User generated content gets people involved with your brand.  When they participate, they are more likely to have a vested interest in the outcome. When they share their experiences in their own words, it gives your marketing a level of authenticity which resonates with other prospective customers.

This topic was the subject of Lorraine’s presentation at Mixwest.  You can find more information and a copy of her slide deck here 

Highlights

• Your audience knows the kind of content they want- encourage them to create by asking questions and posing problems to solve
• Trust in customer reviews. Your audience will say whether they like you or not, regardless of your involvement. Highlight the good parts!
• Respond to feedback, both positive and negative. Be timely and reasonable
• Start a contest and ask for audience involvement. Offer unique incentives to get your customers excited about participating

For more on this topic, check out the following resources

• 10 Great Examples of  User Generated Campaigns
• 70 Shareable User Generated Statistics