A press release hyping up a product versus a Reddit thread sharing honest customer reviews: Which one are you more likely to read?
Real voices convert better than perfect prose. When content marketers partner with customers for content creation, it comes across as credible and authentic. After all, readers automatically assume that marketing copy is trying to sell you. Customers don’t have a reason to oversell your product.
A marketer can describe what a product or service does, while a customer can describe their specific experience with it. They can go into detail about what worked for them, what didn’t, and whether or not they would recommend it to other potential customers.
That kind of specificity turns a reader into a buyer.
Which Customers Should I Target?
The ideal customers to target are happy with your product and vocal about it. A good place to seek out these people is through unsolicited reviews and social media mentions. And if they don’t have a large following or work for a big company, that’s OK.
In fact, it’s probably preferred. A small- to mid-size customer who wants to share a relatable, detailed story about their experience with your product is much more valuable than a generic quote.
If you need help pinning down these people, ask your sales reps for guidance. They know exactly how customers describe their problems, where they hesitate, and what they love about your product.
Here are a few questions to consider—your sales team definitely knows the answers:
- Which customers do you love hopping on a call with because they love our products and what we do?
- Who has referred other potential customers without being asked?
- Which customers ask the best questions?
Customers who ask detailed questions about your product understand it on a deeper level. Turn their insights into quality (and relatable) content.
What Format Works Best for Customer-Created Content?
Customer-created content is suitable for a variety of formats. However, it’s more effective for companies if it doesn’t appear on their website. Here are some format options to think about:
- Reviews and social media posts. This content is organic, authentic, and owned by the customer. All you have to do is amplify it on your platforms.
- Video testimonials. A short, unscripted video clip is effective because it doesn’t look like marketing. The customer is speaking about your product in their own words.
- LinkedIn articles. Customers write LinkedIn articles themselves, meaning they have no direct ties to the company. This enhances credibility tremendously.
- Q&A articles. This is good middle ground—the company asks the customer questions, cleans up the transcript, and publishes it. While the customer owns their quotes, the company owns the piece.
It’s worth noting that customer-created content is very different from customer-informed content. Marketers own customer-informed content, integrating their quotes into case studies and press releases. Both are effective, but articles and videos created by customers tend to carry more weight.
How Do I Approach Customers About Content Creation?
Your customers are already busy. When you ask them to write an article or shoot a quick video clip, you’re adding to their workload. That’s why your request must be properly timed, framed correctly, and reasonable.
Timing is critical. If you’re asking a customer to create content for you, approach them shortly after they paid you a compliment or left a positive review. For instance, if they ask to renew their contract with you, act fast rather than circling back a few months later. You’re much more likely to get a response.
In addition, the ask must come from the right person. A content creation request is better received when it comes from someone your customer had direct contact with. A message from their sales rep lands differently than one from a content marketing team they’ve never met before.
Since your customers are busy people, it often helps to incentivize them. Make the ask appealing by sharing the potential benefits. Not only will you expose them to a new audience through your media platform, they will also get the satisfaction of helping fellow industry professionals make smarter decisions.
Lastly, your request shouldn’t ask for too much. If you’re asking for a video testimonial, tell them you’ll handle the editing. For Q&A articles, say all they have to do is answer a few simple questions candidly—you’ll handle the rest.
Real Customer Voices Win
The gap between polished marketing and authentic voices is only getting wider. Readers are getting better at identifying marketing content that was written to sell, not inform.
As AI-generated press releases and marketing copy become more frequent and brand trust continues to fade, customer voices are becoming more rare and valuable.
The customers who love your product and sing your praises are already out there. Your sales team and customer success reps know who they are and how to contact them—it’s your job to create a content strategy and execute.