The retail industry thrives on user-generated content (UGC).
From food and beverage to beauty products, UGC is everywhere in retail. Research shows that websites that feature visual UGC see a 190% increase in revenue per visitor.
Time for B2B companies to grab a bigger slice of that pie.
Do you have UGC on your website or social channels? If not, here’s how to use UGC for your B2B marketing.
Note: UGC might not be applicable to all industries. Some have legal or privacy constraints that prevent them from using it. Contact our team if you want to brainstorm with BFT about how you can create brand trust in your marketing.
What is UGC? And Why Does It Work for Brands?
User-generated content (UGC) is created by customers or fans instead of the brand itself. This includes photos, videos, reviews, and social media posts highlighting authentic product or service experiences. Intentional work gathering UGC can really push your brand to connect with potential customers on a genuine level.
UGC works because people trust people more than brands.
Prospects want proof that a service or product delivers on its promise, and real experiences shared by individuals make your brand more credible and relatable than polished ads.
How can you make this happen at your business?
How B2B Companies Can Lean Into UGC to Boost Brand Trust
So how can we adapt the UGC principles for a B2B setting?
Start simple.
Testimonials are a powerful tool in your B2B marketing toolkit. And frankly, they’re underutilized.
UGC is about showing (through video, photos, reviews, and social posts) how someone uses your product or service.
It doesn’t need to be a professionally produced video interview or a formal setup. That may work for a smaller company. However, in-person filming may not be feasible for a global company. Even a customer capturing a short recording—video or audio—is a great start.
Ask your favorite customers for testimonials. It can be as simple as providing them with a few prompts like:
- How do they use your consulting services?
- Can we see the product in action?
- What was their customer service experience?
- Describe the before and after.
- What improvements have they seen after working with you? (Percentages and money saved are huge here.)
We’ve seen BFT client partners use written testimonials, collect customer photos of products in action for email campaigns, and do video interviews or podcasts to strengthen their brands.
Another strategy to consider is to collaborate with clients on a photoshoot or installation. This grants both parties access to high-quality photos or videos for promoting their products and services, and shares costs across both parties, making it more economical.
Design a UGC Strategy for Your Business
To effectively boost brand trust, gathering UGC should be part of almost every company’s sales process. Add a reminder to your project process to gracefully ask for a testimonial at the end. Or, if you hear a really great sound bite in a conversation with a client, ask if you can write that down and use it.
Testimonials strengthen your brand image but also help you understand how customers describe their experiences—often using language that may differ from industry jargon.
It’s usually difficult for internal teams to describe what they do or how they do it without using industry lingo. Customer testimonials and descriptions can really help here.
Are you making UGC part of your strategy?
If not, now’s the time to start.
Evaluate your current campaigns, identify where UGC can shine, and observe how customers connect with your brand.
Do you need help with a marketing plan for UGC? BFT can help with that. Reach out today to talk strategy.
