How User Generated Content can Boost Your Millennial Marketing
by Startacus Admin
5 Reasons Why User-Generated Content Is The Turbo-Booster of Millennial Marketing
Millennials are today’s “head honchos” as far as consumer generations go. Not only are they the current largest demographic in the world (20% bigger than Generation X), but their spending power also surpasses that of any other generation in history. Millennials are also pretty savvy when it comes to social media advertising and know that information that is sponsored is biased. So how can brands get around this obstacle and engage their audience? By facilitating authentic user generated content which consumers actually value, that’s how.
Here’s why user-generated content is the turbo-booster of Millennial Marketing:
1. Trust: Millennial consumers are more discerning than ever before. This fact was highlighted by research carried out by Social Chorus (surveying 400 participants) which found that +90% of Millennials trust the word of a friend over the word of a brand. So what does this mean for brands? It means that if you want to build a successful brand, you need to work on earning the public’s trust, simple as. User-generated content (whether that be photos on Instagram, check-ins on Facebook, positive feedback on review websites or shout-outs on Twitter), show people that their peers are enjoying the product/ service and subsequently projects the brand as one they can trust and one that’s worth investing in. 
2. Reach: User-generated content goes further than branded messages on social media, especially on sites such as Facebook. The decline of Facebook reach has become an issue for brands who are trying to get their message out into the public but are seeing a dramatic decrease in ROI. Social@Ogilvy carried out a study of 106 brand pages and found that the average reach of organic posts had declined from 12.05% in 2013 to 6.15% in early 2014. What brands need to realise is that facilitating collaboration with consumers in a way that allows them to connect with the brand increases its attractiveness, develops and strengthens relationships, and builds trust. People like, share and comment on posts that interest them, and people are interested in what their friends are engaging with. Still not convinced? Bear in mind that interactions between people are the primary driver of conversions on social networks.
3. Impact: User-generated content has a higher impact on social media sites for a variety of reasons. One of the main reasons on Facebook would be the placement of user-generated content versus paid advertisement. A photo of friend in a restaurant will appear front-and-centre on your newsfeed, whilst the majority of brand ads are kept to the right-hand side of the page. As such, the user-generated content has a far higher “social value” because it resonates more than an advertised post would. (A person is more likely to remember content that is relevant to them, such as a friend interacting with a brand, rather than an impersonal advertisement that interrupts their online experience)
4. Engagement: User-generated content gives brands a communication channel via redistribution and conversation and should be used as an opportunity to converse with customers and leverage the power of positive word of mouth. Brands can use this interaction to gain a deeper understanding of their customers’ experiences; resolving the negative and sharing the positive.To put it simply, the same rules of Lotto apply in the world of online marketing; “You’ve got to be in it to win it”. 
5. Buzz and Hype: Reposting content from people who are using and enjoying your product is the best way to spike interest and promote your brand. Alternatively, by giving consumers a reason to share brand-related content (e.g. the promise of rewards and discounts) marketers can generate considerable buzz. Samsung’s application of this in 2013 via their Galaxy S4 “The Smart Phone Line” campaign is a brilliant example of a brand that understood the benefits of user-generated content on social media. By incentivising their customers to post user-generated content in order to increase their chances of winning the new phone, Samsung successfully generated unprecedented hype and buzz around the launch of their latest product, not to mention +15,000,000 total organic reach. 
At Popdeem we believe the best way to drive user generated content is to reward customers for sharing their brand experiences. By placing the customer at the centre of marketing practice, brands are finally realising the power that influential customers can have on social networks and recognising this as an opportunity to effectively promote their own service or product.
For more information on Popdeem’s Social Rewards Platform, click here!
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Published on: 4th November 2014
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