In today’s digital age, consumers are more likely to trust content created by their peers than that produced by brands. This is because user-generated content feels more authentic and genuine.
According to a survey (Stackla 2020), 79% of people say UGC highly impacts their purchasing decisions, while only 13% say they’re influenced by branded content. This means that if you want to build a strong brand presence, you need to focus on encouraging your customers to create content on your behalf.
But why do platforms favour UGC over branded content?
Well, it’s simple. Platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook want to provide users an engaging and authentic experience. They can achieve this goal by featuring UGC while keeping their users active and engaged.
Additionally, UGC is an excellent way to boost your brand’s visibility and reach. When your followers share your content on their social media accounts, it exposes your brand to their entire network of friends and family, who might not have known about you otherwise. They’re more likely to take advice and follow suit from people they know then the brands themselves.
So, how do you encourage user-generated content at your event?
The answer lies in experiential marketing! Experiential marketing focuses on creating immersive, memorable experiences for attendees that promote your brand. By creating an experience that attendees want to share, you can encourage them to create content that promotes your brand.
One of the most effective ways to encourage user-generated content at your event is to incorporate shareable elements into your affairs. Why wouldn’t you want people to share your brand, share their experience and share the fun!
Shareable content can be generated from a simple photo activation right through to an immersive experience using all senses! Humans are social creatures – they want to share their experiences… just look how many photos there are of plates of food on instagram!! Capitalise on this and have the UGC branded for you… get seen.
Need some more convincing? Try these stats –
- Events with a photo booth or photoactivation see an average increase in attendance by 12%.
- 62% of attendees are more likely to share photos and content on social media when there’s a designated photo activation/photo booth.
- A photo activation generates 150 social media posts per hour on average.
- 90% of consumers trust UGC over traditional advertising.
- UGC campaigns see a 20% increase in website traffic and a 50% increase in engagement.
These stats clearly show the impact that’s possible with a shareable moment included in your event. Improve your brand’s visibility, engagement, and trustworthiness. So, if you’re looking to build a strong brand presence, it’s essential to incorporate UGC into your marketing strategy through a well defined and developed experiential marketing activation which includes a structured (don’t rely on event goers themselves!) shareable moment/element.
Take a look at this activation for Dash Water at the Melbourne Fashion Festival. Our pals at KREATE knew the importance of a shareable moment. Get the product and event trending all over social media with an engaging and fun activation at one of the biggest and best events in Melbourne! How else can you generate thousands of branded videos for people to share instantly with embedded hashtags, have a social media reach in the tens of thousands and be able to track the campaign?
It’s pretty easy to see that user-generated content is essential to any successful marketing campaign and/or event. By creating immersive, memorable experiences, you can encourage attendees to create and share content that promotes your brand. The question isn’t why would you.. It’s why wouldn’t you!
