Removing the Fear From Community Crowdsourced Content

ContentChat celebrated Halloween this year by helping our community face on of its biggest fears: user-generated content. We were joined by experienced community manager Brandie McCallum (@lttlewys) for a lively discussion on removing the fear from community-crowdsourced content.

Q1: Why are so many brands afraid to solicit community-created content?

A1. People are afraid of what their community will send. That it won’t be on message or negative. And they will lose the convo #ContentChat

— Brandie McCallum (@lttlewys) October 31, 2016

A1: One reason is probably logistics. They don’t have the resources to manage community-created content #contentchat

— Spin Sucks (@SpinSucks) October 31, 2016

A1 I think brands fear lack of control as has been cited and have seen too many community content creation experiments backfire #contentchat

— Derek Pillie (@dpillie) October 31, 2016

A1 Organizations often cringe at the idea of loosening the social media reigns & losing control of brand image! #contentchat

— Kathy Kopacz MS (@kkopacz1) October 31, 2016

@70mq Not just the content, the conversations around it! What will your community say when they see something you post? #ContentChat

— Brandie McCallum (@lttlewys) October 31, 2016

A1 Difficult to maintain the right brand messaging if you’ve got strangers creating content for you. #contentchat

— Josephine Hardy (@JosieMHardy) October 31, 2016

A1 Lots of effort for content to be “on-brand” are required (sometimes), lack of true subject matter experts in the community #contentchat

— Phil Siarri (@philsiarri) October 31, 2016

A1: It can be scary because brands something believe they are giving up control. When done right, however, that’s not the case. #contentchat https://t.co/4uTy1Teg5r

— Northcutt (@northcuttHQ) October 31, 2016

@kkopacz1 It’s all about how you set it up, if you’re really worried about bad PR something like that can blow up spectacularly #contentchat

— Derek Pillie (@dpillie) October 31, 2016

@SFerika A1: Probably because they’re worried that they’ll just get a bunch of customer service complaints #contentchat

— Hal Werner (@halwerner) October 31, 2016

A1 Brands are risk averse. If you’re not an authentic, honest brand, you’re right it is a risk. #contentchat

— Maureen Jann (@MaureenOnPoint) October 31, 2016

A1. Loss of control definitely huge, even if you’re for taking smart risks for your brand. Can’t help but worry! #ContentChat

— Sarah A. Parker (@SparkerWorks) October 31, 2016

A1 They fear the chaos of the crowd, and so grip the steering wheel tighter and tighter until it starts to shake a little. #ContentChat

— Ken Gordon (@quickmuse) October 31, 2016

@SFerika A1: Or they they have too much commitment to sterilized, canned brand messaging and fear #authenticstories that aren’t polished

— Hal Werner (@halwerner) October 31, 2016

A1: Brands like to have control of how they are viewed. When they hand the control over to comm., they fear what will happen. #contentchat

— Erica Hayton (@erica_hayton) October 31, 2016

A1 @philsiarri True! Brands are obsessed with influencers but 98% of influencers have no clue about what they’re talking about. #ContentChat

— Ehsan (@eksays) October 31, 2016

I think brands see their Commuinty as the audience to be talked at and not able to add contributions @SFerika @SpinSucks #ContentChat

— Brandie McCallum (@lttlewys) October 31, 2016

@SFerika Unfortunately many brands see their community as one-way communication path. And yes, they see it as passive consumers #contentchat

— Spin Sucks (@SpinSucks) October 31, 2016

Very true in many B2B spheres IMO @SFerika @SpinSucks #contentchat https://t.co/6Oe8SWXyHd

— Phil Siarri (@philsiarri) October 31, 2016

If brands are afraid to engage community in content creation, that means there’s an opportunity for another brand to step in. #contentchat

— Northcutt (@northcuttHQ) October 31, 2016

@SpinSucks @lttlewys @SFerika Yeah, too many companies still try to use social to push messaging out, not have a convo #contentchat

— Hal Werner (@halwerner) October 31, 2016

A1. Fear of not having control over the content. Brands don’t “get” how UCG is beneficial to them. #ContentChat https://t.co/LfFeLozVyv

— Anh Nguyen (@AnhTNguyen) October 31, 2016

Q2: How can you help your management team get over their fears of crowdsourcing content?

