“User-generated content is the easiest way for brands to get their community to do their selling for them. Ultimately, people buy from people they like, trust, admire or relate to,” says Jemima Carr-Jones.
So what is user-generated content (UGC)? Traditionally, it refers to content that consumers create and share with a brand. However, it can also refer to using real-life stories and people in content that is filmed and produced by the brand itself.
Jemima began her career as a journalist and presenter before transitioning into the content world as a content executive on Steven Bartlett’s podcast, The Diary of CEO. She now runs Love Studios, an agency that works with brands to capture and share user stories, with a focus on femtech brands like Hertility, Jude and Flutter.
Here are her top tips on creating UGC that truly connects with audiences.
Focus on authenticity
Consumers are smart — they can spot when someone is being paid to aesthetically unpack a product. We no longer buy into generic UGC videos because they feel like adverts. There is a reason adverts don’t work well on TikTok: we want to watch ‘reality’, so tell the real stories of people who love or have been impacted by your brand:
- Founders can become the face of the company, sharing personal stories and journeys like Jess Hunt of beauty brand Refy.
- B2C brands like Hertility (which sells hormone and fertility testing kits) you can ask your mailing list to share their stories with you.
- Fashion brands can get people to share photos of them in your clothes with a chance to feature on your site like Rixo does.
Peer-driven insights build trust and credibility, often holding more weight with consumers than traditional advertising.
Choose stories carefully
Not every story is going to work — identify the golden nugget that aligns with your brand’s narrative. Ask yourself:
- What is it about a particular story that is going to work?
- Is it that the person talking about your brand is well-known?
- Or that they have a particularly moving story?
- Is the person just super engaging or attractive?
Think about positioning
Your content needs to reach the right audience, both organically and through targeted paid ads. Sometimes, this means you’ll have to condense stories to fit a narrative or a time goal. For example, with Hertility, if there’s a story that discusses hormones, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), and fertility, we would break those three down into different stories. We could then target the hormones and PCOS ones to a younger teenage audience and the fertility-focused content could be aimed at older women on that journey.
It’s important that you don’t lose the essence and the nuance of a story when editing — the person trusted you to tell their story truthfully.
Make your customers comfortable
You need to build genuine relationships with customers who use and love your product if you want them to trust you to tell their story:
- Be transparent about why you want to tell their story and how you’re going to use it.
- Remember key details about their story. Every time you have an interaction with them you need to remember their name, what they do, what problem or reason brought them to your brand and other key bits of info that show you care.
- Make them feel safe. When filming, where will they be most at ease talking? Is it in their home, in a cafe or at your offices? The right setting can make all the difference.
- Provide aftercare. Show them a draft. When it’s out, give them feedback on how it’s being received. Support them if there’s any backlash.
- Reward them. Often, people will tell their stories without expecting anything in return and this is often when authenticity shines through. After the event you can reward them with gifts, discounts, thank you messages or just a simple box of chocolates.
Repurpose content
Although it may feel like a lot of effort to create one customer story, it can go a long way if repurposed effectively: you can edit the content into various formats and dimensions suitable for different platforms, use unique hooks, alternative social cuts, etc. You can also write it up into blog and LinkedIn posts or X threads, for example. Why?
- You’ll have more content!
- You can tailor your content based on the platform it’s for or the audience you’re trying to target. You can customise the hook, the length of content or the background music, for example. TikTok users expect a different experience from those on Facebook. The content is usually shorter, snappier and more text-driven.
Don’t solely focus on financial ROI
When you’re starting with UGC, don’t get hung up on immediate financial returns. As a startup, I know this is difficult when every penny counts and you have investors to answer to. But you have to play the long game. For the VCs reading though, UGC is often more cost-effective than influencer marketing and can deliver significant value over time.
Tracking metrics like reach, engagement and community growth can help you understand the broader impact. But more importantly, the real value of UGC lies in how it builds and strengthens your community.
Sephora is a good example of this long-term strategy. The beauty retailer has built a community through its app, where people talk to each other about recommendations and advice. The peer-to-peer space is lauded as feeling non-judgmental and fun. From the business side, although this was a longer game, it’s created a content machine from these conversations and has made it frictionless to then buy the products being discussed.
How can you create a similar experience for your brand? By fostering genuine relationships and leveraging UGC, you can build an engaged community that supports your brand’s growth in the long run.
On the subject of... creating content for your startup
1. How to build a podcast for your brand.
2. How to get started on TikTok. Forget about perfectionism.
3. The death of the follower. Jemima, this week’s How To expert, recommends watching this talk by Jack Conte, CEO of Patreon.
4. Don’t create content. Here’s what a content creator at your company should do in their first 30 days instead (jump to the #3 section in the newsletter).5. How to grow your LinkedIn following. Apparently, giving away free stuff really helps.
