In just 16 months, All About Vibe successfully gathered over 800 UGC videos directly from customers by offering store credit instead of traditional incentives like gift cards or cash.
Their Marketing lead, Phil Vilk, explains how you can replicate this success for your own business in just 7 steps:
- Make a helpful page for your video program
- Send a post-purchase email right away
- Update confirmation emails with a reminder
- Create a form for UGC video submissions
- Offer the right incentives
- Set clear criteria for video submissions
- Reflect on the success and refine your approach
Let’s dive in.
Make a helpful page for your video program
On this page, you should first show some examples of the kinds of videos you’re looking for.
This helps people understand what you expect, whether it’s showing off the product, opening the box, or talking about how much they like what they bought.
Here’s what All About Vibe (AAV)’s Stories page looks like:
Then, you need to explain clearly how someone can send you their video.
List the steps they need to follow, like how to record their video, what to include in it, and where to upload it when they’re done.
Here’s how AAV has done it:
Also, think about the questions people might have about making and sending videos.
Answer these questions in a section on the page so everyone feels comfortable and knows what to do.
Send a post-purchase email right away
As soon as someone buys something from you, send them an email that tells them they can earn store credit by making a video about their purchase.
Here’s how to make this email really work:
- Send the email the same day they confirm their order. This way, the idea of making a video is fresh in their minds even before the product arrives.
- Explain that they can get store credit for sharing their honest thoughts in a video. Make sure they understand this is a way to get more value from their purchase.
- Put a link to the information page you made about the video program in the email. This way, they can easily find all the details they need to start planning their video.
This way, by the time they get your product, they might already be thinking about making a video.
This increases the chances they’ll actually do it, which means more videos for you.
People forget things easily, so it’s a good idea to remind them about the video program a few times.
You can send follow-up emails or mention it again when you tell them their order is on its way.
Here’s an example of such an email:
Subject: Share your thoughts, earn credit!
Hi [name],
Thanks for buying [product]! Want to earn up to $250 store credit? Just share a video of you using your new purchase.
Here’s how:
- Record a video: Show us how you use [product].
- Submit it: Use the link below to send us your video.
Check out more info here: [Link to UGC video program page].
We can’t wait to see your video!
Best,
[your name]
[your company]
P.S. We’ll send a few reminders to help you out!
Update confirmation emails with a reminder
Another smart move is to tweak the confirmation emails that Shopify sends out, like the one that confirms an order or the one that says a shipment is on its way.
Here’s how:
- Add a catchy message: In these emails, include a reminder that says something like, “Don’t forget! You can earn store credit by sharing your feedback on your purchase.” This keeps the video program on top of their mind.
- Make it stand out: You want this message to catch their eye among all the other information in the email. So, think about using bold text or a different color to make sure it doesn’t get missed.
- Link to more info: Just like in the post-purchase email, include a link back to the info page about your video program. If they’re interested, they can click through to learn more about how it works and what they need to do.
Using every opportunity to remind your customers about the chance to earn store credit is a simple way to get more UGC videos.
Create a form for UGC video submissions
Making it easy for customers to send in their videos is key.
You need a form that collects their videos and some other important information.
Here’s what to include:
- Photo/video upload field: This is where they’ll upload their video. Make sure it’s easy to use and can handle the file sizes you expect.
- Questions about their experience: Ask them why they bought the product, how it has impacted them, and if they would recommend it. These questions should be open-ended to let them share their story. Here’s another example from AAV:
- Contact information: Get their name and email so you can follow up and give them their store credit.
- Terms and conditions: Include a section they can scroll through that explains how you’ll use their video. This part is really important because it gives you the right to share their video in your marketing.
Design this form to be user-friendly and straightforward.
The easier it is to fill out, the more likely customers will complete it and send in their videos.
Offer the right incentives
Offering store credit is more appealing for both you and the customer. It lets you keep the spending within your store.
For example, $100 in store credit might cost you less than giving out cash but feels more valuable to the customer than a $20 Amazon gift card.
Here’s how to go about it:
Set clear criteria and rewards
Tell your customers exactly what they can earn and what they need to do.
For instance, you might offer up to $250 in store credit if their video meets all your criteria like clear resolution, showing the product being used, and sharing a genuine story.
Make these guidelines clear to encourage quality submissions.
Explain the benefits
Make sure customers understand that by participating, they not only get store credit but also contribute to a community of users sharing honest feedback.
This can motivate them to put more effort into their videos, knowing they’re helping others make informed decisions.
This approach not only helps you collect valuable video content but also strengthens customer loyalty.
Set clear criteria for video submissions
To make sure you get high-quality videos from your customers, you need to tell them exactly what you’re looking for.
Here’s how to set and communicate these criteria:
- Video clarity: Make it clear that the video should have good resolution. Blurry or low-quality videos might not be as effective for your purposes.
- Product presentation: Ask them to take the product out of its packaging on camera. This adds an unboxing element that viewers enjoy.
- Genuine reaction: Encourage customers to share their real reactions and thoughts about the product. Authenticity is key.
- Storytelling: Request a brief story or explanation of why they bought the product and its impact. More than just a few words, this adds depth to their testimonial.
- Length of the video: Specify that the video should be longer than 30 seconds to ensure you get enough detail.
- Age consideration: Make sure there are no children under 16 years old featured in the video to comply with privacy laws and regulations.
- Unboxing aspect: Mention that videos showcasing the unboxing process are highly valued. It gives viewers a sense of discovery.
By setting these guidelines, you help customers feel more confident about what to submit, increasing the likelihood they’ll participate.
Reflect on the success and refine your approach
Over time evaluate the effectiveness of your UGC video program. Here’s what you should focus on:
Analyze the video quality and engagement
Look at the videos you’ve received and see how well they align with your criteria.
Are they clear? Do they show the product well?
Most importantly, check if these videos are engaging your audience and leading to more sales or website visits.
Consider customer feedback
Pay attention to what customers are saying about the process.
Is it easy for them to submit their videos? Do they find the incentive of store credit appealing?
This feedback helps make your program even better.
Adjust based on performance
If you notice that certain types of videos perform better in your ads or on social media, adjust your criteria to encourage more of these submissions.
Similarly, if customers suggest improvements to the submission process, implement these changes to increase participation.
Repeat the cycle
Success in content marketing, especially with a user generated content program like this, comes from continuously refining your approach.
Take what you learn from each round of submissions to tweak and improve your program.
Why this UGC video strategy works better
Asking your customers to make videos can be better than paying influencers to talk about your products.
Here’s why:
Real feel
Videos from your customers showing how they really use and like your product can seem more real and honest to people watching.
This can make them trust your product more than if a famous person just says they like it because they got paid.
Saves money
Paying creators or influencers can be costly. When you give your customers store credit for their videos, you save money.
Plus, they’ll likely use that credit to buy more from you, so it’s a win-win.
Lots of different views
Your customers can show many ways to use your product that you or a micro influencer might not think of.
This can make your product interesting to more people.
More reach
When people see someone like them using a product, they might want to learn more or even buy it.
This can be more effective than just seeing a famous person with it.
Collect better UGC videos
Collecting videos from your customers by offering them store credit isn’t only about saving money but also about creating a real connection with your audience.
When customers share their honest experiences, it makes your product more appealing to others.
This approach can help you get lots of useful videos without spending a lot on ads or influencers.
Plus, it encourages your customers to keep coming back.
Try this method and see how it can make your marketing more genuine and effective.