The social media sphere is one that’s constantly moving. Especially when you’re using it for a brand. Every time you get used to a new feature; another one is in the pipeline ready to make you feel as if you know nothing once more.
But even with all these new additions, nothing has quite replaced a plain old post. Yes, temporary stories have added some diversity to how you can publish content, but it hasn’t replaced posting. It’s simply bolstered it.
When you look at posts on Instagram though, they aren’t like they used to be. Gone are the days where a business’ feed consists solely of their own marketing. Instead, a brand’s feed is a mixture of native content, competitions, brand interaction, sponsored posts, and of course, user-generated content. Otherwise known as UGC.
UGC has become so prevalent in recent times that in recent research by earned content platform, Olapic, it was revealed that 76% of consumers believe that UGC is “more honest than advertising from brands”.
A huge number like this obviously means that UGC can’t be ignored. But despite this figure, countless companies are doing UGC wrong! So much so, that some brands are even being taken to court for their misuse of someone else’s content.
The Spider Social Media and Digital Team always ensure they follow the correct and legal way of reposting UGC, but if you were wondering how to do it yourself, we’ve put together this blog to help.
#1 – Always DM the Creator
Some brands think if a user has engaged with their brand by either @ing them or using their branded hashtag, their content is fair game to use. But this isn’t always true. Especially if you end up generating revenue from that very same post.
Instead, you should always reach out to the creator via a direct message and seek their permission. It’s as simple as that. Click their profile, send a message, and wait.
#2 – Reposting
After obtaining permission from the user, you’re on your way to reposting.
As of yet, there is no simple way of reposting on Instagram, like the Retweet button on Twitter, so if you don’t know how to repost, just follow this guide.
Remember to always post the user’s original image. They’ve put a lot of effort into their post and screenshotting it won’t do it justice. So, either ask them to send the original image to you or use their post’s URL.
Sharing content on a story is even easier as there’s a button for that! Simply click the arrow (found next to the comment button) and select ‘Add post to your story’.
#3 – Giving Credit
Before you fire off your wonderfully crafted post into the big wide world, you need to remember to credit the original user.
This credit should always come in the original caption, contain a working link to their profile, and make your audience aware that the original content was theirs.
Sound simple enough? That’s because it is.
Learning these three simple steps will ensure that your brand doesn’t get caught out when it comes to reposting user-generated content on Instagram. Good luck, and happy posting!
