Ivonne Aldaz, Author at TINT Community Powered Marketing, UGC, Influencer Blog Tue, 14 Jan 2025 18:53:41 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://www.tintup.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/cropped-TINT-icon-45x45.png Ivonne Aldaz, Author at TINT 32 32 Relevance of Consumer Preferences in Food & Bev Marketing https://www.tintup.com/blog/relevance-of-consumer-preferences-in-food-bev-marketing/ Wed, 13 Mar 2024 13:14:18 +0000 https://www.tintup.com/blog/?p=15556 In the ever-evolving landscape of consumer choices, understanding the key drivers behind product selection and decision-making is the holy grail for marketers. Nowhere is this more at play than in the seemingly infinite possibilities available to consumers when it comes to Foods and Beverages, where understanding consumers “tastes” can make or break a product. Unlocking [...]

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In the ever-evolving landscape of consumer choices, understanding the key drivers behind product selection and decision-making is the holy grail for marketers. Nowhere is this more at play than in the seemingly infinite possibilities available to consumers when it comes to Foods and Beverages, where understanding consumers “tastes” can make or break a product.

Unlocking the secrets of these preferences when it comes to taste, quality ingredients, brand trust, affordability, and convenience  is not just insightful; it’s the key to winning the hearts and wallets of your target audience. Let’s explore how these attributes shape consumer decisions and discover actionable strategies to leverage these insights in your marketing efforts.

Consumer Preference Factors in Food & Beverage – Tastes Great

First and foremost, flavor isn’t just a sensation on the taste buds; it’s a gateway to consumer loyalty. Flavor preferences are deeply rooted in the interplay between our senses, memories, and emotions. The psychology behind these preferences is a fascinating exploration of the human experience of taste and how it shapes our decision-making process. 

Understanding the personal narrative woven into a consumer’s flavor preferences allows marketers to create products that align with their unique stories, fostering a deeper connection. Whether it’s the comforting warmth of a familiar flavor or the excitement of a new and adventurous taste, the impact on consumer choice is profound. 

Cultural influences can help shape flavors & target diverse consumer segments. Considering that 78% of North American consumers are positive about foods and beverages that have unusual or new flavors, why not introduce limited-edition flavors inspired by various cultures?

Segment your audience and collaborate with foodies and chefs from diverse backgrounds to create a fusion of flavors that target unique segments of your audience, ensuring content that not only promotes these special releases but also becomes a celebration of cultural diversity.

Sixty-eight percent (68%) of marketers believe community-building is important to creating emotional loyalty, so encourage your community to share moments of excitement and curiosity sparked by your bold or new flavors. Evoke emotions through adventurous flavors to stimulate excitement and curiosity. User-generated content featuring taste tests, first impressions, or creative uses of your products can turn each bite into a thrilling adventure, creating a shared emotional experience.

Consumer Preference Factors in Food & Beverage – Made from Highest Quality Ingredients

When it comes to the perception of product quality, the journey involves more than just the tangible elements. Evolving standards demand a deeper exploration into the transparency of sourcing, creating a brand perception that resonates with the values of the discerning consumer.

Make your community part of the sourcing narrative. Share insights into your sourcing decisions, whether it’s selecting ethical suppliers, sustainable practices, or the journey from farm to table. Actively involve your community in your quality assurance process. 

Launch a product sampling campaign that invites your community to experience your flavors firsthand. Encourage users to share their tasting experiences through UGC, capturing the genuine reactions and excitement sparked by your products. This not only offers a sensory exploration but also creates authentic content that showcases the real-time connection between your brand and the taste preferences of your audience. UGC from the sampling campaign becomes a dynamic testimony to the delightful journey your flavors take each consumer on, which you can later repurpose across key marketing channels.

This involvement not only builds trust but also elevates your brand perception by showcasing a collaborative commitment to excellence.

Consumer Preference Factors in Food & Beverage – Brand I Trust

In the intricate dance between consumers and brands, trust emerges as the unshakable foundation upon which lasting relationships are built. In fact, 93% of marketers agree that consumers trust content created by real people rather than content created by brands. 

Brand trust is earned through consistent actions and transparent communication. From delivering on promises to cultivating open lines of communication, these tactics contribute to a brand’s reputation as a reliable and trustworthy partner in the consumer journey. 

