Snapchat is a goldmine of creative user-generated content (UGC) that can be put to fantastic use for your brand. This content has the advantages of being authentic, peer-endorsed, and truly crowd-sourced, so your Story will resonate with followers and you’ll have the majority of Snaps created for you. Here are a few tips for getting great UGC from your followers:

Set simple and achievable content challenges....

While a majority of Snapchat users are eager and willing to engage with content challenges, the intended response needs to be relatively easy for your followers to complete. As a general rule for everyday challenges and smaller competitions, the entry mechanic should be something you can do at your desk (like a selfie, a drawing, or a text-based answer).

Engaging creative...

If possible, put creative time into some placeholder snaps that encourage UGC response. Something tidy that represents your brand. Those who do have seen better response and engagement!

Lead by example…

Including ‘Like This’ frames that visually show how to complete the challenge make it even easier for your followers to understand. Create an example snap or get a friend to submit one, then add it into your competition frames. This is also a great litmus test of an idea - if it’s too complicated or difficult for a friend to do, it might be too complicated for your followers too.

Make your followers aware that you intend to repost their content…

Add a simple disclaimer frame informing users that all Snaps will be screenshot and may be re-posted. If you intend to use their content on other channels, stipulate that too. Playing it safe and being upfront means you won’t run into legal trouble later on.

Check out some example ideas...

Ok, so you’ve set the challenge, shown ‘em how it’s done, and covered your legal bases. Now’s a good time to start putting your UGC to work on your Snapchat channel. The fundamentals of crafting an engaging UGC story are relatively straightforward, but here are a few things we’ve learnt along the way:

Repost more UGC to gain momentum at the start…

While we usually don’t recommend posting large amounts of similar content to your Snap Story, this instance is the exception to that rule. We’ve discovered that posting more Snaps at the beginning of an event, festival or challenge helps to kick start the flow of incoming UGC. This may be because it inspires FOMO and sparks conversation among friends - people see their mates on a Snap Story and want to share in the limelight.

Do not post: Lewd, racist, sexist, or bullying behaviour…

Might sound like common sense but this type of content does much more harm than good. It’s not a great brand image, not fun to watch, and if you’re not careful, can land you in a lot of trouble if it’s reported. Establish your posting guidelines early so that your whole team understands what the boundaries are and feels confident adhering to these. You can download our General Posting Guidelines as a starting point.

Post in chronological order and edit your story if it gets too long…

This is especially relevant at festivals or events where you want to showcase multiple aspects over a longer time period. Kick things off by posting enough to gain momentum and generate excitement, then keep posting good content at regular intervals throughout the event. If the Story starts feeling long-winded or engagement rates drop off, go back through and delete some frames. That way, when followers check your Story the next morning, it’s a snappy highlights reel of their best (and lost) memories of the day.

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