Harnessing the Power of User-Generated Content in Branded Videos

User-generated content (UGC) is everywhere. From unboxing videos to reviews of everything from mobile phones to make-up, we’ve all seen someone on social media talking up a product or brand. The chances are you’ve been influenced to make a purchase and made your own videos, too. 

There’s no denying that UGC has created a win-win situation for a brand. They’ve made a sale, and they’re getting free marketing from those who spend money on their products or services. 

Given the potential power of UGC content, it makes sense to incorporate it within branded videos to enhance authenticity and engagement. 

Not sure where to begin? 

Find out more about UGC’s meaning, why you should leverage it in your branded videos, how to encourage customers to create and share UGC videos, and how to integrate it seamlessly in your videos with Perspective Pictures.

Harnessing the Power of User-Generated Content in Branded Videos - November 12, 2024

WHAT DOES UGC MEAN?

User generated content is original content created by people rather than brands. These videos and other UGC content usually relate to products or services. 

You’ll find content generated by users in blog posts and podcasts and on social media platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, and the platform formerly known as Twitter, X. Some types of user-generated content you’ll find online are:

  • Product reviews
  • Before and after videos
  • Tutorial videos
  • Product usage tips
  • Unboxing videos
  • Product haul videos
  • Vlogs mentioning your product, service, or brand

UGC ADVANTAGES FOR BRANDED VIDEOS

Using UGC content in your videos can work wonders for your brand. Some of the advantages include:

Building authenticity and trust: Content generated by real people who’ve used the product or service offers a level of authenticity that brand-created content can’t compete with. Integrate UGC videos in your branded videos to build authenticity and trust in your brand and its offering.

Fostering community: User-generated content helps build a community around shared interest in a product, service, or brand. It’s also a community in which people are happy to make their voices heard. You can use UGC content to stimulate interest among others, leading to creative and diverse content generation, brand exposure, and conversion.

Enhanced engagement: Users’ level of emotional investment in your brand increases when they produce content related to it. This is likely to inspire them to interact with your content more readily, join in discussions with other users, and share their experiences, options, and tips through user generated content. This increased engagement enhances your brand’s visibility and reputation.

Diverse content: Diverse content is essential for audience engagement, as it caters to a wide range of preferences. UGC videos and other content are an easy and impactful way to add diversity to your branded videos. Do this to tailor your marketing to different demographics and connect with a wider audience.

Greater loyalty and better sales: The authenticity UGC brings to your marketing efforts leads to greater loyalty and better sales. We’re not just saying this, either. Research has found that 91% of consumers are more likely to remain loyal to brands with authentic marketing, while 73% said UGC content has directly influenced their purchasing decisions online. 

HOW TO ENCOURAGE UGC CONTENT CREATION

There’s no way of knowing who will create UGC content, whether it will be positive or negative, or how they will share it. But this doesn’t mean you can’t encourage people to create and share specific types of content or videos with specific themes, which you can then use to curate the most relevant and suitable videos for your branded content. Monitor social media for content about your brand, service, or product so you’ve got an idea of what’s out there, then use these tips to encourage user-generated content creation and sharing:

Engage fans of your brand: If you have a mailing list, loyalty club, supporters’ list, Facebook followers, Patreon patrons, and others who already know your brand, use email and social media to create videos or other appropriate UGC content. Encourage them to submit their content in exchange for perks such as discounts, products, or gifts.

Run UGC video contests: Ask customers to create and submit videos with specific themes, offering them rewards or gifts in return. Ensure the contest rules are specific, so let people know which hashtags they should use, the type of content (review, product tips, unboxing, etc.), the video’s length, and where or how they should share it. Remember to include a call to action.

Harnessing the Power of User-Generated Content in Branded Videos - November 12, 2024

HOW TO INTEGRATE UGC CONTENT

The abundance of UGC content at your fingertips makes it easy to find videos that align with your brand’s message and aesthetic. Once you’ve selected the videos you want to use, you can integrate them into your branded videos using the following tips:

  • Blend UGC videos and other user generated content with professionally shot footage to enhance rather than disrupt the storytelling.
  • Consider the placement and order of UGC in your video, aiming for a natural feel.
  • Create coherence with similar music and transitions between user-generated and professional footage.
  • Add your brand’s fonts, colour scheme, and logo to the final video. 

The result should be an engaging video that’s faithful to your brand identity while harnessing the power of UGC content.

MAKE UGC WORK FOR YOUR BRAND (with a little help from Perspective Pictures)

While UGC videos offer all sorts of benefits, they’re no substitute for professional video production. The professional touch takes your branded videos to the next level by ensuring strong narratives, cinematic visuals and sound, and expert production for immersive and compelling viewing. UGC complements this by adding relatable human faces, voices, stories, and testimonials that drive sales

Let Perspective Pictures’ talented team supercharge your branded videos, enhancing them with UGC content. The results (and your brand’s devoted fans) will speak for themselves

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Perspective Pictures Team

About Us

Perspective Pictures is a digital-first video production company, based in East London.

We make videos for brands to post to the internet and see ourselves as a digital studio, producing everything from long-form content to digital ads, all created by our in-house team of digital natives.

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