The bad news? About 10% of startups in the U.S. don’t survive the first year. The good news? Tech Report says fintech, eCommerce, and AI are the fastest-growing sectors for startups worldwide.
If your startup falls into any of the above categories, that’s great news for you. However, the false sense of security can be fleeting.
Building long-term success is a talent that business owners say comes down to relevant qualifications and experience.
Your next question is probably, why do startups fail? The top reasons given by Exploding Topics are a lack of product-market fit and inadequate marketing strategies.
An effective marketing strategy forms the foundation of a successful business. As more people digest their news and information via social media, it’s a given that social media platforms should form part of your strategy.
There are various ways to incorporate social media campaigns into your business plan, one of them being focused on user-generated content (UGC).
In this article, we’ll plead the case for UGC and why you should view it as a worthy investment for your startup.
Proven Results
Investing in UGC alone isn’t going to get the desired results. Sometimes, you need a team working behind the scenes. A UGC company, like brkfst.io, serves this very purpose. They’ll help create authentic user-generated content tailored to the audience and platform.
UGC platforms tap into user-generated content and harness it to create buzz around a new product or service.
Some can deliver an airtight campaign within three weeks. All you need to do is collaborate with an account director who will help you develop a brief. They will suggest content creators who they believe will be the best fit for your brand.
Most times, the chosen creatives will head up the content creation process with you having to approve the finished result.
Once approved, brkfst.io advises clients to put out genuine, social-driven UGC to expand their marketing reach.
Budget-Friendly
Big corporations like to brag about their massive marketing budgets and how they managed to bag an influencer to front a campaign. We’ll let you in on a well-known industry secret – UGC is disrupting the digital marketing sector.
The content is original, authentic and valuable in growing a brand. It is created by customers in the form of images, videos, reviews, and testimonials. The best part? There’s no expense to you. And even when you engage a creator to do it, the strategy is still cost-effective.
The proof is in the numbers. Deloitte’s 2023 Digital Media Report showed that Gen Z and Millennials are embracing social, user-generated video content due to its affordability and ease of access.
According to AdWeek, UGC is a must for eCommerce startups because customers want to share their feedback. UGC also has a significant impact on 79% of people’s purchasing decisions.
Authentic Content
When TikToker Trinidad Sandoval posted a video showing the effects of an eye cream, it was only meant for her 70 followers.
The post went viral after she demonstrated how her under-eye bags disappeared when applying Peter Thomas Roth’s Instant FIRMx Eye Temporary Eye Tightener.
For the beauty brand, it was an unwitting and ingenious return on investment. The retailer said that the product immediately sold out within a matter of weeks. That is the power of UGC.
Sandoval, 54, thought nothing of the post until her comments section went into overdrive. The user engagement was phenomenal, resulting in a whole conversation about the product on other platforms as well.
A cancer survivor, Sandoval has been open and honest about her physical insecurities, including the bags under her eyes.
The reason why the post went viral is because audiences are interested in raw, unfiltered content like hers. It drives engagement, unlike the heavily-filtered Instagram aesthetic.
UGC leverages the genuine voices of its users. When consumers share their experiences, opinions, and recommendations, their authenticity strikes a chord with others.
Brand Awareness
Brand awareness and audience reach go hand in hand. Startup Geek says when users generate and share content about a brand, they are effectively introducing it to their networks.
Building an online community via UGC can promote loyalty and increase business. When customers feel included in a brand’s community, they are more likely to remain engaged with the brand.
Integrating user-generated content into your startup’s marketing strategy can transform your business. By leveraging genuine, community-driven content, there’s ample opportunity to boost your brand’s visibility and credibility on social media channels. This in turn will foster customer loyalty.
Embracing UGC will drive greater engagement and strengthen your connection with your audience, accelerating your startup’s growth and success.