A2: Start small. Show ur team that people are already saying positive things about you & sharing pics. Take time to build trust #ContentChat

— Brandie McCallum (@lttlewys) October 31, 2016

A2 Create a plan, specify guidelines, assign responsibility & test on other employees in the org. first. #contentchat

— Josephine Hardy (@JosieMHardy) October 31, 2016

A2 Dispel fear by a) showing good #UGC, b) having a plan if something goes wrong, c) illustrating the value of
community #contentchat

— Maureen Jann (@MaureenOnPoint) October 31, 2016

Show some quick and positive successes of what sharing community content can do for you. #contentchat

— Christoph Trappe (@CTrappe) October 31, 2016

A2 Showing successful examples in or outside of your industry, showing potential ROI #contentchat

— Phil Siarri (@philsiarri) October 31, 2016

A2) Compare the analytics of a crowd sourced story to a similiar non-crowd sourced story #contentchat

— Scott Johnson (@iScottJohnson) October 31, 2016

A2: Create a plan and share it with your team so they know what to expect. Show them examples of how it can be beneficial too! #ContentChat

— Express Writers (@ExpWriters) October 31, 2016

A2) Show them examples from successful companies, then build a strategy around how you can leverage that for your own company. #ContentChat

— Jason Schemmel (@JasonSchemmel) October 31, 2016

A2. Have a solid plan for curation/quality control around submissions before they’re attached to brand #ContentChat https://t.co/djoLDKV5Gu

— Sarah A. Parker (@SparkerWorks) October 31, 2016

A2: Having a good strategy for if something goes wrong usually help to ease fears of the unknown. #contentchat

— Alex Crump (@alcrump12) October 31, 2016

A2 By incorporating UGC, brands can offload some content creation onto their customers, spending more time on strategy. #contentchat

— Kathy Kopacz MS (@kkopacz1) October 31, 2016

@kkopacz1 @SFerika @BuzzFeed is a great example. It’s truly a community w/ active participants but also reasonable guidelines. #ContentChat

— gretchen fisk (@gretchenfisk) October 31, 2016

A2: @lttlewys True! Give them a piece of TART & they’ll be set for as long as your marketing strategy is relevant! #ContentChat pic.twitter.com/QCQ5BrsqQd

— Ehsan (@eksays) October 31, 2016

A2: An easy way to “test the waters” is by using company employees first as a trial, and then expanding from there. #contentchat https://t.co/Uaktpgs9fv

— Northcutt (@northcuttHQ) October 31, 2016

@SFerika @lttlewys A2. Through examples of *quality* crowdsourced content. They have to be willing to take the initial plunge. #ContentChat

— gretchen fisk (@gretchenfisk) October 31, 2016

A2 There’s always risk, but having a plan in place to mitigate said risk and showing examples of how it can work are best bet. #contentchat

— Derek Pillie (@dpillie) October 31, 2016

A2: Create a brand that is strong enough it won’t be ruined if something goes wrong. Develop a plan to fix any issues. #contentchat

— Erica Hayton (@erica_hayton) October 31, 2016

A1) Without predetermined guidelines, the uncertainty can be intimidating! #contentchat https://t.co/0ZJNgWn2qY

— HeyOrca! (@HeyOrca) October 31, 2016

A2) Learn from the best. Research companies that are doing it right, then find a way you can do it, too. #ContentChat

— Jason Schemmel (@JasonSchemmel) October 31, 2016

A2: highlight the end user input as invaluable to future product dev. ; show how ugc can drive future campaigna #contentchat

— Mordecai Holtz (@mordecaiholtz) October 31, 2016

A2b: UGC is both those saying what they don’t like & those saying what the DO LIKE.
Take care of both as best you can.#ContentChat

— Gary J. Nix (@Mr_McFly) October 31, 2016

A2) Keep an eye for those with brand loyalty and who are constantly engaging with you! They’re your best bet for great #UGC #contentchat https://t.co/ZtWzTvkohB

— HeyOrca! (@HeyOrca) October 31, 2016

A2c: Especially if someone is showing like or love for your brand’s product/service — why wouldn’t you amplify that message?#ContentChat

— Gary J. Nix (@Mr_McFly) October 31, 2016

Q3: What are your tips for soliciting on-brand and on-topic content from brand fans?

