# UGC Strategy — Solicitation & Management

## UGC Solicitation Playbooks

### Hashtag Campaigns
A branded hashtag campaign encourages customers and followers to create and share content using a specific hashtag, building a community-driven content library.

**Launch checklist:**
- [ ] Create a unique, memorable branded hashtag (check availability across platforms)
- [ ] Keep the hashtag short (under 20 characters), easy to spell, and unambiguous
- [ ] Seed the hashtag with 10–15 pieces of brand or influencer content before public launch
- [ ] Promote the hashtag in bio, packaging, email, in-store signage, and ads
- [ ] Define what kind of content you want (use visual examples)
- [ ] Feature top submissions on brand channels to incentivize participation
- [ ] Monitor the hashtag daily for quality content and inappropriate use

**Hashtag campaign types:**
| Type | Description | Example |
|------|-------------|---------|
| **Lifestyle** | Show the product in everyday life | #ShotOniPhone |
| **Challenge** | Complete a specific task or transformation | #10YearChallenge |
| **Testimonial** | Share a personal story or result | #MyFitnessJourney |
| **Creative** | Artistic interpretation or remix of brand theme | #AdobeCreativeChallenge |
| **Community** | Unite around shared identity or values | #ShareACoke |

### Contests & Giveaways
| Element | Best Practice |
|---------|--------------|
| **Entry mechanic** | Post content with hashtag + tag brand; keep barrier low |
| **Prize** | Must be desirable and relevant to your audience (not generic gift cards) |
| **Rules** | Post official rules; comply with platform and local sweepstakes laws |
| **Duration** | 7–14 days optimal; shorter creates urgency, longer generates more entries |
| **Judging** | Define criteria upfront (creativity, relevance, quality); consider public voting |
| **Winner announcement** | Public announcement builds community; share winning content widely |
| **Legal** | Include "No purchase necessary" where required; age restrictions; void where prohibited |

### Review Solicitation
- **Post-purchase email**: Send 7–14 days after delivery asking for photo/video review
- **Incentivize with value**: Discount on next purchase, loyalty points, or featured placement
- **Make it easy**: Provide a direct upload link; reduce friction to one or two clicks
- **Prompt specificity**: Ask directed questions ("Show us how you style it" vs. "Leave a review")
- **Follow up**: One reminder at 21 days; do not over-solicit

### Social Media Challenges
| Component | Details |
|-----------|---------|
| **Challenge mechanic** | Simple, replicable action anyone can do (dance, transformation, before/after) |
| **Participation barrier** | Low — should take under 5 minutes to create |
| **Virality hook** | Nomination/tag mechanic ("I challenge @friend to try this") |
| **Trend alignment** | Launch during cultural moments or trending formats for amplification |
| **Influencer seeding** | Commission 5–10 creators to launch the challenge simultaneously |
| **Brand participation** | Brand account should participate — lead by example |

---

## Rights Management Framework

### UGC Rights Tiers

| Rights Level | What You Can Do | How to Obtain |
|-------------|----------------|---------------|
| **Implied consent** | Repost on same platform with credit | User-submitted via branded hashtag (weak legal standing) |
| **Explicit consent (DM)** | Repost on owned social channels with credit | Send DM requesting permission; screenshot confirmation |
| **Written release (standard)** | Use across owned social, website, email, and in-store | Rights release form signed by creator |
| **Written release (commercial)** | Use in paid advertising, billboards, packaging, broadcast | Commercial use agreement with compensation |
| **Full buyout** | Unlimited use across all media in perpetuity | Full commercial license with compensation |

### Rights Request Template (DM/Email)
> Hi [Name],
>
> We love your post about [product/topic]! We'd love to share it with our community. Would you be willing to grant us permission to repost your content on our [social channels / website / ads]? We'll credit you as the creator.
>
> If you're interested, please reply "Yes" or sign our brief content release form here: [link].
>
> Thanks for being part of our community!