Take a customer-centric approach. Actively seek and respond to feedback, then share the authentic stories of your community members. Whether it’s a customer’s cooking breakthrough story or a milestone meal shared with family and friends, these narratives contribute to the authenticity of your brand. Actively engaging with your community’s stories demonstrates that your brand is not just about transactions but about genuine connections.

Pacific Coast Producers, an agricultural cooperative in California specializing in canning fruits and tomatoes for private brands for retailers, restaurants, and schools across the USA, launched the Can Fan Community. “The Can Fan Community is a gateway for consumers to unlock a world of culinary possibilities and discover the gems within their pantry,” said Tami Iverson, Director of Marketing. “The community is our way of inviting everyone to join us in celebrating and promoting the benefits and convenience of canned fruits and tomatoes.” 

Consumer Preference Factors in Food & Beverage – Affordability & Value

According to the USDA, “in 2023, food prices increased by 5.8 percent. Food-at-home prices increased by 5.0 percent, while food-away-from-home prices increased by 7.1 percent.”

The price of a product is more than just a numerical figure; it’s a psychological trigger that guides consumer choices and takes center stage. Understanding the role of pricing in decision-making involves recognizing that consumers perceive value not just in absolute terms but in relation to their expectations. Additionally, over 97% of consumers are motivated to be loyal and purchase more frequently when a brand listens to their opinions and feedback.

To improve the perceived value of your brand: 

  • Create a community of loyal customers through exclusive discounts, early access to sales, or personalized offers. This not only becomes a testament to the benefits of loyalty and repeat purchases but also serves as a powerful marketing tool to attract new members. Fun fact: From our recent study, nearly 82% of community members identify as brand advocates.
  • Signal quality by encouraging your community to share their experiences with your product(s), emphasizing the quality and premium nature. User-generated content featuring testimonials, reviews, and even unboxing experiences is a testament to the perceived value that aligns with price. 
  • Showcase the behind-the-scenes efforts that go into creating your products. Invite your community to share UGC that highlights the meticulous processes, premium ingredients and materials, commitment to sustainability, and attention to detail. This not only educates consumers but also strengthens the association between higher prices and superior quality.

Consumer Preference Factors in Food & Beverage – Convenience & Availability

What good is brand preference if a product is not easy to find and easy to buy? Savvy brands leverage distribution strategies to enhance availability, ensuring their products are readily accessible when and where consumers need them. Tapping into your consumers to gather grocery and Big Box shopping habits and preference data can help make the case for increased distribution and shelf space. For many traditional brands, this also means adopting digital strategies from Direct to Consumer (DTC) brands, creating shoppable experiences on their websites and product pages, innovative delivery methods, and blending digital engagement with in-store experiences.

It’s clear that today’s consumers are discerning and actively engaged in shaping the narratives around the products they choose. For marketers, understanding, embracing, and responding to the evolving nature of consumer preferences is essential to stay relevant in the hyper-competitive food & beverage space – and brands that build and leverage their community of consumers have a decided advantage. 

Did you know 78% of consumers say interacting with a brand’s online community makes that brand more “top of mind” when shopping? Start building your own community and product sampling campaigns today. Request a demo

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Future of Marketing LIVE with Mimi Okojie, Spurs Sports & Entertainment https://www.tintup.com/blog/future-of-marketing-live-with-mimi-okojie-spurs-sports-entertainment/ Thu, 19 Oct 2023 18:06:18 +0000 https://www.tintup.com/blog/?p=15217 In this special edition of Future of Marketing LIVE for SASW, Ivonne Aldaz, Senior Marketing Manager at TINT, sits down with Mimi Okojie, Director of Content Strategy for Spurs Sports & Entertainment. Mimi shares invaluable knowledge and predictions about the ever-evolving landscape of marketing. Covering a wide range of topics from content strategy to personalized [...]

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In this special edition of Future of Marketing LIVE for SASW, Ivonne Aldaz, Senior Marketing Manager at TINT, sits down with Mimi Okojie, Director of Content Strategy for Spurs Sports & Entertainment. Mimi shares invaluable knowledge and predictions about the ever-evolving landscape of marketing.

Covering a wide range of topics from content strategy to personalized journeys, enjoy the conversation while discovering insights to thrive in the ever-evolving marketing arena and build deeper relationships with your audience.

