How to Use UGC Hashtags for Greater Reach as a Creator

As a content creator, you’re constantly looking for ways to expand your reach and engage with your audience.

One powerful strategy that can significantly boost your visibility is the use of User-Generated Content (UGC) hashtags.

By the end of this blog post, you will understand how to leverage UGC hashtags to maximize your content’s reach and build a more engaged community around your personal brand. We’ll provide clear, actionable tips and real-world examples to help you get started.

Understanding UGC Hashtags

User-Generated Content (UGC) is any form of content created by users rather than brands. This can include photos, videos, reviews, blog posts, or any other type of media that showcases users’ experiences with a brand. UGC hashtags are specific tags that encourage creators to share their own content related to a brand or campaign. By using these hashtags, you not only increase the visibility of your user-generated content but also get to feel a sense of community and involvement through your participation.

One of the primary benefits of using UGC hashtags is that they can significantly amplify your reach. When you share content a hashtag, it exposes your brand to people who are interested in that brand, idea, or topic, thereby increasing your potential audience.

Let’s explore some key strategies for effectively using UGC hashtags.

Start With Your Niche

There’s not much use in jumping on trends if those trends won’t get you in front of the right people. So–start with your niche.

Make a list of topics related to your content, then spend some time searching on TikTok and Instagram for hashtags. Make a note of which ones seem to be trending but don’t have a HUGE following yet–those are the ones you’re going to want to target the most.

Oh, and if you want to create a hashtage for your personal brand, you can do that during this phase too! A good hashtag should be easy to remember, relevant to your brand or a current campaign, and not too long or complicated. It should also be unique enough that it doesn’t get lost among other popular hashtags.

Here are the steps to creating your own hashtag:

• Start by brainstorming keywords.
• Combine these keywords creatively to form a catchy and relevant hashtag.
• Ensure that the hashtag is not already widely used for other purposes.
• Test the hashtag on various social media platforms to see if it’s easy to search and identify.
• Promote the hashtag consistently across all your marketing channels.

An example of an effective UGC hashtag is #ShareACoke by Coca-Cola. The company encouraged customers to share photos of themselves enjoying a Coke with personalized labels. This campaign generated millions of user-generated posts and significantly increased brand engagement. Plus, people who participated in the movement saw increased exposure because of the campaign’s popularity.

Jump on Trends

If there are contests, giveaways, or other trending topics and hashtags in your niche, be one of the first to jump on them. 

(Some platforms, like Instagram, allow you to follow hashtags so you have a better idea of knowing when topics are trending). 

Being on-trend will give you the maximum reach. As more people grow interested in the topic, your content will be pushed into their feeds. 

In the case of contests and giveaways, try to know when the big names in your space tend to try to push to get UGC. If you have an idea of when they do this, you’ll be able to plan in advance and be one of the first participants.

An example of someplace you could practice this strategy in action is GoPro’s #GoProAwards campaign. Every year, GoPro encourages its users to submit their best videos and photos captured with GoPro cameras for a chance to win cash prizes and be featured on GoPro’s official channels. This not only incentivizes participation but also generates high-quality UGC that showcases the capabilities of GoPro products–so, if you use GoPro, you can get a video ready for the next contest!

Engage With Your Audience

Using UGC hashtags is not just about getting in front of more people; it’s also about building relationships with your existing audience. Engaging with users who already follow you can foster a sense of community and loyalty. Responding to comments, liking posts, and sharing other people’s content on your stories are all ways to show appreciation for your audience’s contributions.

If you don’t have much of an audience yet, you can still build some community around shared interests by engagin with other people’s content. Here are some basic steps that you can use, no matter your audience size:

• Like and comment on posts that use the UGC hashtags you’re using.
• Create stories or highlights featuring top contributions from others.
• Host live sessions or Q&A events where you interact with participants directly.

An excellent example of audience engagement is Starbucks’ #RedCupContest. Every holiday season, Starbucks encourages customers to share photos of their holiday-themed cups using the hashtag #RedCupContest. Starbucks actively engages with participants by liking posts, commenting on entries, and sharing some of the best submissions on their official accounts. This engagement helps strengthen the connection between Starbucks and its loyal customers. You may not be able to do anything on the scale that Starbucks can, but use this example as inspiration as you try to dream up exciting and unique experiences for your followers! 

Monitor and Analyze Performance

To ensure the success of your UGC hashtag use, it’s essential to monitor your posts’ performance regularly. Tracking metrics such as engagement rates, reach, impressions, and user sentiment can provide valuable insights into how well your content is resonating with your audience. Analyzing this data allows you to make informed decisions about what hashtags to use in the future.

One way to boost your engagement can be by having clear CTAs. Let’s dive a little deeper. ⬇️

Create Compelling Calls-to-Action (CTAs)

Clear and engaging CTAs can motivate your audience to take the specific actions you want–like commenting, liking, or sharing your post. The key is to craft CTAs that are specific, actionable, and aligned with your goals. 

• Use action-oriented language in your CTAs (e.g., “Share your story by remixing this video”).
• Start conversations to get the comments rolling (e.g., “Which one is your favorite?”)
• Create urgency by setting deadlines or time-limited offers (e.g., “Let me know if you want to see a part 2 before I [fill in the blank]”)
• Incorporate visual elements such as graphics or videos to make CTAs more appealing.

When you’re creating your CTAs, be as specific as you can about WHY you want people to engage. Give them a reason to not just passively consume your content. Oh, and don’t end every video with a “like, share, and comment!”–social media platforms do sometimes penalize you for using those words. 

Conclusion: Nurture Long-Term Engagement

Finally, your UGC hashtag strategy should have the goal of long-term engagement rather than short-lived bursts of activity. Building an ongoing relationship with your followers makes growing your personal brand MUCH easier in the long run.

That’s why we recommended starting with your niche–after all, you don’t want to alienate your true fans. But Consistently nurturing long-term engagement requires thoughtful planning beyond individual trends. Pick topics and make content that your followers will enjoy for YEARS, and pick brands to make UGC for using the same criteria. 

One way you can do this is to create recurring themes around specific times/events during year to encourage consistent participation. Add in the trends and contests that have some seasonality, and before long you’ll have a long-term plan for your content that keeps people coming back for more.