93% of customers turn to online reviews before making a purchase decision. Why? Because they trust other people more than your brand. They are better influenced by raw and genuine content than polished brand messages. This is why more and more brands are gravitating towards producing user-generated content.
While it is a favorite among B2C brands, it is an equally powerful tool for B2B marketing if used smartly. But what is user-generated content for B2B marketing, and why must you incorporate it in your marketing strategy? We’ll find out in this blog.
User-generated Content in Marketing
User-generated content (UGC) is exactly what the name suggests- content created by users or customers. It can be in the form of text, images, videos, or reviews. For example,
- customer reviews and testimonials on your website
- how-to videos created by a user demonstrating your products or services
- a social media post of a user sharing about their purchase from your brand
Leveraging user-generated content for B2B marketing helps you present your offerings authentically and unbiasedly. This adds to your social proof and positions your brand as more trustworthy. But this is not the only role of user-generated content. Let’s look at other reasons why it is such a powerful tool in B2B marketing.
Advantages of User-generated Content
1. Authenticity and Credibility
Using traditional B2B marketing content can often come off as biased and self-promotional. User-generated content changes this narrative. It is created by customers who have experienced your product or service firsthand. As a result, it offers a genuine and unbiased perspective, helping you build trust and credibility with potential customers.
This is especially important for B2B purchases, where customers look for detailed information about the product’s features, benefits, and performance. When they see positive reviews and testimonials from other users, they feel more confident in making a purchase decision.
2. Increased Engagement and Customer Loyalty
Another UGC benefit in B2B marketing is that it helps you engage with your customers on a deeper level and earn their loyalty. How? By asking them to share their experiences and feedback. This creates a sense of ownership and involvement among your users, further fostering a sense of loyalty and commitment toward your brand.
This is also an excellent way to understand how your product or service is being used and address any issues or concerns your customers may have.
3. Cost-effective Content Creation
One of the major advantages of user-generated content in B2B marketing is its cost-effectiveness. Creating valuable, high-quality content can be time-consuming and expensive, especially if you’re a small brand with limited resources. But user-generated content offers a more cost-effective and efficient approach.
By encouraging your customers to create UGC, you can tap into a vast pool of potential content creators willing to share their experiences and opinions on your offerings. What’s more? You can access a diverse range of content like reviews, testimonials, social media posts, user-generated content, and more without bearing the costs of professional content creation. As a result, you have a goldmine of relatable content that resonates with your target audience.
4. Improved Brand Awareness and Reputation
Using user-generated content in your marketing strategy helps you reach new customers by leveraging the power of social media and online communities. How? When your customers share their experiences on social media platforms, they expose your brand to their friends and followers who might be unaware of your brand before.
This way, you can attract new customers without spending on expensive advertising campaigns. Moreover, positive reviews, testimonials, and social media posts from satisfied customers help improve your brand reputation. This is because when customers see others sharing positive experiences and feedback, they will feel more connected to your brand and be more likely to engage with it in the future.
Wrapping Up
Using user-generated content is an excellent way to establish a more authentic brand image, build stronger customer relationships, and drive long-term success. Even industry bigshots like Hubspot, Hootsuite, and Salesforce leverage this powerful tool in their B2B marketing strategies.
So incorporate UGC in your marketing campaigns and let your customers be your biggest marketers.