Watch the full episode here:

Want to learn from other marketing leaders like Mimi? Join Future of Marketing

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Marketing Trends and Predictions for 2023 https://www.tintup.com/blog/marketing-trends-and-predictions-for-2023/ Tue, 07 Mar 2023 18:18:47 +0000 https://www.tintup.com/blog/?p=14096 There’s a lot happening in the world of marketing in 2023. Gear up for this year’s marketing trends and predictions! As technology continues to evolve and consumer behavior shifts, marketers will need to stay on their toes to keep up with the latest trends and developments. Here are a few predictions we can expect to [...]

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There’s a lot happening in the world of marketing in 2023. Gear up for this year’s marketing trends and predictions!

As technology continues to evolve and consumer behavior shifts, marketers will need to stay on their toes to keep up with the latest trends and developments.

Here are a few predictions we can expect to see in the world of marketing in 2023 – based on our annual State of User-Generated Content Report.

In 2020, we predicted the rise of UGC. Today, just one scroll through social media shows how accurate that prediction was.

In 2021, we followed up our UGC prediction with a rise in UGC creation and the new roles that would support it. Cue the newest (outsourced) role in content marketing – UGC Creators.

In 2022, we saw that slashed marketing budgets and UGC were coming together to create small yet powerful marketing teams.

In 2023, we’re predicting less static content and more video and audio content, social media as a search engine, and a priority on analyzing content ROI.

(Get free access to our 2023 State of User-Generated Content Report for more statistics and insights into these 7 marketing themes)

Here’s why.

Marketing Trends and Predictions for 2023

Theme #1: More Investments Across Video and Audio

Brands are shifting their social media strategies to keep pace with changing consumer behavior and the increasing demand for engaging content.

Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn are currently the top three platforms that brands are focusing on, but they are planning to ramp up activity on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube to better reach consumers who are expected to spend more time on those platforms. Gen Z is particularly active on TikTok, which may explain why brands are focusing on that platform.

In 2023, 78.51% of marketers plan to invest in video, but only 19.52% feel like they have the necessary resources and teams to create high-quality visual content. This aligns with the platforms that they are planning to increase activity on. 

Consumers also seem to recognize the value of video and audio in branding, with 66.41% believing that brands that use these formats stand out more than those that don’t.

Theme #2: Social Media As A Search Engine

Social media is quickly becoming a go-to source for consumers looking to discover new products, brands, and experiences.

In fact, 75.78% of consumers have used social media to search for or discover these things, with Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube being the most popular platforms for such searches.

Additionally, 68.75% of consumers have made a purchase based on something they saw on social media, highlighting its importance as a discovery and purchasing tool. It’s worth noting that Facebook may be popular among older demographics, which could explain its inclusion in the top three platforms.

Theme #3: Consumers Want More Ratings And Reviews

Ratings and reviews play a crucial role in helping consumers make informed decisions and ultimately convert into buyers.

79.69% of consumers check ratings and reviews before making a purchase, and 75% are aware when they are being advertised to.

Marketers recognize the importance of ratings and reviews in driving conversions, with 69.08% stating that they are crucial to their strategies. However, only 35.75% of marketers regularly incorporate user-generated content (UGC) into their campaigns. As Brayden Cohen, Social Media and Employee Advocacy for Hootsuite explains, “UGC helped us build awareness and credibility for our organization. People trust a company stakeholder, like an employee, way more than they trust a brand.”

By leveraging ratings and reviews, marketers can help consumers feel more confident in their purchasing decisions and ultimately drive conversions.

Theme #4: Stock Photography Is Out (UGC Is In)

People trust authentic, unpaid recommendations from real customers more than any other type of content.

Brands should focus on showcasing real customers and their experiences with the brand, rather than relying on generic stock photography that is commonly seen across the internet.

In terms of trustworthiness, authentic user-generated content (UGC) is the most trusted, followed by content from creators, brand content, influencers, and staged UGC. 

However, marketers still seem to believe that brand content is more trustworthy than UGC, which creates a slight misalignment with consumer preferences. 80.47% of consumers prefer seeing photos of real customers over stock photography, yet 59.87% of marketers still rely on stock video and photography for visual content.

In fact, 57.03% of consumers feel that stock photography should be replaced with diverse images of real customers and teams. This is an area where marketers could improve, as only 23.03% of them always request rights to other people’s content. This leaves a significant portion of marketers at risk of legal issues and brand faux pas.

Theme #5: Too Much Content, So Little Time

Limited resources can make it difficult for marketers to deliver high-quality experiences at a fast pace.