A3 Create a downloadable PDF guide that explains a bit about your brand & what is expected on both sides. #contentchat

— Josephine Hardy (@JosieMHardy) October 31, 2016

A3b Make sure you to keep the guide up-to-date! #contentchat

— Josephine Hardy (@JosieMHardy) October 31, 2016

A3) Ask questions. People LOVE giving their 2-cents. Ask the right question(s) to get the answers/content you’re looking for. #ContentChat

— Jason Schemmel (@JasonSchemmel) October 31, 2016

A3: Ask. Make it fun & rewarding for people to be in your Community. Send out random treats/thank you cards Include a strategy #ContentChat

— Brandie McCallum (@lttlewys) October 31, 2016

A3 Communicate style guide from the get go, also have a main point of contact (editor, coordinator) can help #contentchat

— Phil Siarri (@philsiarri) October 31, 2016

A3) Give them a mention when you use their content. People love getting noticed & receiving credit. #JustLikeInRealLife #ContentChat

— Jason Schemmel (@JasonSchemmel) October 31, 2016

A3: Put yourself in their shoes too. Know your community, their likes/wants. It will help better connect #contentchat

— Spin Sucks (@SpinSucks) October 31, 2016

A3 → @SFerika provide a great experience and you’ll find the fans will evangelize for you pretty often

— Thomas Broadus (@TbroOnline) October 31, 2016

@SFerika For my company at least, I ask consumers to submit pictures, events, that relate with my brand idenity #contentchat

— Cuyler Cunningham (@Highoncuy) October 31, 2016

A3: Give them share prompts. Could be a simple ask that activates great content #contentchat

— Chris Barrows (@CBarrows) October 31, 2016

A3: need to spark some sort of interest #contentchat is there a motivation to participate? https://t.co/HCU0xKtISf

— Josephine Borrillo (@70mq) October 31, 2016

A3 Contests, Customer Reviews, & Customer Testimonials are great ways to solicit content from brand fans. #contentchat

— Kathy Kopacz MS (@kkopacz1) October 31, 2016

Better yet, be a part of that community. Interact with users, and most importantly, LISTEN. #contentchat https://t.co/1OSFhbbbpr

— Northcutt (@northcuttHQ) October 31, 2016

@JasonLWebb @JasonSchemmel I love when my fav brands ask me questions and really listen, makes me more invested! #ContentChat

— Brandie McCallum (@lttlewys) October 31, 2016

A3: Ask a question; make your content easy to engage with and people will come.#ContentChat

— Gary J. Nix (@Mr_McFly) October 31, 2016

A3b: AND if your product or service is good enough, you won’t have to solicit for UGC. Either way, make it about the people!#ContentChat

— Gary J. Nix (@Mr_McFly) October 31, 2016

A3 For @WildUSShrimp we feature user recipes on our site, but have to have basics – an actual recipe & pic of the dish #gumbo #contentchat pic.twitter.com/yhW88FBwwq

— Thomas Broadus (@TbroOnline) October 31, 2016

@Mr_McFly I’m always surprised when brands don’t actively do that… #ContentChat

— Erika Heald (@SFerika) October 31, 2016

A3) You get what you give! Create positive, genuine relationships with your audience, they’ll reward you with valuable #UGC! #contentchat https://t.co/ulAyhPc5Ov

— HeyOrca! (@HeyOrca) October 31, 2016

Q4: What do you do if your call for content results in negative content and commentary?

