How to Encourage User-Generated Content

Create an Engaging Community

• Make the community engaging by using updates and relevant content
  • Use spaces, web panels, sticky articles, contests to give reputation points, awards/badges

Allow Influence from Enthusiastic Users

• Give your most enthusiastic users some influence in the community
  • Make site-wide opportunities for members to participate in that will give rewards such as badges, reputation points and establish what those might mean for more tangible rewards
  • Feature some of the members’ content somewhere where it shows appreciation for their contribution
    • Use of spaces, web panels, sticky articles or site sticky articles
• Write about the members who are the most active/enthusiastic
  • Use of gamification and analytics to determine the members who fit your criteria

Create an Approachable Community Manager

• Find ways to constantly interact with members, show that the manager is listening to constructive feedback
• Find ways to be very visible to the members to create a feeling of value (created by showing there is a human behind the corporation who considers the members and they are invested in the community)

Create Conversations Using Partners

• Create the authentic content from customers you decide to partner with by identifying content that resonates with your customers

Use Site Announcements

• Conference updates, community winner updates, etc for any temporary messages to encourage user engagement