Over 35.53% of budgets remained unchanged, while 35.96% actually decreased. As a result, 60.97% of marketers feel that they don’t have enough resources to produce the amount of content that they need. As Youri Hollier, Director of Digital and Social at Tim Horton’s explains, “so often, there may be one social media manager [or marketer] that’s responsible for content creation, ideation, community management, and reporting in what should be a 40-hour workweek. That’s just too few people for such an important function of a business.”

This isn’t just a volume issue, but it is still a significant challenge. In order to share content at a high frequency with limited budgets and time, marketers need to be strategic and prioritize their efforts.

This might mean focusing on creating high-quality content that can be repurposed or shared across multiple channels, rather than trying to produce a large volume of mediocre content.

Theme #6: Influencers vs. Creators: Which Should You Use?

As the creator economy continues to grow, the terms “influencers” and “creators” have become increasingly interchangeable.

However, there is a clear difference between the two, and marketers and consumers alike recognize this. 53.73% of marketers agree that influencer content converts at a higher rate than brand content, which suggests that trust may not necessarily be correlated with conversions. 72.59% of marketers also agree that there is a distinction between influencers and creators, and 65.6% of consumers believe the same.

It’s important for marketers to understand the differences between these two groups in order to leverage them effectively in their campaigns.

Theme #7: ROI is Expected (But Not Always Straightforward)

Marketing teams could benefit from more effectively measuring the performance of their content across channels.

While 54.17% of marketers believe that their team has the methodology to predict which visual content will convert, only 18.2% always measure the performance of their content. This means that there is room for improvement in this area. The reasons for this may vary, but common barriers might include a lack of resources, time, or knowledge.

By investing in performance measurement and tracking, marketers can gain valuable insights into the effectiveness of their content and make more informed decisions about their strategies.

Stay Ahead of Marketing Trends & Predictions

2023 is shaping up to be an exciting year for marketers, with a range of new trends and developments emerging.

As the creator economy continues to grow, marketers will need to focus on leveraging authentic user-generated content and working with influencers and creators to reach consumers. Video and audio will also play an increasingly important role in branding, and marketers will need to invest in these formats in order to stand out. However, limited resources may be a barrier for some, and marketers will need to be strategic in order to create high-quality content at a fast pace.

By staying on top of evolving marketing trends and predictions – and adapting their strategies accordingly – brands can position their brands for success in the coming year.

See what’s unfolding for marketers inside our 2023 State of User-Generated Content Report.

download the state of social & user-generated content 2023

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6 Content Insights and Analytics Every Professional Marketer Needs to Use https://www.tintup.com/blog/6-content-insights-and-analytics-every-professional-marketer-needs-to-use/ Thu, 12 Jan 2023 20:03:14 +0000 https://www.tintup.com/blog/?p=13863 Just because your content calendar is filled to the brim doesn’t mean your content strategy will get an ROI. In fact, TINT’s 2023 State of Social & User-Generated Content report revealed that 82% of marketers admitted they don’t always measure the performance of their content across marketing channels. Content strategy is more than publishing two [...]

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Just because your content calendar is filled to the brim doesn’t mean your content strategy will get an ROI. In fact, TINT’s 2023 State of Social & User-Generated Content report revealed that 82% of marketers admitted they don’t always measure the performance of their content across marketing channels.

Content strategy is more than publishing two tweets, one LinkedIn post, one Instagram Reel, and one TikTok a day. 

Throwing content to your audience and hoping they like it isn’t a strategy. Ross Simmonds pokes fun while pointing out the truth in his tweet reminding marketers that content calendars aren’t a content marketing strategy.

Insights and analytics are the sidekicks that every content marketing strategy needs if it wants to succeed. In this case, success is defined as a growth in brand awareness, followers, engagement, email subscribers, and customers.

It’s time to round up those sidekicks.

What are Social Content Insights & Analytics?

Without social media content insights and analytics, it’s impossible to have a content strategy. The good news is over 54% of marketers feel like their team has the methodology to know what visual content will convert across marketing channels. 

Brands that don’t measure metrics are acting as newbie creators. They’re putting out content and hoping it works. Instead, they need to focus on figuring out what works best and continuing to optimize it.

A great content marketing strategy is built on insights and analytics.

That’s because these content insights and analytics are one of the many lines of communication you have with your audience and customers. What makes this communication line special is that you get an unbiased look into their behavior.

Unlike sending out a survey and getting the opinions of your audience and customers (which is also valuable), insights and analytics tell you what’s actually going on. Your audience might request a specific type of content in surveys, but not actually consume the content when you publish it.