A4 Address the negative content head-on, but do it in a positive manner. Others will take notice #contentchat

— Dennis Shiao (@dshiao) October 31, 2016

A4: You have a bigger problem than your lack of contributed content. Talk to your community and find out what’s wrong. Fix it! #contentchat

— Spin Sucks (@SpinSucks) October 31, 2016

A4a: Don’t DELETE, respond to those people. You should have a plan in your strategy for negative responses #ContentChat

— Brandie McCallum (@lttlewys) October 31, 2016

A4b By engaging directly and being positive, you may be able to turn the negative tide. #contentchat

— Dennis Shiao (@dshiao) October 31, 2016

A4) Then you know you have some changes to make. Either in your message or your strategy altogether. #ListenToThem #WakeUpCall #ContentChat

— Jason Schemmel (@JasonSchemmel) October 31, 2016

A4: Use it as a learning opportunity. If people have complaints/concerns it may point out where you can make improvements #contentchat

— Alex Crump (@alcrump12) October 31, 2016

A4b: People want to be heard, they want to feel You/The Company hears them & you appreciate them #ContentChat

— Brandie McCallum (@lttlewys) October 31, 2016

A4 Pause the #UGC program. Collect all feedback & find/fix the common theme. Test before re-launching #contentchat

— Josephine Hardy (@JosieMHardy) October 31, 2016

A4 1/2 → First determine if it’s a real issue or someone looking for free stuff #contentchat @SFerika @lttlewys

— Thomas Broadus (@TbroOnline) October 31, 2016

A4 Demonstrate publically that we will work to solve the issue. Negative comments are very often opportunities. #contentchat pic.twitter.com/liu4Yj9AIl

— Michelle (@michelletweet) October 31, 2016

A4: Respond thoughtfully and look at how your brand can pivot to meet those pain points and challenges. #contentchat

— Meg Prater (@Meg_Prater) October 31, 2016

Respond to negative feedback by acknowledging it, emphathy, fix if necessary. #contentchat

— Christoph Trappe (@CTrappe) October 31, 2016

A4: It’s bound to happen no matter who you are. Best to handle with humility and grace. #ContentChat @SFerika @lttlewys

— Jason Webb (@JasonLWebb) October 31, 2016

A4 2/2 if negative content is honest, treat as a real issue, take it offline w/ poster & solve the issue @SFerika @lttlewys #contentchat

— Thomas Broadus (@TbroOnline) October 31, 2016

A4: maybe go back with follow-up questions #contentchat you may come away with a totally new view https://t.co/Vpudd88UBF

— Josephine Borrillo (@70mq) October 31, 2016

A4: Understand what the issues consumers are having are and actively try to fix them.
It’s not rocket surgery.#ContentChat

— Gary J. Nix (@Mr_McFly) October 31, 2016

@JasonLWebb @lttlewys It’s an understandable reaction, but I think a “hug your haters” @jaybaer approach works better. 😉 #ContentChat

— Erika Heald (@SFerika) October 31, 2016

A4: You need to have a plan on how to handle negativity and address it accordingly. Don’t delete negative posts though. #ContentChat

— Express Writers (@ExpWriters) October 31, 2016

A4b BUT also know when to engage…we all have encountered those that just want to complain…about anything! #contentchat

— Michelle (@michelletweet) October 31, 2016

Rule 1 of how not to handle negative content from users #contentchat
Don’t ignore it. pic.twitter.com/CAYEYqpDwV

— Thomas Broadus (@TbroOnline) October 31, 2016

A4: Good #CX – Acknowledge valid issues/problems (and some that aren’t) and demonstrate you’re responding meaningfully. #contentchat

— Derek Pillie (@dpillie) October 31, 2016

A4b: The key is to address it and not sweep it under the rug — be honest and up front. #ContentChat @SFerika @lttlewys

— Jason Webb (@JasonLWebb) October 31, 2016

A4b: Unless they’re trolls. Don’t feed the trolls. #contentchat

— Erica Hayton (@erica_hayton) October 31, 2016

Q4: Follow up on where the brand went wrong and be vocal about it to your audience. Gotta build the trust back #ContentChat

— Jennifer Yee (@jnnfryee) October 31, 2016

A4 Be as transparent as possible: now measures you will take depends a lot on your industry & legal ramifications you may face #contentchat

— Phil Siarri (@philsiarri) October 31, 2016

A4: Turn lemons into lemonade: Review your call for content in the light of negative content/commentary. You may learn a lot. #contentchat

— Wayne Hendry (@ideakid88) October 31, 2016

Q5: What are the best ways to recognize and credit community members who create brand-supporting content?

