User Generated Content: Increase Sales with Recommendations and Referrals
User Generated Content: The Best Kind of Online Marketing
In today's mobile digital age, everyone is connected in social media, that includes both users and Businesses. User generated content has emerged as the most authentic and impactful form of online marketing. But what exactly is it? Simply put, user generated content refers to any content—photos, videos, reviews, or posts—created by customers rather than businesses themselves. It provides a genuine perspective, building trust and increasing customer engagement.
What Is User Generated Content and Why It Matters
User generated content (UGC) is organic and authentic. Customers willingly share their experiences, opinions, images or stories about a product or service, making it far more relatable than other forms of advertising. This authenticity is why UGC is at the forefront of online marketing strategies.
Key benefits of UGC:
Increases Trust: People trust content created by other customers more than branded content.
Cost-Effective: Encouraging users to generate content is significantly cheaper than hiring marketing agencies or paying for other forms of advertising.
Boosts Engagement: UGC encourages conversations around your brand, increasing customer engagement.
The Role of Social Media in Amplifying User Generated Content
Social media platforms are the ultimate tool for UGC. They allow users to showcase their experiences and directly interact with businesses. Whether it’s a photo in the business location, a review of a product, or a shared experience, social media has all forms of user generated content, and amplifies it.
But what if businesses had their own social media apps? With platforms like Logbook, businesses can create a personalized space for their customers to engage. Dive shops, for instance, benefit immensely when divers and instructors post dives—sharing their experiences and photos directly with the diving community. You can see an example of success with the Halcyon Dive Systems app.
How Businesses Can Leverage User Generated Content for Online Marketing
Businesses can build strong and lasting connections by encouraging user generated content. Here are some strategies:
Run On Site Campaigns: Give perks and incentives, or just ask, for customers to post a photo or a video tagging your business If they are having a great time, they usually do.
Engage Actively: Interact with customers who create content about your business, like and comment on their photo, and answer them if they start chatting with you.
Having a mobile app dedicated to your business amplifies this process, because in there you can run all the campaigns, all the conversation and all the content and review in a single place. Also users that are in your app usually have it as the central point of communication while they are in there. Apps allow businesses to:
Highlight user content within their community - that makes customers feel valued when they are featured.
Build a loyal base of active supporters.
Use push notifications to update customers with news and promotions and encourage more content sharing.
The Halcyon Dive App Case: A Real-Life Example of Customer Engagement
One of the best examples of user generated content in action is the Halcyon Dive App. Designed for divers and dive shops, this app creates a space where users can post dives, share experiences, and log their underwater adventures. Dive shops benefit by fostering a sense of community while promoting their services.
By encouraging divers to share their stories, dive shops not only amplify their online marketing efforts but also build a loyal base of customers. The app’s focus on creating a community has made it an essential tool for dive businesses.
Encourage Divers to Post Dives and Share Stories
For dive shops, a simple strategy like asking divers to post dives or share photos from their underwater experiences can go a long way. Encourage your customers to:
Share their dives on your app or social media.
Tag your business in their posts.
Share this dive with their friends - especially if they just achieved a new certification.
These small actions can significantly boost customer engagement and build your brand's presence online.