### Rights Documentation Checklist
- [ ] Obtain explicit written consent before any use beyond organic reposting
- [ ] Store all rights agreements in a centralized content rights database
- [ ] Track expiration dates on time-limited licenses
- [ ] Record the scope of rights granted (platforms, channels, duration, territories)
- [ ] Document the creator's preferred attribution format
- [ ] Flag content involving minors for enhanced parental consent requirements

---

## UGC-to-Ad Pipeline

### Phase 1: Selection
| Selection Criteria | Weight | Notes |
|-------------------|--------|-------|
| Visual quality | 25% | Is the content clear, well-lit, and visually appealing at ad resolution? |
| Authenticity | 25% | Does it feel genuinely created by a real customer? |
| Storytelling | 20% | Does it communicate a compelling narrative about the product? |
| Brand alignment | 15% | Does the content match brand aesthetics and values? |
| Performance signals | 15% | Did the organic post generate strong engagement? |

### Phase 2: Editing for Ads
| Edit Type | Purpose | Guidelines |
|-----------|---------|------------|
| **Trimming** | Shorten to 15–30 seconds for ad placements | Keep the strongest hook; front-load the product reveal |
| **Captioning** | Add burned-in captions for sound-off viewing | Match brand font or use clean sans-serif; high contrast |
| **Branding** | Add logo, URL, or CTA overlay | Subtle end card or lower-third; do not overpower the UGC feel |
| **Audio** | Add background music or enhance voiceover | Licensed music only; keep original audio if high quality |
| **Aspect ratio** | Adapt for different placements (9:16, 1:1, 16:9) | Crop carefully to maintain visual focus |
| **CTA card** | Add end card with clear call to action | "Shop now," "Learn more," "Use code [X]" with product image |

### Phase 3: Running UGC as Paid Ads
| Ad Format | Platform | Best Practices |
|-----------|----------|----------------|
| **Spark Ads** | TikTok | Run creator's organic post as an ad from their account; highest authenticity |
| **Whitelisted ads** | Instagram/Facebook | Run ads from creator's handle via Branded Content Ads; combines UGC trust with brand targeting |
| **Dark posts** | Meta, TikTok | Run UGC as ads from brand's account; no organic post required |
| **Testimonial ads** | All platforms | Compile multiple UGC clips into a testimonial montage |
| **Before/after ads** | Meta, YouTube | UGC transformation content performs strongly for conversion campaigns |

### UGC Ad Performance Benchmarks
| Metric | UGC Ads (avg.) | Branded Ads (avg.) | UGC Advantage |
|--------|---------------|-------------------|---------------|
| CTR | 2.5% – 5.0% | 1.0% – 2.5% | +73% average |
| CPA | 30% – 50% lower | Baseline | Significant cost efficiency |
| Engagement rate | 3x – 5x higher | Baseline | Authenticity drives interaction |
| Ad recall | +20% – 35% lift | Baseline | Memorable and trustworthy |
| Thumb-stop rate | 40% – 60% higher | Baseline | Organic feel disrupts scroll patterns |

---

## Curation Best Practices

### Content Quality Tiers
| Tier | Quality Level | Use Case |
|------|-------------|----------|
| **Tier 1 — Hero** | Exceptional quality; could run as a standalone ad | Paid amplification, website hero, launch campaign |
| **Tier 2 — Feature** | High quality; strong storytelling or visual appeal | Social repost, email feature, product page |
| **Tier 3 — Community** | Good quality; authentic but rough around the edges | Community highlights, story reposts, social proof |
| **Tier 4 — Archive** | Usable for data/insight but not for public republication | Sentiment analysis, product feedback, internal reference |

### Curation Workflow
1. **Monitor**: Track branded hashtags, mentions, and tags daily using social listening tools
2. **Save**: Bookmark or download content that meets minimum quality threshold
3. **Categorize**: Sort by product, campaign, content type, quality tier, and rights status
4. **Request rights**: Contact creator for permission before any use beyond personal save
5. **Tag and store**: Upload to UGC library (Dash Hudson, Later, Pixlee, TINT, or internal DAM)
6. **Activate**: Deploy to appropriate channels based on quality tier and rights status

---

## UGC Across Different Platforms

| Platform | UGC Format | Solicitation Method | Amplification Strategy |
|----------|-----------|--------------------|-----------------------|
| **Instagram** | Photos, Reels, Stories, carousels | Hashtag campaigns, story mentions, collab posts | Repost to feed/stories; run as Branded Content Ads |
| **TikTok** | Short-form video, duets, stitches | Challenges, sounds, hashtag campaigns | Spark Ads; duet/stitch from brand account |
| **YouTube** | Reviews, unboxings, tutorials | Product seeding, affiliate programs | Feature in brand compilations; run as YouTube ads |
| **Twitter/X** | Text + photo/video tweets | Quote tweet prompts, hashtag campaigns | Retweet; embed in blog or email |
| **LinkedIn** | Professional testimonials, case studies | Employee advocacy, customer spotlights | Comment and reshare from company page |
| **Pinterest** | Product photos, lifestyle pins | Create brand boards featuring UGC; Idea Pins | Promote as Paid Pins |
| **Amazon** | Photo/video reviews | Post-purchase email prompts, Vine program | Cannot amplify externally; impacts product listing conversion |

