The Covid-19 lockdowns have stopped many traditional marketing efforts like banner or transit advertising from reaching their target customers. To fit in with The New Normal, it is necessary that companies optimize marketing strategies and utilize every potential social platform.
During the social distance period, User-Generated Content (UGC) marketing is considered to be one of the best options emerging as a perfect alternative. Yet, how businesses can tap into UGC’s utmost potential in the recent situation?
Overview
The Idea Of User-Generated Content Marketing During Corona Pandemic
The marketing method – UGC involves any content published by customers on online platforms (e.g hashtagging, reviewing, checking-in, etc) related to products or firms. These sorts of content can be repurposed in order to suit marketing campaigns.
Due to the lockdown policy, people have to spend most of their time indoors which results in the average amount of screen time drastically increases. Numerous engaging content is continuously published on social media, which makes those platforms much more productive for the marketing field than ever.
Nevertheless, implementing an effective marketing strategy with user-generated content is not as easy as it sounds.
Boosting User-Generated Content Efforts Via Preconceived Tactics
Increase audience engagement with UGC
The marketing team should come up with a plan to gather and redesign significant content related to the products or services, then post them on social platforms. In addition, your user-generated content efforts should be unique and stand-out among various other content online during the lockdown. This will help to increase customer engagement with the product as well as with the brand.
To illustrate, adding hashtags is a primary way to help audiences easily find and interact with your UGC. You can also showcase some of the user-generated content efforts on your website or integrate them into your email marketing strategies as a tool to affirm products and business credibility.
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#DBLoveStories is a campaign originating from David’s Bridal – a wedding clothier. Since the lockdown policy is put into practice, David’s Bridal team has begun to collect happy wedding photos taking by newlyweds at home and repost them on their Instagram and blog with the hashtag #DBLoveStories. The stories about couples are also published along.
The campaign quickly attracts many people on social media especially during the time that there are numerous weddings postponed.
Encourage potential customers to create UGC
Customers have a positive attitude toward your products or services, however, they may need a push to speak up.
The company can consider setting a new, interesting trend for your products on some popular social media. When the trend goes viral, it will attract customers to avidly follow. Besides, running a contest is also a great way to encourage customers to share their stories with the products.
Taking the Busch beer contest as an example, the contest was announced on Twitter and Instagram, which aimed at couples who had to postpone their wedding plan due to covid-19.
Couples were required to post photos and tell their stories on social media with the hashtags #BuschWeddingGift and #Sweepstakes. And 250 couples will have chances to receive a year’s worth of Busch beer as the reward.
With the contest’s great popularity, the public awareness of Busch products and the brand itself increase significantly.
Interact with customers engagement on social platforms
Online interactions have a great impact on the way people think of businesses. By showing a sincere attitude in review responses, companies will not only build strong relationships with customers but also create a positive impact on business reputation, which directly contributes to every marketing effort.
Made.com – a furniture and homewares retail company launched a campaign called ‘Stay Grounded’ in April during lockdown 2020. The campaign focused on guiding people to make the most and thrive while being inside. Besides on-purpose content, Made.com also listens to the general problems and giving people tips on how to be productive. This campaign helped the brand a lot to stake the reputation on the market.
To Sum Up,
Almost always, people have a tendency to seek other individual opinions toward the items they are interested in. Thus, it is inevitable that these opinions takes an vital role when it comes to implementing a marketing strategy, especially during the no-go period. If knowing how to effectively make use of user-generated content marketing, businesses can entirely adapt to The New Normal situation.
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