Ways to use UGC in Your Facebook Group
Struggling to think of ways to grow your online community? Well, user-generated content is the way to go to not only increase membership, but to establish trust and value within your Facebook Group.
What is User-Generated Content?
Content that is created and shared by members in the group and in the form of photos, videos, testimonials, or reviews. An example will include a Facebook group dedicated for new moms and one member shares a hack she learned about teething. This kind of content is simple to make and impactful for a group by providing its members with useful advice.
Topics
Facebook recently created a new feature for it groups to use hashtags as topics that relate to the post. You simply add a keyword or phrase as a hashtag, or even use suggested ones that Facebook thinks goes with post. The purpose of the feature was to help administrators organize group content, make it easier for members to find specific topics, and to reduce spam. I think this is one way user-generated content can be created by having specific sections for each topic. For example, a Facebook Group that specializes in credit repair, can have a variety of topics including collections, late payments, or credit utilization that can help members with their specific needs.
Q&A Sessions
Another feature Facebook has created to boost community engagement within groups is a Q&A. It allows you to lead real-time question and answer sessions with members in the group. This shows members how involved administrators and other members are and can get them more comfortable with engaging and posting their own UGC. For example, a Facebook Group made to share keto-friendly recipes hosts a Q&A, having their members conversate about the hardest part they are facing about being keto. The group answers by giving them motivating advice and hacks to help keep them going in their ketogenic journey.
Live Streams
The last feature and way Facebook groups can use UGC is through livestreaming. Facebook Live is a feature that is grown in popularity because it grants real-time engagement with members by establishing a deeper connection. For example, a skin care Facebook group could live stream with members while performing a nighttime skin care routine showing the current products they use. Members could then purchase those same products and share photos and reviews on how the products worked on them.
As you can see, UGC is useful to grow Facebook groups by embracing authenticity and building trust within the community. Topics can help organize and aid members to find exactly what they are looking for out of the group and encourage them to expand on it. Hosting Q&A sessions can start conversations and establish relationships for members in the community. Livestreaming builds those deeper connections through real-time engagement and making members more comfortable with sharing content. I think user-generated content adds value to a group and could potentially be the key to a successful and thriving community.
References:
Beveridge, C. (2022, January 13). What is user-generated content? and why is it important? Social Media Marketing & Management Dashboard. Retrieved April 17, 2022, from https://blog.hootsuite.com/user-generated-content-ugc/#User-generated_content_tools
Gonzalez, N. (2020, December 6). Using UGC in Facebook groups. Medium. Retrieved April 17, 2022, from https://nagonzalez383.medium.com/using-usg-in-facebook-groups-27502e16147d