Insights and analytics tell you what’s working, what’s not working, and where to steer your content marketing strategy.

Insights and analytics both tell stories about your audience and customers. Here’s how to figure out what they’re telling you.

What’s the Difference between Insights and Analytics?

Insights are observational. In the story of your content strategy, they’re setting up the scene. Content insights tell you:

  • The days and times that your audience engages with your content the most
  • How much content your audience and customers are posting about your brand and products
  • The days and times your buyers are posting the most amount of content
  • Your top marketing channels
  • The types of content your audience engages with the most
  • Which devices your buyers primarily use

Analytics are strategic. In the story of your content strategy, they’re playing out the plot. Content analytics tell you:

  • How many people clicked on your CTA this week
  • How much growth you’ve had on your Twitter account
  • How many people created UGC about your latest product after your contest
  • How your engagement funnel is working
  • The monetary value of your content

Insights are essential to setting up your content marketing strategy while analytics are key to ensuring it creates an ROI.

If you’re not measuring both, unfortunately, you have a content calendar, not a content strategy.

Content Insights and Analytics Every Marketer Needs to Know

Content marketing strategies need both insights and analytics to thrive. Without insights, you can’t figure out which analytics to focus your time and money on. Without analytics, you have no idea how well your content is performing.

Make sure you’re keeping track of all of these insights and analytics for a holistic content marketing strategy that generates results.

Content Insights

Content insights are an overview of your content. They set the scene for your content marketing strategy by telling you what’s currently going on. TINT measures insights like total posts ingested and breaks that down into posts ingested per day and time of day.

For companies strategically using the highly engaging and converting power of user-generated content, these metrics are incredibly important. Without these metrics, you won’t know how much content your audience and buyers are producing. By observing what your fans are up to you can figure out where you want to steer your content ship.

If your audience is creating UGC primarily in the mornings, how can you create a UGC campaign around their morning routines? For example, a coffee brand can build a contest asking customers to share their morning coffee routines for a prize of 6-months of free coffee.

Using their content insights, they might also see that their second largest UGC hit comes around 12 pm when people want a little bit more caffeine. This observation tells them that they can create a UGC contest asking buyers to share their afternoon coffee routines as well. 

Their content insights connected them with buyers who also want an afternoon coffee which the brand can add messaging for in their marketing copy. They can take the morning UGC and afternoon UGC collected and share them across their marketing channels at the appropriate time of day. They can run time-specific Facebook ads during the afternoons that share how buyers are excitedly making their second cup of coffee.

Which content insights are crucial in setting the scene for your content marketing strategy?

Content Performance Insights

Content performance insights look at your funnel to see what’s actually happening. They’re the author describing the setting of the story before diving into the logistics of the plot (analytics). TINT’s Engagement Funnel shows you how many impressions your content received, and how that turned into engagement, post-click-throughs, and call-to-action click-throughs.

These insights tell you what’s happening in your content marketing strategy so you can decide where to steer your ship. Do you need to increase your impressions? Or do you have plenty of impressions but your post-click-through rate is really low? Your answers to these questions will determine the analytics that you need to prioritize. 

For example, if your impressions are too low — you’re looking to create content that’s more shareable. If your click-through rate is too low — you’ll want to test out CTAs to figure out what works best for your audience. This is when you start to intellectually enter the analytics part of your content marketing strategy thanks to your content insights.

Content ROI Insights

What if you could predict how much revenue the user-generated content and brand-created content you’re posting would make you? That’d be a pretty sweet deal right? Content Return-on-Investment insights are another part of your story’s scene. They tell you if it’s raining (your estimated value is low) or if it’s a blue, sunny sky (your estimated value is high).

Based on your Content ROI and your margins you can figure out where you need to head from here. Is your Content ROI exactly where it needs to be and do you need to make sure to keep it there? Or is your Content ROI too low that it’s reducing your margins? This is the last of your Content Insights that you’ll need to create a strategic plan to start diving into analytics.

Top Clicked Posts

Top-clicked posts are one of the many analytics you need to keep tabs on in your content marketing strategy. This analysis tells you something really special: what your audience cares the most about. It’s like having your audience personally text you and let you know what they want to see more of. Pretty convenient, huh?

Your goal is to post more content similar to your top-clicked posts. Did your audience love an unboxing video from one of your customers? Did the influencer post you paid for outperform the UGC you collected in your UGC Studio? Was employee-generated content your top-performing post of the week?

