’s go!
UGC Content Ideas From Well-Known Brands
UGC content influences nearly 40% of shoppers in their purchase decisions. One of the biggest questions that most businesses have when it comes to leveraging the UGC strategy is about how to gather this content.
People make several purchases and they interact with many brands. But they do not always talk about these purchases or brands on social media. So, how do you encourage them to? We have gathered some ideas based on strategies that have worked for well-known brands.
1. Simple hashtag campaigns to make your mark
The idea is simple – you come up with a theme and introduce a hashtag for customers to use. The purpose of these campaigns is to keep things easy and to create a sense of belonging.
On that note, one of the most versatile hashtag campaigns is the #ShotOnIphone campaign by Apple. When the campaign was initiated, the idea was to allow customers to share their photos shot on an iPhone.
This is a long-running campaign that has consistently increased brand mentions for Apple on social media. So much so, that Apple’s Instagram page is dedicated to photos shared by customers with this hashtag.
In this case, by tapping into users’ excitement about their iPhones, Apple created a natural platform for UGC. Moreover, there are not specific rules or complicated requirements. Also, the simple and memorable hashtag makes it easy for users to share their content and participate in the campaign.
So, how do you make the most of this idea?
- Choose a relevant and memorable hashtag.
- Incorporate your brand or product name into the hashtag.
- Monitor and engage with content shared for the hashtag.
2. Contests/giveaways – to boost engagement
Contests and giveaways – sweepstakes of all shapes and sizes are timeless marketing assets since they allow brands to get up close with customers and create a buzz. Additionally, they are also wonderful tools to create UGC content for brands.
A good example here is Starbucks’s White Cup Contest. For a quick recap, this campaign is where the brand invited customers to draw on their plain white Starbucks cups and share their designs on social media. The winning design was then featured on a limited edition Starbucks reusable cup. This simple yet engaging contest did not just encourage thousands of entries but also led to the winner of the contest gaining a lot of online popularity.
Hence, this campaign brought in brand mentions, boosted sales and other benefits. This was in addition to the abundance of UGC content for Starbucks.
Now, how do you leverage this idea?
- Align the contest theme with your brand’s values or current events.
- Create attractive prizes – ones that are of value to your customers or ones that provide them with recognition similar to the White Cup Contest.
- Use social media or emails to promote your contest and add a clear landing page to define the guidelines with utmost clarity.
Need help designing landing pages to align with the promotional graphics for your contests? Sign up for a design subscription like KIMP!
3. Inspire through storytelling
The key to creating UGC content is to dig deeper to foster more meaningful connections through the content shared by users. One way to do this is to encourage users to share not just a single random photo but a story.
Airbnb’s Live There campaign is one of the best examples of using storytelling to create UGC content.
Airbnb encouraged users to share stories about their experiences staying in Airbnb homes and living like locals. The campaign highlighted the idea that Airbnb offers more than just a place to stay—it provides a unique, immersive experience.
Travelers were invited to share their personal stories on social media, showing how staying in an Airbnb helped them “live” in a city rather than just visit it. Accordingly, the brand also shared raw unfiltered customer stories that won hearts and boosted the brand’s presence on social media.
According to X (formerly Twitter), in the Australian market, this campaign and the hashtag #LiveThere on the platform resulted in about 30% higher view rate for the brand than most local Australian benchmarks.
The idea works because stories are effective ice-breakers. When people see customer sharing their stories, they are more willing to share their own as well. This eases more people into the campaign thus resulting in a significant boost in the UGC content volume for the brand.
So, how do you tap into this idea to gain more user-generated content?
- Encourage users to share their stories through photos, videos, or even blog posts.
- Highlight these stories on your social media pages with their permission.
- Focus on real stories and real emotions.
4. Creative expression campaigns to unleash creativity
While contests with clear rules are one way to gather UGC content, open-ended campaigns that let users get as creative as they can is another. By allowing creative freedom, you are increasing participation by making it easier for more people to understand and take part. For example, Red Bull’s Put A Can On It campaign.
This one tapped into the creative side of the audience by encouraging users to place a Red Bull can in unexpected or interesting locations and take a photo. Fans were asked to share their imaginative photos on social media using the hashtag #PutACanOnIt.
The campaign quickly went viral, with users submitting clever and humorous photos that positioned the Red Bull can in all sorts of creative scenarios—from sports action shots to everyday life moments.
In this case, customers became the drivers of the campaign and the idea itself was fun and straightforward. As a result, it made Red Bull part of an artful or humorous moment.
Creative expression allows people to interpret a brand in their own unique way, making the content more relatable and enjoyable to others. Hence it motivates more people to share their content and engage with the brand.
How do you make sure that this idea brings you a good amount of UGC content?
- Keep the theme broad to allow for more creative interpretation.
- Engage with user submissions—like, share, and comment to build excitement.
5. Cause marketing to drive impact
Cause marketing on its own has a way to humanize your brand. Therefore, intuitively inviting your customers to be part of it can lead to an increase in UGC content for your brand.
