User generated content by Matt Ottewill (March 2014)

Good user generated content is gold dust. Many business and artists (such as musicians) owe their success to a vocal and loving base of customers and followers. Creating a groundswell is not usually something a business or artist can orchestrate, but they can facilitate it by ensuring customers and fans have ample opportunity to share their enthusiasm.

Ways to encourage user generated content

Examples include ..

  • enabling comments in your blog
  • adding a forum to your website
  • adding like, follow, and subscribe buttons to your website
  • making it easy for fans to share content with share buttons
  • encouraging testimonials
  • implementing a reviews systems, such as that offered by Google ad their Google+ and Google business services, and which integrate with AdWord campaigns
  • allowing comments and posts on your social media and video channels
  • engaging with customers and fans via social media, blogs and email

When it comes to customer relationship management and building a community and audience, social media works well. It’s not the most time effective way to create a customer user base, but it will strengthen an existing one. If you have fans who are evangelising you and your products, you are in a very good place. Praise, thank them and look after them.