---

## Incentive Structures

| Incentive Type | Description | Pros | Cons |
|----------------|-------------|------|------|
| **No incentive** | Purely organic sharing | Most authentic; no cost | Low volume; unpredictable quality |
| **Social recognition** | Feature on brand channels with credit | Free; encourages participation | Limited appeal for larger creators |
| **Discount code** | % off next purchase for submitting content | Drives repeat purchase; low cost | Attracts deal-seekers; may not drive quality |
| **Loyalty points** | Points in rewards program for UGC submission | Integrates with existing program | Only works if loyalty program exists |
| **Product gifting** | Free product in exchange for content | Good quality content; builds relationships | Cost of goods; no guarantee of content |
| **Cash payment** | Fixed fee per piece of approved UGC | Predictable volume and quality | Changes dynamic from organic to transactional |
| **Contest prizes** | Entry to win a prize for submitting UGC | Generates volume; creates excitement | Legal complexity; may attract low-quality entries |
| **Affiliate commission** | Ongoing commission on sales from their UGC | Self-sustaining; aligns incentives | Requires tracking infrastructure |

---

## Legal Considerations

### Rights & Attribution
- Always obtain explicit permission before repurposing UGC, especially for commercial use
- Credit the original creator unless they explicitly waive attribution
- Maintain a rights management database with consent records, scope, and expiration
- Re-confirm rights if you want to expand usage beyond originally agreed scope

### Content Involving Minors
- **Parental consent required**: Written consent from parent or legal guardian before using any content featuring a minor (under 18)
- **COPPA compliance**: If soliciting content from children under 13, full COPPA requirements apply
- **Platform terms**: Most platforms require users to be 13+; do not encourage content from underage users
- **Enhanced review**: All UGC featuring minors should go through legal review before publication

### Intellectual Property Considerations
- UGC creators retain copyright unless explicitly assigned
- A license to use is not the same as ownership — define scope clearly
- If UGC incorporates third-party IP (music, trademarks, other people's likeness), additional clearances may be needed
- Indemnification clauses in rights agreements should address third-party IP claims

### Platform Terms of Service
- Each platform has specific terms governing branded content, contests, and commercial use
- Instagram: Must use Branded Content tools for paid partnerships
- TikTok: Spark Ads require creator authorization
- YouTube: Community Guidelines apply to all content, including reposted UGC
- Review platform TOS quarterly for updates that affect UGC programs

---

## UGC Measurement Framework

### Quantitative Metrics
| Metric | Definition | Benchmark |
|--------|-----------|-----------|
| **UGC volume** | Total pieces of UGC created per period | Track month-over-month growth |
| **Participation rate** | UGC creators / Total customers or followers | 1%–3% is strong for organic programs |
| **UGC engagement rate** | Engagement on reposted UGC vs. branded content | UGC typically outperforms branded by 2x–4x |
| **UGC ad performance** | CTR, CPA, ROAS of UGC ads vs. branded creative | Track side-by-side in ad manager |
| **Conversion impact** | Conversion rate on pages with UGC vs. without | +15%–30% lift is typical for product pages |
| **Content library growth** | Number of rights-cleared UGC assets available | Target 50+ new assets per quarter |
| **Cost per UGC asset** | Total program cost / Number of usable UGC pieces | Compare against professional content production costs |

### Qualitative Metrics
| Metric | How to Assess |
|--------|--------------|
| **Sentiment** | Analyze tone and sentiment of UGC captions and comments |
| **Brand alignment** | Score UGC against brand guidelines (1–5 scale) |
| **Storytelling quality** | Evaluate narrative strength and emotional resonance |
| **Diversity** | Assess representation across demographics, use cases, and perspectives |
| **Product feedback** | Extract product insights and feature requests from UGC content |

### UGC Program ROI Calculation
```
UGC Program ROI = (Value of UGC Assets + Revenue from UGC Ads + Conversion Lift Revenue - Program Costs) / Program Costs x 100
```

**Value of UGC Assets**: Number of usable assets x equivalent professional production cost per asset
**Revenue from UGC Ads**: Tracked revenue from campaigns using UGC creative
**Conversion Lift Revenue**: Incremental revenue from product pages enhanced with UGC
**Program Costs**: Platform tools + incentives + rights management + staff time
