How brands can utilise influencers' content and UGC for social listening

User-generated content and influencer marketing almost mirror society, consumer behaviour and pop culture. So, why not use influencers’ content and UGC to listen to social media conversations and devise a content strategy that works wonders for the brand?

We have read several stories about utilising social listening to create successful UGC and influencer marketing strategies. In this story, we’ll discuss the reverse phenomenon– utilising content creators’ content and UGC for social listening and forming a holistic content strategy for the future. 

Banking on influencers’ content for social listening

A brand should be aware of their TG, whom they are influenced by and are establishing a connection and relatability with on social media platforms. “The influencer’s content and the audiences’ reaction would be useful for the brand and quite useful in the approach adopted in their content marketing strategy,” said  Sarah Johnson, AVP - Content, #ARM Worldwide. 

Prachi Bali

As per Prachi Bali, EVP and Business Head of Saatchi & Saatchi Propagate, creator content can help a brand gain a neutral perspective from consumers, which may not need to be incentivised but can just be conversational. “Creator content coupled with listening can be used to answer FAQs on behalf of the brand, studying patterns of consumer conversations and what they like to engage with. It also helps fine tune the UGC.”  

Asif Upadhye

Asif Upadhye, Director at SPRD, added that brands can utilise influencers' content for social listening by monitoring social media platforms for mentions of their brand and getting insights on audience perceptions.

Upadhye also said that brands can track the engagement levels of influencer content by analysing engagement metrics to gain insights into which types of content drive the most engagement and traction. “They can also monitor and analyse the content created and shared by influencers, identify various new trends in influencer marketing, and seek opportunities to curate content that resonate with their target audience,”  he said.

Madhura Ranande

According to Madhura Ranande, VP - Business and Branded Content at Isobar India, influencers are key contributors to trends and topics that pick up traction. With social listening and smart sentiment analysis, one can analyse the brand affinity better, gauge what the conversations are like and then associate with the right kind of influencers that will help bridge the gap the brand is hoping to fill. 

“Also, it helps understand who the thought leaders or creators are in the spaces relevant for the brand and their audience. As in any other activity, setting a clear goal or objective is critical, before deploying a strategy,” she said.

Mukesh Vij

Mukesh Vij, Founder of Hashtag Orange, seconded that social listening can help brands identify potential collaborations with influencers by monitoring their conversations and interactions with their followers. “Brands can use this information to identify influencers who are aligned with their values, have a similar target audience, and can create content that resonates with their brand message.”

This can be done using various social listening tools that allow brands to track specific keywords, hashtags, and mentions related to the influencer's content, suggested Vij. 

UGC - Effective tool for social listening

As more and more people share their customer experiences on social media, user-generated content (UGC) is proving to be an insight that data can't always provide brands. UGC helps brands monitor customer sentiment, track competitors, and discover valuable keywords. 

Johnson said, “Brands can use UGC to see what these exciting stages of the buying journey look like to their customers. Stats predict that around 80% of consumers claim that UGC significantly affects their purchasing choices. Brands can listen to the conversation as satisfied customers pull out their phones to capture photos and videos celebrating their purchases, unpacking, and product enjoyment. UGC is now a social media intelligence tactic and marketers should get used to its use.” 

Vij seconded that brands can use UGC to understand what their audience wants, what they find engaging, and what they don't like. He added, “This can help brands identify content themes, topics, and formats that resonate with their audience and develop UGC and creator-led content accordingly.”