Disney’s #ShareYourEars campaign is a stellar example of combining cause marketing and UGC. The initiative encouraged fans to share photos of themselves wearing Mickey Mouse ears or any creative interpretations of Mickey Mouse ears, on social media.
For every photo posted with the hashtag #ShareYourEars, Disney pledged to donate $5 to Make-A-Wish, up to $2 million. This campaign effectively combined fun with a charitable cause. Therefore, it was relatable and it motivated fans to participate knowing that they are supporting a meaningful initiative.
Ideas like this one resonate with a wide group of audience. Because they resonate not just with fans who love the brand but also those who are looking for a dose of positivity. In short, it creates a win-win situation: users get to express their fandom while helping a worthy organization.
So, are you planning to use this idea for UGC content? Then here are some tips:
- Ensure that the cause you pick aligns with your brand and resonates with your audience.
- Set clear goals and define the details like how much you will donate per action taken to motivate participation.
6. Online challenges to fuel excitement
Was there an online challenge you came across? One you found silly and yet sat there scrolling through video after video having a good laugh or secretly wanting to take part too? Well, we’ve all been there. There is something tempting about online challenges. Hence there have been several occasions where brands with shrewd social listening skills have joined such challenges and piggybacked on the popularity of it.
Look for safe and fun challenges that actually excite your target audience. Possibly ones that somehow feel relevant to your brand or your offerings as well. Or better yet, create some lively challenges and start a trend. Like the “can balance challenge” from Pepsi.
The trend caught up quickly and popular footballers like Lionel Messi and Raheem Sterling took part in it creating a lot of buzz.
The viral nature of online challenges combined with the FOMO effect creates a snowball effect—once a few people start participating, others feel compelled to join in to be part of the trend.
So, how do you use this idea to gather UGC content?
- Keep the challenge simple and relevant to a larger audience. The easier the challenge, the more likely people are to participate.
- Collaborate with influencers to promote the challenge and ensure that it gains momentum in the early stages.
Once you have gathered enough content, it all boils down to how you seamlessly integrate this content into your marketing strategy. In your blog posts, social media posts – the ideas are plenty. So, check out our blog on leveraging user-generated content for more ideas.
In addition to these, you also need the right strategies to gather UGC content from your campaigns or in general to create a useful reserve of user content.
Effective Ways to Accumulate UGC Content
While the UGC content ideas we discussed in the previous section mostly seem fruitful on their own, sometimes, you need a little push. Encouraging participation in challenges, contests, or simply inspiring customers to share their experiences requires some targeted tactics. Here are a few strategies to help foster engagement and generate user-generated content:
1. Collaborate with influencers
Partnering with influencers can significantly amplify your UGC efforts. Influencers have built credibility and often have an engaged community with loyal followers. Therefore, working with the right influencers can bring valuable UGC content.
When they share their experiences using your products or services, it not only generates authentic content but also encourages their followers to engage and create their own content. This collaboration can lead to a larger reach and more meaningful interactions with your brand.
2. Hire UGC creators
Bring on board some UGC creators or content freelancers who specialize in producing relatable and authentic content. This can be a game-changer for your brand’s reach and engagement.
These creators can craft high-quality photos, videos, and testimonials that resonate with your audience. By working with professionals who understand the nuances of user-generated content, you can ensure a consistent flow of engaging content that aligns with your brand’s voice.
One way to tackle this is by working with freelance UGC creators. The other is to pick them from platforms like Twirl, Bello, and Billo. Given that most of these platforms allow all kinds of social media users to create brand-focused content and there is no restriction with respect to the user’s follower count, platforms like these can significantly boost a brand’s options.
3. Create a brand ambassador program
One way to utilize customer loyalty in creating UGC content is to create a brand ambassador program. Add details about the program on your website and regularly invite more customers to the program periodically.
You can share a Google Form or create a landing page where users can fill out their details to be shortlisted for the brand ambassador program. One way to make this work is to come up with short-term contracts defining the content expectations from the selected brand ambassadors and the rewards they get for fulfilling these expectations.
4. Incentivize user content
Send a personalized “Thank You” note as a packaging insert when delivering your product. And this can include a CTA (call-to-action) that encourages users to share their experience with your product or their feedback about the overall experience. Some brands also share special discount codes, early access to a new product or service, etc. to customers who share reviews online.
5. Encourage employees to share UGC content
Your employees can also act as powerful advocates for your brand. So, encourage them to share their experiences and insights on social media, showcasing how they interact with your products or services. This not only humanizes your brand but also creates a culture of authenticity. Employee-generated content can resonate with your audience and inspire them to share their own experiences as well.
Give Your UGC Content Efforts a Boost With Designs by KIMP
From promotional graphics for campaigns that encourage UGC content to branded templates you apply to the user content you share, there are several places where working with a professional design team feels like the most practical decision to make. But if you think that hunting for the right professional design team for each design project feels tedious, consider an unlimited design subscription. With a design subscription you get unlimited designs covered at a flat monthly fee.
Want to give unlimited design service a shot? Then register now for KIMP’s 7-day free trial!