A5: Surprise & Delight! Reshare their content from your channels, tagging them. Send them a special treat, handwritten note. #ContentChat

— Brandie McCallum (@lttlewys) October 31, 2016

@dshiao YES! #ContentChat

— Erika Heald (@SFerika) October 31, 2016

A5 Social Media recognition, article bios w/ links to their website/Twitter & *maybe* gift cards. #contentchat

— Josephine Hardy (@JosieMHardy) October 31, 2016

A5: First step: Actually recognize them by name. Thank them. Engage. Occasionally surprise & delight.#ContentChat

— Gary J. Nix (@Mr_McFly) October 31, 2016

A5. Share it with a thank you #contentchat

— Chris Farrell, CPA (@CFarrellCPA) October 31, 2016

A5b Feature them on your homepage, or on your community login page #contentchat

— Dennis Shiao (@dshiao) October 31, 2016

A5: It’s always great when you can actively engage with your audience. Re-share their work or credit them. Stay active. #contentchat https://t.co/CLixPPIlgV

— Northcutt (@northcuttHQ) October 31, 2016

A5 The best way to spread community cheer is to sing long and loud for all to hear. #contentchat #elf pic.twitter.com/LNSuybYhZz

— Derek Pillie (@dpillie) October 31, 2016

Thank them publicly for their support, retweet if poosible and offer a behind the scenes look at what your co. #ContentChat https://t.co/FPYMcb7T7L

— Echo Analytics Group (@EchoAnalytics) October 31, 2016

A5) Tag them, feature them, make them feel special. Others will see it & will want to engage to be treated the same, too! #ContentChat

— Jason Schemmel (@JasonSchemmel) October 31, 2016

A5 a hand-written note + some branded swag are great ways to recognize and delight your UGC-creating community members. #ContentChat

— Erika Heald (@SFerika) October 31, 2016

A5 → Create innercircle of active users, treat them as thought leaders & communicate often #contentchat @SFerika @lttlewys

— Thomas Broadus (@TbroOnline) October 31, 2016

@SFerika Yes! Never underestimate the value of a good, old-fashioned thank you note! (Or robot stickers, people love those) #ContentChat

— Sarah A. Parker (@SparkerWorks) October 31, 2016

Good point, @erica_hayton! Match up recognition w/ amount of effort. https://t.co/apTtcc3sAB #contentchat

— Derek Pillie (@dpillie) October 31, 2016

A5: I worked for a company who would randomly send flowers or care packages to super-engaged customers. Always a big hit! #contentchat

— Meg Prater (@Meg_Prater) October 31, 2016

A5) #socialmedia shoutouts, audience member spotlights, and prizes/giveaways (everyone likes free stuff!) #contentchat https://t.co/Y411mbsTnb

— HeyOrca! (@HeyOrca) October 31, 2016

Q6: What are some examples of brands that have missed an opportunity in embracing fan-created content?

A6: Do I have to bring up Red Lobster again?#ContentChat

— Gary J. Nix (@Mr_McFly) October 31, 2016

@SFerika A6 A local bagel shop here used my pics w/out credit. They said people don’t want their names used. I did a facepalm. #contentchat

— Martin Lieberman (@martinlieberman) October 31, 2016

A6 Many restaurants/cafes don’t share the amazing photos their customers share of their food/drinks on social media #ContentChat

— Josephine Hardy (@JosieMHardy) October 31, 2016

A6: Any brand that isn’t being social, that doesn’t acknowledge their fans/community. #ContentChat

— Brandie McCallum (@lttlewys) October 31, 2016

A6 Lots of professional sports teams. Give fans a central destination and content creation will easily flow #contentchat

— Dennis Shiao (@dshiao) October 31, 2016

A6 I think Apple really missed a ton of opportunity not engaging more with fans during their #appleevents #contentchat pic.twitter.com/JYGyqsl1Q5

