Here's how you can infuse user-generated content into strategic communications to spark creativity.

User-generated content (UGC) is a powerful asset for most communication strategies. To get started with UGC take a look at your comms strategy and see where it would be more powerful to use the voice of your users instead of another voice (others include your brand, your team, your executives, etc.). Once you’ve found the right place for UGC, start to source it and make sure you ask for permission before posting UGC and give credit to the original user. Sometimes people will already be creating UGC about your product and other times you’ll need to source it. Either way, be intentional about getting UGC that supports your other comms messaging and use it in the areas of your strategy that would benefit most from that perspective.

User-generated content (UGC) is a powerful asset for most communication strategies. To get started with UGC take a look at your comms strategy and see where it would be more powerful to use the voice of your users instead of another voice (others include your brand, your team, your executives, etc.). Once you’ve found the right place for UGC, start to source it and make sure you ask for permission before posting UGC and give credit to the original user. Sometimes people will already be creating UGC about your product and other times you’ll need to source it. Either way, be intentional about getting UGC that supports your other comms messaging and use it in the areas of your strategy that would benefit most from that perspective.

- Theme-based challenges: Develop contests or challenges that encourage users to create UGC around a specific theme related to your brand. i.e.: Hackatons,Earth Month etc... - Co-creation with other influencers: ask someone out of your comfort zone to help you identify new topics or new perspectives - Use new formats with UCG: Collect various pieces of UGC (photos, videos, reviews) and curate them into a larger story. - Inspiration galleries - Create a dedicated space on your website or social media platforms to showcase UGC -

Personally, I'm a fan of UGC - that's user-generated content! Here is why.. -By incorporating user-generated content, you can foster a sense of community, build trust with your audience & inspire creativity within your organisation. -Using UGC in your communication campaigns & other communication channels will showcase authenticity, relatability & content that resonates with your audience. To infuse user-generated content into your strategic communications to spark creativity, a good starting point that I'd recommend is to start actively engaging with your audience on various platforms such as social media, forums, community groups.Encourage your audience to share their experiences, stories, ideas related to your brand, product or service.