Your top-performing post tells you exactly what to create more of. It’s the plot of your content marketing storytelling you what’s going to happen next. Use top-performing posts to ask your audience to create more posts like it through TINT’s Experience Builder (you can create contests, sweepstakes, and more).

Embed Views and Clicks

Video is currently the reigning ruler of the content world. This makes understanding your audience’s behavior with your embedded content a massively important analytic. Knowing which content makes them stick around tells you what to create more of.

Are UGC videos getting more views and clicks? If that’s the case, it’s clear that your content marketing strategy needs more UGC in your content calendar. Better yet, it needs more specific UGC around your current product campaigns. Ask your audience to create content specific to a new product, a buying objection, or an upcoming holiday. 

Automatically have that UGC land in your UGC Studio, ask for rights, and publish it without needing to add manual tasks to your marketing team’s to-do list with TINT.

Engagement Type

Engagement type tells you what type of content your audience engages with the most. It also tells you which device they use most often. Knowing if your audience prefers videos to text or using their computer over mobile tells you what to generate more of.

Is it more beneficial to bring in UGC videos or photos? Does your audience prefer 1080 pixels wide by 1920 pixels videos because they’re primarily using mobile? These questions meet your buyers where they are. They do the work of figuring out what type of content to create so you can focus on asking your audience for it, having employees create EGC, and making brand-created content as necessary.

Don’t Sleep on Insights and Analytics

Without the proper insights and analytics set up, your content marketing strategy will flop. You won’t figure out why a post worked so well and how to replicate the results. Worse, you’ll tire out your audience as you try new content formats and topics that aren’t what they’re looking for.

Your insights and analytics tell you exactly what your audience and buyers are looking for. No guessing and less money wasted on ideas that don’t generate ROIs.

Get access to all of these insights through TINT’s platform. Start your free trial today.

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How to Use Influencers to Create UGC https://www.tintup.com/blog/how-to-use-influencers-to-create-ugc/ Thu, 20 Oct 2022 20:52:54 +0000 https://www.tintup.com/blog/?p=13790 Ninety-three percent of marketers partake in influencer marketing. They’re not only using their ad budget for sponsored posts. With 62% of consumers surveyed saying they’re more likely to click on content like ads, websites, social posts, or emails, that feature customer photos rather than an image created by the brand — sponsored content is just [...]

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Ninety-three percent of marketers partake in influencer marketing.

They’re not only using their ad budget for sponsored posts.

With 62% of consumers surveyed saying they’re more likely to click on content like ads, websites, social posts, or emails, that feature customer photos rather than an image created by the brand — sponsored content is just the tip of the influencer iceberg.

Influencer marketing feeds into your macro marketing strategy by giving you exactly what you need to increase brand awareness and your customer base: User-generated content.

Why Use Influencers?

Photos, videos, reviews, and testimonials are examples of user-generated content. Marketers rave over UGC because it works better than brand-created content. People like connecting more with other people than they do brand logos and stock-like images (remember Instagram circa 2017?).

User-generated content generates results like:

But, brands aren’t always swimming in user-generated content. Your audience and customers need to have the motivation to create UGC. That’s where influencer marketing comes into play. Influencers can motivate their aligned audiences to create UGC for your brand and they can show your customers what type of UGC you’re looking for. 

Once your audience and customers start to make UGC, you can repurpose the high-converting content across your digital and in-person marketing channels.

Worried about people not wanting you to use their content? Think again…

  • 64% of consumers agree that when a brand they like and use re-shares content by customers, they are more likely to share content about the brand or its products.
  • 60% of consumers wish that more brands would tell their fans and customers what type of content they want them to create.
  • 72% of users will accept a brand’s request to use their content, meaning people are excited to participate when brands ask them for rights to repurpose their content.

Create a library of user-generated content with these two influencer strategies.

2 Ways to Use Influencers to Create UGC

Your audience wants their voices represented across your marketing channels. It nurtures the brand relationship while inspiring more customers to make UGC. Brands like Chipotle have dedicated their entire social media feed to user-generated content — that’s how well it works.

Here’s how to kickstart building out your UGC Studio with the help of your audience’s favorite influencers.

Host a Giveaway

Canon filled their UGC Studio with 2,000+ pieces of user-generated content by hosting a giveaway. Giveaways are the ultimate motivation tool to drive UGC. Paired with a catalyst marketing channel, like an influencer, can drive results even further. 

