Lobster is currently crowdfunding to support the growth of it's UGC marketplace. To join our crowd and own your share of Lobster now click here
___________________________________________________________________
Back in 1979, video killed the radio star. Almost 40 years later, nothing has toppled video from its throne. Technology has evolved and we have more ways to access content, but video still reigns supreme for engagement.
It already accounts for 69% of all consumer traffic on the internet. While 64 % of consumers make a purchase after watching branded social videos. If companies aren’t already on the video marketing train, it’s time they got to the station.
Video alone isn’t enough to engage audiences, however. It is the content in those videos that resonates with potential customers. Every business is fighting for space in a crowded social market, so brands need to be different to inspire.
But how?
Using user-generated content
The rise of user-generated content (UGC) has been rapid. UGC images are five times more likely to convert customers than non-UGC. Those numbers simply can’t be ignored. Consumers are tiring of stereotypical imagery and want something new from brands.
UGC has injected a new lease of life into many businesses, livening up their marketing efforts in the process. The result is not only better engagement with audiences but also more inclusivity as consumers are seeing content that looks similar to the everyday photos and videos they take themselves.
Authenticity is fuel for the UGC fire. As the world becomes more connected, it’s not unreasonable to expect that consumers desire more inclusivity. We’ve now reached the point where brands are actively including their content in marketing collateral.
Becoming better connected
Video shares many similar traits with UGC. As consumers, we crave to feel a connection to companies that are trying to sell to us. Moving imagery is easier to identify with than written content or still pictures.
Having the ability to hear someone’s tone of voice or see facial expressions changes perceptions within seconds. We don’t need to think with video, and the interactions feel like a two-way exchange.
Videos tend to create a greater lasting impact. Which is why combining them with UGC content makes sense from a brand’s point of view. If videos already stand a higher chance of making a connection, adding the authenticity of UGC should, in theory, be a certified win.
The key is in the simplicity
If you think back to traditional advertising methods, video marketing came largely in the form of ads. The platform was reserved for big-budget brands to push their message in the one place that received the most exposure: television.
TV advertising was expensive and therefore only accessible to the select few. Today, however, the landscape is vastly different. Sites like YouTube and Vimeo provide a platform for anyone to upload their video content.
People create engaging video content straight from their phone and upload it to social media within seconds. The results provide brands with a larger pool of content to choose from, especially if they are going down the UGC route.
Video and UGC
There are several avenues brands can go down to source authentic UGC video from real people. Creating social media campaigns and asking followers to provide videos directly is one way, but that means they are only tapping into the potential of their followers.
If a business wants to expand its reach further than followers, there are UGC marketplaces that allow content creators to upload their work and list it for sale. Going down this path also removes any complications surrounding copyright.
Many companies still believe it’s ok to take a video from social media and use it for their own promotions as long as they provide a credit. However, this isn’t the case and any content used by a company from someone else needs their consent. UGC markets provide legal copyright along with the video content.
It works
There are many reasons why brands should be going down the route of video UGC, but the most important are in the facts. They pick up 10 times more views on YouTube than regular content, something many brands have already taken note of.
GoPro, the high-energy technology company, utilised video UGC by allowing fans to easily upload videos of their zany stunts. They now have more than 4.5 million subscribers on YouTube and its largely thanks to adrenaline junkies being able to watch each other in action.
The company could have gone down the route of solely creating videos with pros performing stunts. But GoPro understood that its audience would also like to watch other high-octane people like them performing stunts that would either inspire and invoke feelings of familiarity.
Familiarity breeds warmth
There is a reason why videos of a baby’s first steps or a zany animal trick go viral at a faster rate than other content - they are familiar to us. In isolation, there might not be anything groundbreaking about watching a dog chase its tail.
But for all those pet owners out there who have seen their dog do the same thing, the connection is instant. It acts as a form of acceptance. We see someone doing something that's familiar and instantly feel validated.
In that sense, there is no better way to capture UGC than through the moving image. We see something we like, share it and want to tell everyone. Brands that tap into this psyche and create compelling, shareable stories are afforded the same chance to expand their reach.
Moving forward with video UGC
Customers are sharing content about brands, whether positive or negative. It’s the landscape we now live in. Peer reviews and UGC have shifted the power into the hand of the buyer. Brands that understand this and work with their audience are more likely to grow and become the flavour of the year.
If it’s generated by users and sold by brands, there’s a good chance that success is just around the corner.
Lobster is currently crowdfunding to support the growth of it's UGC marketplace.
To join our crowd and own your share of Lobster now click here