— Michelle (@michelletweet) October 31, 2016

A6: Anytime a brand starts with a specific hashtag and then doesn’t interact with it. Ever. #ContentChat

— Brandie McCallum (@lttlewys) October 31, 2016

A6 IMO Having worked in product management= too many brands (esp B2B) are missing out on collaborating with clients on content #contentchat

— Phil Siarri (@philsiarri) October 31, 2016

UGC is still an untapped resource for most – most don’t know where to begin – we live in content bubble and think #UGC normal #contentchat

— Nick Kellet (@NickKellet) October 31, 2016

A6 Luxury hotels are missing out on opportunities with UGC See https://t.co/2qQv9lD0MU
#contentchat

— Kathy Kopacz MS (@kkopacz1) October 31, 2016

A6: Applebee’s had that Twitter meltdown a few years ago. It still gives me marketing nightmares. https://t.co/FJwM8za3lZ #contentchat

— Meg Prater (@Meg_Prater) October 31, 2016

A6: Hospitality is such a confounding industry when it comes to social. The natural fit is simply there. All day, every day.#ContentChat

— Gary J. Nix (@Mr_McFly) October 31, 2016

Q7: What brands are doing a good job in involving their community in content creation?

@enjoyLaCroix proving why they’re masters of UGC #contentchat https://t.co/ssf6CBKrGq

— Meg Prater (@Meg_Prater) October 31, 2016

@SFerika You know it… @KingsHawaiian used to rock this. https://t.co/hqBq7xB43X #contentchat

— Derek Pillie (@dpillie) October 31, 2016

The North Face does a great job of using fan content on IG, also focuses on the Passion Point of the beauty of the outdoors #contentchat https://t.co/1ysLuNrslX

— Mack Collier (@MackCollier) October 31, 2016

A6: A lot of fitness brands tend to do well with this. Many are start ups and so use a lot of UGC to promote their brand. #contentchat

— Alex Crump (@alcrump12) October 31, 2016

A7 Hands-down for me: @moz! #contentchat

— Dennis Shiao (@dshiao) October 31, 2016

A7: My fav, @disney uses almost exclusively fan content. @Vans, @buffer @UnderArmour Even @journeys #ContentChat

— Brandie McCallum (@lttlewys) October 31, 2016

@lttlewys yes, @UnderArmour is a great example. I mean,
They must protect their house, right?#ContentChat

— Gary J. Nix (@Mr_McFly) October 31, 2016

AHHHHHHH A7 the king of UGC is @GoPro how did we not mention them yet https://t.co/dBjPgHBXvu #contentchat

— Thomas Broadus (@TbroOnline) October 31, 2016

A7 Doritos – Their #SuperBowl ads are usually #UGC #contentchat pic.twitter.com/xEAcduyl66

— Michelle (@michelletweet) October 31, 2016

Just thought I’d sneak one more: @eventbrite with their #EBevents hashtag, gets the UGC juices flowing! #contentchat

— Randy Thio (@ideabloke) October 31, 2016

Q8: What are some tools to help with the crowdsourcing and rights-management aspects of crowdsourced content?

A8: Develop a Hashtag strategy, use @keyholeco. Make sure you are monitoring, @Mention @HootSuite & @SproutSocial are great. #ContentChat

— Brandie McCallum (@lttlewys) October 31, 2016

A8 agree with @lttlewys on # strategy. Also just proactive comms – “we love to see you with our brand – and we will share it!” #contentchat

— Michelle (@michelletweet) October 31, 2016

I’ve been following #UGC content #apps sourced via #instagram #contentchat Here’s a list – pls add any omissions https://t.co/Myv5K3wUkG

— Nick Kellet (@NickKellet) October 31, 2016

@SFerika @martinlieberman @jnnfryee This is a big reason why more and more tools like @Zoomph enable you to ask permission #contentchat

— Chris Barrows (@CBarrows) October 31, 2016

@JasonLWebb Have you looked at @RiteTag @Hashtagify @hashtracking & @Tagboard @SFerika #ContentChat

— Brandie McCallum (@lttlewys) October 31, 2016