Step 1:

Find an influencer or several influencers in your space to host the giveaway. Your goal isn’t to look for influencers with the most followers, but to find the people with a strong connection to their audience. This means they have high engagement on their posts.

For a quick way to see if you should reach out to ask for an influencer’s media kit, look through their comment section.

→ If comments are meaningful and well-thought-out — consider them for your giveaway.

→ If comments are full of spam and don’t have any real accounts engaging — think twice before spending your ad dollars. 

Step 2: 

Create an aligned giveaway that’s highly motivating to their audience. The best giveaway to garner UGC involves your products and testimonials. Remember: you’re looking to build out your UGC Studio from this giveaway. Ask yourself questions like:

  • What types of campaigns would we want to use this UGC for in the future?
  • Which products do we want to push in the upcoming quarter?
  • What types of UGC are getting the most results right now for us?

Work your way backwards to figure out the right giveaway that aligns with your audience and your goals.

Step 3:

Run your giveaway with clear call-to-actions. This isn’t a time for vagueness. You need to be clear and concise about what you’re looking for from the UGC you’re requesting. Do you want videos? Should they be horizontal or vertical? Do you want photos? Should they include people or just products? Don’t launch your giveaway until you know exactly what type of UGC you’re looking for.

Once you’re all set, use TINT’s Experience Builder to create a giveaway without needing a single line of code. Quickly create a landing page for submissions and immediately have access to your UGC Studio backend that will house the incoming content. You can automatically organize, tag, and keep tabs on everything that comes into your UGC Studio.

Tah-dah! Not only did you just add hundreds to tens of thousands of pieces of user-generated content to your marketing campaigns. You also automated the process of organizing it so your marketing team can easily access the UGC they need within seconds.

Hire a UGC Creator to teach people what type of content you need from your fans

There are several different types of influencers. Influencers aren’t just the people flying first class on Emirates to a beautiful, completely paid for, extravagant vacation. A new type of influencer has recently surfaced: UGC creators.

UGC creators aren’t traditional influencers. They’re not looking to grow million person followings. They’re not actually looking to build any type of following. UGC Creators, like Mindy Thomas are just looking to create strategically staged UGC content for brands.

UGC creators kickstart UGC creation from your customers. By posting content from these creators you’ll show your audience exactly what you’re looking for. Then, your audience will create that type of UGC content and you’ll have a thriving UGC Studio (in no time!).

Step 1:

UGC creators either work as independent contractors or as agencies. It doesn’t necessarily matter which you choose. What you’re really looking for is a UGC creator (or agency) that creates the type of content you’re looking for. To avoid the hassle of having to hire multiple UGC creators to get the right content — make sure you know exactly what you’re looking for.

Grab examples from competitors and other brands that showcase what you want your UGC to look like. Send those samples over to the UGC creator so they’re not creating “in the dark.” Give them as much direction as possible to ensure you get the UGC you need.

Step 2:

Now that you have a few pieces of UGC from your UGC creator, it’s time to test what converts best with your audience. Before you build out your UGC Studio, you want to know you’re building it out with the content that resonates with your customer base. It needs to have customer sentiment and bring the customer’s voice to your channel.

Test out UGC content organically and look for engagement and conversions. You can also test out UGC in paid ads to see what drives the most action. Once you know what type of UGC is working best for your audience — it’s time to show them more of it.

Step 3:

Publish the UGC from your UGC creator to your marketing channels, and even push it into feeds through sponsored posts. Show your audience what UGC garners a spot on your channels. With this content live, you’ll need to set up your UGC Studio to automate the process of finding your customer’s content and bringing it into your digital library. Organize and tag it automatically so your marketing team can hop in and fill out your editorial calendar and campaigns as needed. 

If you want to create even more UGC, pair this strategy with a giveaway (see above).

Influencers Motivate Your Audience to Make UGC

Your audience wishes that you’d tell them what type of UGC to make for your brand. They’d love to see their posts on your feed — but you haven’t told them what to create yet. While Chipotle prioritizes funny and satirical content, Nike looks for aesthetic photos. By sharing UGC each brand shows their audience and customer base what type of content they’re looking for.

As the UGC starts pouring in, they strategically collect it in their UGC Studio to use in the future.

See what your UGC Studio could look like and how 5,000 other brands are garnering results using UGC. Schedule a TINT demo today.

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