How can brands collaborate with UGC creators? What should they pay attention to?

The cooperation between brands and UGC creators has brought new opportunities for content marketing. This article explains what UGC is, what its advantages are, and deeply explores the key points of cooperation between brands and UGC creators to help brands achieve better marketing results. Let's take a look.

Whether it's showcasing the latest creations from popular designers or sharing a #GRWM from date night, social media users are constantly sharing their favorite products online.

This trend is called user-generated content (UGC), and it’s one of the best ways to showcase authentic brand experiences to a larger audience.

1. UGC creators vs. influencers

Influencers get paid to share videos, images, or blogs. Brands sign a contract with them to produce a specified number of posts in exchange for payment. They get paid in a variety of ways, including per post, likes, engagement, clicks, and even as a downstream affiliate marketing.

Brands can purchase licensing rights to influencer content, which is usually negotiated in a contract.

Heyitsjenna partners with HelloFresh for paid sponsorship campaign

UGC creators provide services to brands. They create videos and images based on a brief with the sole purpose of having brands use it in their marketing channels. These creators do not rely on fans. They usually charge a fixed fee or accept products as compensation when they are new to the industry.

Cocokind collaborates with UCG creators

Simply put, influencer content is usually more stylized and sophisticated, while UGC creators focus more on information and experience, not just entertainment and aesthetics.

2. 3 Reasons to Collaborate with UGC Creators

Consumers no longer trust traditional advertising. They are more likely to trust raw, unfiltered, real experiences on social media:

1. Reduce cost pressure

Influencers play a key role in the success of a marketing strategy. However, when you work with top influencers, the costs increase. Additionally, these types of creators tend to form longer-term brand partnerships.

UGC creators are usually paid a fixed amount, and they will seamlessly embed your products in posts sharing their daily lives without breaking your budget.

2. Reduce team stress

UGC creators are very familiar with social media trends. By working with them, you can keep up to date with the social media culture and audience psychology of various countries.

Additionally, by working with many creators, your team can quickly produce content targeted to different audiences, quickly building a library of videos, images, and blogs that can be repurposed throughout the year.

BBQGuys commissioned influencer Yolande Kelly to provide UGC content

3. Positively influence purchasing decisions

UGC fosters fan loyalty and builds a community around your brand. That’s because when shoppers see people like them using a product, they’re more likely to engage with it.

Data shows that many consumers find that UGC has nearly 9 times more influence on their purchasing decisions than influencer content and 6.6 times more influence than brand content.

Meg Reily with Bowlero

3. Introduction to UGC Types

1. Short video content is becoming popular

Hashtags like #GRWM (Get Ready With Me), #ASOM (See It On Me), and #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt are great for showcasing products in use, allowing consumers to keep up with the trends.

Charley Bourne reposted a video with over 250 million views using #tiktokmademebuyit

2. Highlight your product with photos

When your brand posts pictures of people going about their daily lives, it appears more approachable in the eyes of users.

Vici Collections collaborates with UGC creators

3. Use comments to attract viewers to experience together

Creators can often review the entire product experience through the purchasing process with long-form videos, and they perform best on YouTube and Facebook.

Daymon Patterson is world-renowned for his food reviews and has galvanized a community around his love of food.

Daymon Patterson's hilarious food reviews drive millions of views for brands

4. How to cooperate with UGC creators

1. Match the right UGC creators

First, you need to decide what type of content you want to create and the platforms you want to publish it on.

Then, you need to search for “UGC creator” along with your “category” in the platform.

You can also use the Explore feature on Instagram or TikTok to find creators who fit your niche. Consider your brand’s audience and the types of creators who would resonate with them. So, seek to collaborate with a diverse group of creators to make your content more inclusive.

2. Request a quote

Before hiring a UGC creator, consider your brand’s budget and establish your campaign goals. Discuss your goals with the creator and walk them through the project before asking for a quote. Once the creator understands the scope of the project, it will be easier for them to give you a quote.

5. 5 Things You Must Do When Collaborating with UGC Creators

A successful marketing campaign requires the efforts of two parties. Once you have found a candidate, follow these 5 steps to get things going smoothly:

1. Clarify your goals and expectations

Determine the content type, format and publishing schedule. Provide a detailed creative brief and call to review project details before starting.

2. Signing of the contract

Before you start your campaign, agree on key deliverables, remuneration, and content use terms. You’ll need to provide a formal contract that clearly defines the terms of your agreement.

3. Share brand resources

Set up a framework for your content strategy, clarify brand guidelines and other style guides, and create mood boards with different visuals to give them a feel for the tone and visual style you want for your content.

Once you’ve shared your ideas and provided guidance, it’s time for the creator to create.

4. Track performance

Identify key performance indicators (KPIs) related to engagement, reach, impressions, and conversions that you want to track. Build a solid system that you can reference and keep your creators informed so they can produce more high-performing content.

5. Provide feedback

Connect with creators to ensure the content meets your expectations and aligns with your brand. This may include sharing constructive feedback, providing guidance, and answering questions.

6. Successful Cases

1. Glossier

Direct-to-consumer (DTC) beauty brand Glossier regularly collaborates with creators to share photos and videos of how they use Glossier products in their daily lives.

Each video appears to have been shot on a smartphone and has not been retouched in any way – and because of this, it truly captures a moment in the creator’s daily life.

This authentic approach has helped the brand build a loyal community of customers. Glossier also uses influencer marketing in its social media accounts. The sophisticated influencer style and authentic UGC content are a perfect fit for Glossier’s audience.

2. Airbnb

Airbnb’s Instagram account is filled with photos taken by its customers. The brand features these natural-looking images that have been minimally edited or retouched. This is a far cry from the often heavily edited Instagram travel blogger images.

While the brand shares UGC with customers, it also works with photographers to capture images that encourage viewers to book a stay.

Airbnb also turned a potential PR nightmare into a UGC win. When they heard that Alix Earle (5.3 million followers on TikTok) had been scammed by one of their hosts, they offered her team a luxury villa. She then created a “thank you” post that was viewed over 2 million times in five hours.

3. Adobe

Some of Adobe's products can be complex for the average user, and it can be hard to imagine their use cases without seeing them in action.

Adobe uses customer-created visuals to highlight its software features while strengthening its community.

Want to work with UGC creators that can bring you a good return on investment (ROI)? Feel free to contact one of Inpander’s experts and we will explain everything to you.

Author: Inpander

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