Maximizing Your TikTok Marketing Campaign with User-Generated Content

User-generated content (UGC) has become an efficient tool for marketers across social media platforms, specifically TikTok. With its unique algorithm and highly engaged user base, TikTok offers unparalleled opportunities for businesses to leverage UGC in their marketing campaigns.

One of the biggest advantages of UGC on TikTok is its ability to generate authentic, relatable content that resonates with users. This is particularly significant in an age where consumers are increasingly sceptical of traditional advertising methods. By incorporating UGC into their TikTok marketing campaigns, businesses can create content that feels less like an advertisement and more like an organic, user-generated experience.

In this article, we'll explore some of the unique opportunities and challenges associated with leveraging UGC on TikTok and how to best take advantage of this powerful platform.

5 Strategies for Encouraging User-Generated Content

The key to successful UGC campaigns on TikTok is to create content that encourages users to participate. Here are some wholesome tips to help you do just that:

Create a Branded Video Filter

TikTok users can choose from hundreds of filters, but some are more popular than others and have become iconic to the platform. The brand can do the same thing by creating its own branded video filter that users can select when they're creating their own content.

To create a branded video filter, businesses can work with a graphic designer to create a custom filter that aligns with their brand's visual identity. Once the filter has been created, businesses can then submit it to TikTok for review. If approved, the filter will be added to TikTok's library of filters, making it available to all users.

The filter could feature the brand's logo, colours, or messaging, or it could be something more abstract that still captures the brand's essence. It's also crucial to keep in mind the platform's guidelines and design specifications. Filters must meet certain requirements, such as size and format, and cannot include copyrighted material or offensive content.

Offer free merchandise

Offering free merchandise is a tried-and-true way to incentivize users to create content around your brand on TikTok.This could be anything from stickers to T-shirts and hats—anything that can be printed with your logo or messaging.

The giveaway could be run in conjunction with a giveaway or contest, or it could simply be a way to spread the word about your brand and encourage users to create a TikTok video.

Run a Contest

The more specific and complex the challenge, the more likely it will attract people who wouldn't normally be drawn to your brand. Try to create a unique, fun, and relevant challenge to your brand.

For example, if you run an apparel company, you could organize a design contest where participants submit a video creating their own artwork using different types of printing like screen printing, digital printing, and sublimation printing. This would not only showcase the creativity of your audience but also highlight the versatility of your printing capabilities.

An athletic apparel brand could ask people to submit videos showing how they use the product in their everyday lives, and perhaps offer TikTok shop discount codes for those who get the most likes.

Create unique sounds and hashtags

If you're looking for inspiration, check out TikTok's trending page or search for a hashtag related to your brand. You'll find that TikTok users are constantly creating new sounds and hashtags to go along with their videos.

And while some of these can be a bit silly, they're definitely worth trying out for your own campaign. For example, if you're looking to create a video that features an athlete talking about how he uses your product in his everyday life, why not try adding some sound effects or music from the game into the background?

Or suppose you have a brand ambassador who loves singing and would like to record a cover of their favourite song using your product as a prop. Why not ask them to film themselves doing so and use it as inspiration for a contest where people submit videos of themselves performing or lipsyncing?

Ask for feedback

If you have a loyal customer base, go ahead and ask them to post videos of themselves using your product. It can be as simple as persuading them to talk about what they like most about your brand or why they decided to purchase it in the first place; however, if you're looking for more detailed feedback, consider asking people what their favourite features are or which aspects of the product could use some improvement.

Check out some of the best tips to leverage this strategy:

1. Be specific: Be clear about what you want users to include in their videos. Provide prompts or questions to guide their responses and clarify what kind of feedback you're looking for.
2. Keep it simple: Don't make the process too complicated for users. Provide simple instructions for recording and sharing their videos, and make it easy for them to submit their content.
3. Engage with the content: When users create videos, engage with their content by commenting or sharing their videos. This can help cultivate a sense of community around your brand and encourage more users to participate.

Measuring the Success of Your TikTok UGC Campaign

As with any marketing campaign, it's imperative to track and measure the success of your TikTok UGC campaigns. This can help you determine what worked, what didn't and how to improve your campaigns in the future. Here are some ways to measure your TikTok UGC campaign:

Views: The number of views your UGC campaign receives is an important metric to track the overall success of your campaign.

Engagement: Tracking engagement metrics such as likes, comments, and shares can help determine how well your content resonates with your audience.

Follower growth: Tracking follower growth during your UGC campaign can help determine if your content drives new followers to your TikTok account.

Hashtag usage: Tracking your campaign hashtag usage can help determine your campaign's reach and engagement.

Reach: Reach measures the number of unique users who have seen your content. It can be an effective way to measure the campaign's impact.

Impressions: This measures the number of times your content has been viewed. This metric can provide insight into how well your content is performing.

Completion rate: The completion rate metric measures the percentage of viewers who watched your entire video. A higher completion rate indicates higher engagement and interest in your content.

Click-through rate (CTR): CTR measures the number of users who clicked on a link or took some other desired action after seeing your content. It can help determine the effectiveness of your campaign in driving conversions.

UGC submissions: The number of UGC submissions directly measures the campaign's success in encouraging user participation.

User retention: This metric tracks the percentage of users who continue to engage with your content after participating in your UGC campaign. High retention rates indicate that your campaign has successfully engaged and retained its audience.

The above metrics are just a few examples of how to measure the effectiveness of your campaign. The most important thing is to set clear goals and then track how well you're meeting them.

Summing It Up

TikTok is a unique platform that offers both fun and business value. While fun will remain its primary draw as it becomes more ubiquitous with older demographics, TikTok's ability to expand business reach should not be overlooked. Do all that you can to spread your content, and you should see your results grow quickly.

The most important thing to remember when encouraging UGC on your TikTok videos is that the content must match the goals that you want to achieve. There's no point in generating UGC if it doesn't align with your brand and isn't relevant, so make sure you have a solid understanding of where you want your online presence to go before you get started.