The Power of Strategic UGC

Word-of-mouth motivates your customers 92% more than traditional advertising. They turn to social media feeds to find information from family and friends, discovering Instagram, Facebook and TikTok ads along the way.

Your customer’s goal is to discover authentic proof that your product or service will work for them, too. It’s up to you to tailor-make video ads that offer that experience to them, which is easier than you think.

 

UGC Myths

UGC in performance marketing is incredibly influential, but some brands still hesitate to jump on the UGC bandwagon. These are the most common reasons that marketers are afraid to leverage UGC:

• Finding a creator is too complicated
• The ads will appear sloppy or off-brand
• Coordinating with content creators is challenging and expensive

Fortunately, high-quality, affordable UGC is easier than ever to coordinate. This guide will walk you through everything you need to know to create high-converting UGC ads.

 

Simplify UGC from the Start

Explore the similarities between the buying patterns and shopping trends of your current and ideal customers and weave in the data you collected through marketing analysis and competitor research. Then roll it all together to create a fictional shopper or buyer persona that embodies all of these factors.

This customer—the “user” in your UGC—is who you’ve got to connect with. Tailor-make your UGC to appeal to them. Ask yourself,

• What do they want?
• What do they actively avoid?
• And what is your brand hoping to get from your UGC ad campaign?

 

Authenticity or Bust

UGC doesn’t work unless it’s authentic and natural. With new technology and social media platforms, brands can reach a seemingly endless pool of potential customers, all actively engaging with content. These potential consumers, however, didn’t sign into their accounts to become advertising targets. Instead, bombarded with ads, they developed an ad radar to detect overtly promotional or salesy content.

To avoid alienating their target audience, advertisers moved away from traditional ad campaigns on social media platforms towards UGC. But low-quality, spammy UGC sets off alarm bells every time.

59% of consumers say inauthentic advertising annoys them, which means if your brand sets off your customers’ BS alarm, you risk losing a potentially valuable customer.

Recommendations from trusted peers are more valuable. So, the organic UGC you’re creating reflects the relatable personality of your average buyer, making your marketing efforts far less likely to set off their ad radar.

 

Three Reasons Why You Haven’t Created UGC Ads—And What to Do About It

You’re Worried UGC Ads Will Feel Off-Brand

Here are some ways to inject your brand into your UGC TikTok ads:

Pick the right creator

Your content creator should embody your brand. Hire the real-life content creator version of your buyer persona. Having a content creator that is consistent with your brand helps blur the lines between paid and organic content.

Plus, working with a creator matching your brand’s target audience also provides fresh insights about your customer base and empowers you to create UGC ads that drive conversions.

All in all, your UGC gives your customers a glimpse into their future. If they can relate to your creator, they can envision themselves as your future customer.

 

Surround UGC with Branded Elements 

Add an element of brand identity into UGC ads. Try layering text boxes and type treatments with your brand colors or fonts on top of the UGC footage. For more tips, see the next section.

 

Start Small 

Not to over-emphasize, but finding the perfect content creator for your brand will help ease your mind. The quality of your UGC is far more significant than the quantity of UGC you post.

If you’re still feeling hesitant even after your brand-consistent creator makes your fresh UGC content—start small. Add UGC snippets into regular ads and track engagement and conversion data.

 

You’re Afraid Your UGC Will Look Sloppy

Follow these tips to achieve native-style UGC that still feels professional:

Pick Your Platform

UGC best practices differ by social media platform, so great TikTok ads might need a tuneup to perform well on Facebook.

Your social media followers are more likely to buy your product than brands they don’t follow, so studying each platform’s popular UGC can inspire you to create great content that blends in. For more ideas, check out how these popular DTC brands leverage different features across social media platforms.

 

Don’t Overdirect

Hiring the right content creator will virtually eliminate this concern altogether! They’re industry professionals. Rest easy knowing you’ll have high-quality footage for your team to edit.

Although UGC is supposed to be unpolished, good lighting is always appreciated. It’s worth mentioning to your creator that great lighting and clever product placement are important for your brand (many creators like to film during golden hour).

 

Provide a Shot List 

You don’t want to get in the way of the creative process, but if there are specific shots, specific footage, or essential elements you want, including close-ups, demos, unboxings, etc., make a list for your content creator beforehand. Otherwise, let them run with it!

You’ve hired the right creator, so you’ll end up with professional footage.

 

You’re Concerned Your Ad Will Look Out of Place

Incorporate these native elements into your ads to achieve seamless UGC:

Use First-Person Perspective

Your audience wants to know how people like them use your product, and since your content creator fits your buyer persona, they’re the perfect person to share their experience directly.

A great way to create that connection is by using the first-person perspective.  “I” statements are more relatable and help communicate authenticity—without being salesy. The “testimonial” and “how-to” formulas are great examples of first-person in UGC.

While it’s fine to mention, remember it comes naturally to most content creators, so don’t limit their creativity with a script. Your creator is the embodiment of your buyer persona. They’ll be able to relate and identify with their peers—your target audience—more authentically if they can speak freely (see next tip!).

Check out how the best TikTok ads are fun and creative without losing their organic feel.

 

Sound On

A video with sound improves the experience for your audience, whether they are Instagram Reels or TikTok ads. Trending songs, platform-specific sound bites, and voiceovers can add authenticity to your ads, but prioritize clear audio above all else.

 

Use Voiceover

Using voiceovers rather than trending music or audio clips engages your client and makes your UGC feel more relatable. You build trust by using narration to lead your audience through an experiential journey with your product as if they are close friends or are in on a secret.

 

Use This Formula for Winning UGC TikTok Ads

Take the guesswork out of your UGC ads by trying any of the fantastic ad templates available to brands and content creators.

Remember that effective UGC ads typically need the following:

• A great hook– It’s what compels people to stop scrolling and start listening. Ask your creator to film a few hooks—two is fantastic, and 3+ is even better!
• A motivator for finding solutions– Give the audience a moment to relate to the content before jumping into the fix.
• A way out (your brand!)– Introduce your brand’s product or service as the solution to their problem.
• An explanation of the benefits or features of your solution– Describe specific benefits and features.
• An authentic testimonial– Your creator’s voiceover or video (they can provide a few options).
• A CTA– Your audience wants to buy the product. Tell them how to do it!

 

Try this template: 

 

Example:

 

Leave It to the Pros

When your target customers become curious about how a product look in real life, whether they actually work as advertised, and if they are worth their money—they’re logging into their social media apps and looking for recommendations from content creators to find out.

By giving your customers access to this information, you can convert curiosity into purchases and see for yourself the significant ROI that UGC advertising brings.

Primer makes it easy. Discover new creators and get ready-to-launch UGC video ads with Primer. Schedule your consultation today.