How to Build Brand Authenticity Using Customer Generated Content

Many business owners think that finding quality services and products is enough. However, you have to hold genuine and transparent experiences on how to run a successful business; small or big. This is not possible if you don’t know how to build your brand and have an edge above your competitors.

With a lot of information at their disposal, online consumers turn to reputed and trusted sources to find out more about a brand of interest. A quick keyword search will give you a glimpse of why as a business-minded person you should put brand authenticity into consideration.

Everything to Know about Brand Authenticity

Brand authenticity is all about being real and bringing out that human connection with your online content consumers. When you are an authentic business, your target audience will trust you and abide by your mission and values.

There are incredible ways to build and promote brand authenticity, but embracing and using customer generated content is one excellent tactic to utilize. Also known as user-generated content (UGC), this is content that has been created by consumers or followers of a certain brand.

This content is then made available through varied social media platforms. Customer-generated content includes pictures, videos, reviews, testimonials, and blog posts that have been provided by a consumer to promote a brand.

The actions or perceptions of the consumers are more profoundly represented in the content than what the brand can do for itself. With this in mind, here is how to build brand authenticity using consumer/user generated content.

1. Use Hashtags Contests

You can create hashtags online that your customers can contribute to and share their views or make contributions. In a hashtag contest, you ask your followers to share content on social platforms using a certain hashtag.

As your customers push these hash tags, they’ll become more popular. This makes those hashtags more likely to trend on social media and drive additional website engagement. Within no time, you will build brand awareness and improve your conversions.

To enjoy the benefits of such a strategy to create brand awareness, it’s wise to create hashtags that are easy to remember. Also, use hashtags that will set apart your brand to stay above your competitors.

2. Through Reviews

Millions of online consumers say they look at product reviews before they choose to place an order. Reviews are a great way to build brand authenticity, as they illustrate to your consumers that what your business is offering is genuine and reliable. Reviews can help increase traffic to your website as well as improve conversion rates.

This means consumers trust your brand and they are more than eager to be part of your online fraternity. To reap more from this strategy, you can graciously ask your customers to leave reviews about your products and services, and your business in general.

3. Use Video Content

Incorporating videos in your brand awareness campaign can offer a reliable means to stand out above your competitors. Using videos in your customer generated content can help you connect with your audience in a distinctive manner and receive more conversions.

A UGC video with the right content can be viewed by many target clients rather than a brand video on social platforms like YouTube. These videos are easy to share and they can unimaginably go viral and attract more traffic to your website.

Customer generated content videos provide distinctive and genuine perceptions about your services and products. They also offer you a means to give credibility to your brand regardless of how small or big your business is.

4. Offer Rewards

Offering rewards motivates users and spurs their urge to provide more content to your website. Reward your customers for their work and especially for their short review, videos or photos. The rewards you opt for don’t have to be expensive.

Your rewards can include posting articles written by your customers on your website, or retweeting a few of their amazing tweets. Such a decision will give your customers the recognition they deserve. They will not only feel that they are part of your brand, but also share more content that will attract more traffic.

5. Encourage Social Media Posting

Social media platforms are a great place to create awareness about your brand. You can use this platform to spur your customers to post content on platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.

Go on and like their content, share it, and comment where necessary. Give credit where it’s due, and especially from the original content creator. Tag your customers and invite others to like and share extensively to make the content popular.

To Sum Up

You don’t have to invest your fortune to build and grow your business brand these days. Today’s customers are tech savvy and know how to utilize different platforms to be a part of a reliable brand. Customer generated content can spread brand awareness and put your business an edge above your competitors. To enjoy such an opportunity, set achievable business goals and treasure your brand consumers.