Using Customer Content to Amplify PR Campaigns: A Complete Guide

Building media coverage and brand awareness requires more than just traditional press releases and media pitches. Today’s most successful PR campaigns tap into authentic customer voices through user-generated content (UGC) to create compelling stories that journalists want to cover. According to Stackla, 79% of people say UGC highly impacts their purchasing decisions, making it a powerful tool for PR professionals. This comprehensive guide examines three proven strategies for incorporating customer content into PR efforts: running engaging contests, crafting newsworthy customer stories, and using reviews as media hooks. You’ll learn specific techniques to generate, curate, and pitch UGC that attracts media attention while building credibility with your target audience.

Running UGC Contests That Generate Media Coverage

Creating contests that encourage customers to share their experiences can generate a wealth of authentic content while providing newsworthy angles for media outreach. The key is structuring contests strategically to align with PR objectives.

Contest Framework and Planning

Start by defining clear goals for your UGC contest. Are you looking to showcase customer success stories? Highlight creative product uses? Generate visual content for press materials? Your objectives will shape the contest format and submission guidelines.

Develop a detailed timeline covering the contest launch, submission period, judging, and winner announcement. Most successful UGC contests run for 4-6 weeks to allow adequate participation while maintaining momentum. Plan key promotional pushes throughout the contest period.

Create specific submission guidelines that clearly outline:

• Required content format (photos, videos, written stories, etc.)
• Technical specifications (file types, sizes, lengths)
• Theme or prompt participants should address
• Judging criteria
• Prize details and distribution timeline
• Rights and usage terms

Incentive Structure

While many customers are happy to share positive experiences, attractive prizes increase participation rates and submission quality. Consider these proven incentive approaches:

• Product packages featuring your latest offerings
• Exclusive experiences related to your brand
• Cash prizes for top submissions
• Featured placement in marketing materials
• Social media spotlight opportunities

According to research by Vyper.io, contests offering prizes valued at $500+ see 300% more engagement than those with lower-value rewards. However, even modest prizes can drive participation when aligned with your audience’s interests.

Legal Considerations

Protect your organization by developing comprehensive terms and conditions that address:

• Content ownership and usage rights
• Privacy policies and data collection
• Winner selection process
• Prize fulfillment details
• Liability limitations
• Eligibility requirements

Have legal counsel review contest rules before launch. Include clear language about retaining rights to submitted content for marketing and PR purposes.

Promotion Strategy

Build buzz around your contest through:

• Email announcements to customer lists
• Social media campaigns across relevant platforms
• Influencer partnerships to expand reach
• Paid advertising to target ideal participants
• Press releases announcing the contest launch

According to Social Media Today, contests promoted across 3+ channels see 200% higher participation rates than single-channel promotions.

Crafting Customer Stories for Media Pitches

While contest-generated content provides one source of compelling customer stories, proactively collecting and curating customer experiences yields ongoing material for media outreach.

Finding Newsworthy Customer Stories

Look for stories that demonstrate:

• Unique or innovative product applications
• Measurable results and impact
• Emotional resonance and human interest
• Relevance to current trends or issues
• Visual appeal for multimedia coverage

Monitor social mentions, review sites, and customer service interactions to identify potential story candidates. Create systems for sales and support teams to flag noteworthy customer experiences.

Story Development Process

Once you identify promising stories, follow these steps to develop media-ready narratives:

1. Interview the customer to gather rich details about their experience
2. Document specific outcomes and results
3. Collect supporting visual assets (photos, videos, data visualizations)
4. Draft the story highlighting newsworthy elements
5. Get customer approval on the final narrative
6. Create pitch materials for different media outlets

Structuring Stories for Media Appeal

Transform basic testimonials into compelling narratives by including:

• Scene-setting details that bring the story to life
• Direct quotes capturing authentic voice
• Specific examples illustrating key points
• Data and metrics quantifying impact
• Industry context showing broader relevance

According to Muck Rack’s State of Journalism report, 68% of journalists prefer pitches under 200 words that quickly highlight unique angles.

Leveraging Reviews as Media Hooks

Customer reviews provide third-party validation that can strengthen PR pitches and generate standalone coverage opportunities.

Review Mining Strategy

Develop a systematic approach to monitoring and collecting impactful reviews:

• Set up alerts for new reviews across major platforms
• Create filters to identify detailed, articulate feedback
• Tag reviews by theme, product, and potential story angle
• Track review volume and rating trends
• Document specific outcomes mentioned in reviews

Tools like Yotpo and Trustpilot offer analytics features to streamline this process.

Using Reviews in Press Materials

Incorporate review content into PR materials through:

• Statistical summaries showing rating trends
• Curated quote collections around specific themes
• Individual reviews highlighting key messages
• Before/after customer experiences
• Visual presentations of review data

According to BrightLocal, 79% of consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations, making them powerful trust signals in media coverage.

Ethics and Transparency

Maintain credibility by:

• Using representative samples, not cherry-picked reviews
• Disclosing review sources and time periods
• Including both positive and constructive feedback
• Verifying review authenticity
• Getting permission to feature specific reviews
• Updating outdated review statistics

Measuring UGC PR Impact

Track these metrics to assess your UGC PR efforts:

• Media mentions featuring customer content
• Social sharing of UGC-based coverage
• Website traffic from earned media
• Lead generation from PR placements
• Brand sentiment changes
• Customer participation rates
• Content rights secured

According to Cision’s Global State of the Media Report, 75% of journalists say including data makes pitches more compelling.

Conclusion

User-generated content offers PR professionals authentic voices and compelling stories that can drive media coverage and brand awareness. By strategically structuring contests, developing customer narratives, and leveraging reviews, organizations can build a steady stream of newsworthy content that resonates with journalists and audiences alike.

To get started:

1. Plan a UGC contest aligned with your PR objectives
2. Create systems to identify and develop customer stories
3. Implement review monitoring and curation processes
4. Build media pitch templates incorporating UGC
5. Track metrics to optimize your approach

Remember that authenticity is key – focus on genuine customer experiences and maintain transparency in how you present UGC to media outlets. With consistent effort, UGC can become a cornerstone of your PR strategy.