Why User-Generated Content is GREAT Marketing for Small Businesses

As business owners, we spend SO much time promoting ourselves. Sharing our products, explaining why we’re better than the guy down the street, trying to sell our products and services, etc.

And I’m not saying that’s a bad thing…because if you aren’t promoting your business, you aren’t making sales. And we all gotta eat.

But what if someone else was doing the promoting for a change? Wouldn’t that be nice?

Let me introduce you to: User-Generated Content.

SO many business owners do not leverage user-generated content (also called UGC or customer-generated content) the way that they should. It’s low hanging fruit, and a way to promote your business while not seeming like you’re promoting your business. Like a “don’t just take our word for it” type vibe. Like you're sitting in a room full of potential customers while somebody stands on stage saying the nicest things about you. Like this:

Some examples of user-generated content are:

• Reviews

• Photos

• Videos

• Comments

• Blog Posts

The cool thing about user-generated content is you don't have to do much to get it. If you're doing a good job as a business owner and creating a positive customer experience, these things are going to come about organically.

• Happy customers are going to leave reviews

• If a product is great, they're going to talk about it

• If they have a question or input about one of your social media posts, they're going to comment

User-generated content does not take a lot of effort on your part to get. But it is up to you to get the most out of it. Because it's great that the people in their sphere of influence are seeing it, but how awesome would it be for everyone in YOUR sphere of influence to see it, too?!

If you're someone who is obsessed with a specific aesthetic, this is going to be hard for you...but you need to be sharing this content, even if it doesn't match your aesthetic. This means if...

• Someone posts your product on Instagram, you need to share it on YOUR Instagram (your story, at a bare minimum, but on the feed would be even better)

• Someone makes a TikTok about you or your product, repost, comment, stitch, share...get as many eyes on it as possible!

• Someone comments on your TikTok, make a video response

• Someone writes a blog post, share it on your socials

• Someone leaves you a review, use it EVERYWHERE! On your website, in your emails, on your social media, on your print media - EVERYWHERE.

You get the point. If your customers are creating content for you, you need to be taking full advantage and spreading that free marketing around like:

UGC as Social Proof

Social proof is one of the most basic marketing concepts there is. Also known as social influence or herd mentality, social proof is a psychological phenomenon where people copy the actions of others.

It's why we pour over reviews before purchasing a new product or trying out a new restaurant, and why influencers are a thing. We care much more what other people say about a product or business than what the business says about itself.

So by sharing the opinions of real life customers, you're providing social proof to your audience and helping them to feel more comfortable making purchasing decisions.

Everything is marketing!

Remembering that *everything* is marketing is important. As business owners, we need to be taking every opportunity we can get to spread the word about our business. User-generated content is some of the best marketing there is, so make the most of it!