How can brands make use of User-Generated Content?
Content is everywhere on social media and fans certainly know how to have their say when it comes to sport. Be it a comment during a match, or showing words of encouragement towards their favourite driver or team. But how can sports companies and brands make use of the content that is readily available online?
In the past few months, I’ve been testing a number of UGC platforms for one of our clients who wanted to display fan content on their screens during an event…
AND WOW!
The possibilities to showcase user-generated content are endless and so diverse. The content can be shown in so many different ways from so many different angles and it’s no surprise that brands get confused about the direction to take it. But the fact of the matter is, brands can do so much with UGC.
Feeds
The power in this case is given to the users, who create content. The UGC platforms then have the option to pull them in by using specific feeds such as accounts, hashtags or keywords for example. It is fundamental to choose precise words that relate to the business, team or brand in order to pull in as much relevant content as possible.
Moderation
With all this content being pulled in, moderation is KEY as this avoids having any unwanted comments or images displayed. You can set up a number of filters on content, but there are always instances when inappropriate content could be displayed. However, brands can have the option for auto moderation and in this case, the content pulled in needs to be from recognised and known sources.
Themes
My favourite part has to be theme section, where the content comes to life. The grid theme is the typical one that most go for, but I must say the Gem theme is unique in the way it displays the content, and the comments and images seem to move in a Mexican Wave. Here, content can be shown simultaneously or one by one. Some themes also focus on just images, while other tend to go for text posts. Ultimately, the styles are all extremely customisable depending on the look and feel you are aiming for.
Display
UGC platforms display content in two ways; either on a screen via a URL, or on a website via an HTML code. Both have similar functionalities but tend to vary in the final result. This content can be shown on a tiny website to the biggest screen imaginable. It’s a great way to attract customers, other brands, and showcase all that your company does. Call-to-action buttons can also be implemented if the UGC content is on a website or mobile.
Stronger Community
All in all, user-generated content massively complements a brand and is definitely a valuable asset when displayed and curated in the right way. If fans see that the brand appreciates the comments being sent in, they will only respect it further, which ultimately builds a relationship between the fan, the sport and the team itself.
