Do you ever wonder if consumers are tired of hearing you talk about yourself? Advertising and marketing really puts brands on a razor’s edge of publicity and self-absorption. It’s hard to extoll your many virtues anymore, simply because so many other brands are doing the same. Who should buyers believe?
In 2016, you can change the game. What do you think consumers would do if, instead of you proclaiming your brand’s superiority, other buyers started chattering about you? If you think those consumers might be more interested in what your brand is doing, then you’re right. Do you know why?
Build Some Social Proof
You already know how important social proof is. That’s why your heart does a little happy dance when people talk about your brand on social media. Unsolicited praise—which leads to brand recognition—is the most powerful form of marketing you can hope for.
What if you could recreate that phenomenon on your own, without making up your own fake reviews or putting together a publicity hoax? What if you could ensure that customers would keep talking about you and showing your brand in a positive light well after their purchases are made?
That’s the kind of social proof you really need, the proof that keeps going. Proof that’s accessible to anyone searching for your company. Now, how can you get it?
Welcome User Reviews
It’s time to take some control of the user-generated content that reaches consumers. You’ve got a few different options available, starting with user reviews. Do you include testimonials and reviews on your business website? If not, you’re not controlling the story. Instead, a third-party site like Yelp or Angie’s List holds all the power. If you could take that power, wouldn’t you?
We’ve all seen the power of the review on mega-ecommerce site Amazon. Other sites have followed suit, with ModCloth, WayFair, and Old Navy leading the charge. You may think that only the larger companies with massive web development budgets could make this a reality, but you’d be wrong. Check out Yotpo and learn how you could incorporate reviews on your own website, no matter how large or small your brand and budget.
The important thing to remember when opening your website to user reviews is that negative reviews will happen. If you try to boost your image with fake positive reviews or by deleting negative comments, your appearance won’t be genuine. If you want user-generated content to work for you, you have to make sure you’re including all users.
Share Users’ Content
Do your customers ever send photos of your products in use? Do they show you your brand out and about in the real world? If so, you should be sharing those on your website. What if you could break down the barrier and let users share those on your website without waiting for your approval? For instance, you could incorporate a hashtag for Twitter and Instagram that automatically feeds to your brand’s website. Several companies offer this plug-in for various website platforms, with one of the most popular being Livefyre. If users know you’re not censoring, they might be more likely to share more often.
Of course, the point of user-generated content is to boost your brand. If you notice that irrelevant or inappropriate images are shared and attached to your brand, there’s nothing wrong with deleting those. Your buyers will understand that you’re protecting them as much as you’re protecting yourself.
Host Contests
Now, what happens if you have a little trouble getting the user-generated content vehicle moving? There are ways to jump-start some sharing, but you have to be ready to give something up in return. The best way to get the attention of your biggest fans is to offer a prize. Maybe that’s a gift card or some free products, or maybe you let them choose their prizes. If the end result is a bigger collection of user-generated content from which to choose, then everyone’s a winner.
If you’re providing prizes, you should ask for something a little bigger than a snapshot. Remember that videos get great responses from consumers, and perhaps you can build a contest around that. Remember Doritos’ massive success with fan-created commercials during the Super Bowl a few years ago? Maybe you can’t pull together something on that level—after all, Super Bowl ads cost millions of dollars—but you can use their plan as a blueprint for your business.
You’ve got the ideas now to change up your marketing plans for 2016, so now you just need a little creativity and the gumption to put things in motion. If we can help you in any way, feel free to reach out. We want to see your marketing soar in the New Year.
