Instagram is forged by the power of authentic storytelling. But Instagram has evolved from being a simple past time activity to a more central part of our lifes, which has a direct effect on how we as humans communicate and share content we like.
Mainly through all industries, social media has become a vital part of customer journey from discovery, purchase and post-purchase which is literally expanding consumer life time value. In the past only celebrity endorsement was the main drive of customer purchases, while in recent years more people get influenced by Instagrammers with high followings or friends. In fact, 50% of users see UGC more trustworthy than information from any other media source which removes the barriers of a traditional ad; because the customers are introduced to the brand from a trusted sources (real people). Conclusively this means that brands should consider implementing the usage of UGC in all the customer cycle phases.
Phase one: Exploration – getting your product discovered
Millennials as an example are checking their social medias 5.6 times a week creating a huge potential for brands to inspire them. A unique branded hashtag strategy is inevitable to get discovered. The goal for a branded hashtag is to avoid competition, but it is also relevant, centred enough to get people start a discussion around it and more importantly use it. A recent study shows that 40% of shoppers consult 3 or more channels, often in the progress of shopping, before making a purchase. Additionally 75% of Millennials crave for real content before making a purchase, so a selfie with a product have bigger effect over a traditional product picture. Having UGC implemented on your product page ensures to have one more channel to educate them through a well-trusted source with non-manipulated pictures from real people. In the fashion industry where customers could have the possibility to discover looks that matches their physical appearance and style can really make the difference.
Phase two: Point of Purchase
After successfully influencing the potential buyers, conversion is the next crucial step because of the fact that digitally-influenced consumers tend to buy more and spend more as they have a much better understanding in the product. Instagram can take a large sum of the discovery and influence phase but as users inevitably have to leave the platform it could prevent them for making the purchase. Through Ducksuite’s visual platform customers can look for inspiration by tracking a given hashtag right on the website. Showcasing a UGC feed in different ways like product pages, website, to live events and so forth will increase the time they spent on the page and learn even more about the product. The authenticity of the unique content can be the ultimate key to getting your customers to purchase. The UGC types have various effects on conversion rates. For instance online shoppers who view demo videos are 1.81x more likely to purchase than non-viewers.
Phase three: Post-purchase
After the purchase is done, there is still a potential for brands to leverage of the influence of UGC. As mentioned before endorsing the customers to use the branded hashtag is very important. All across social media channels, stores, webpage, product packaging etc – display your branded hashtag to encourage your customers to share their experiences. Once people use the hashtag, collect the best UGC and showcase the customers and fans content on the web and mobile properties without any form of programing with Ducksuite.