The explosion of User-Generated Content (UGC) is no accident. For years smartphones have become more and more sophisticated, with the current iPhone 11 Pro capturing phenomenal footage that is being used by professionals in advertising and world-renowned movie directors. 

And then came lockdown. 

With film production companies basically shut down for months, brands, ad agencies, and TV shows had to look elsewhere for content. And of course, UGC was the natural choice. We saw ads made by employees, late night hosts making their shows on their own phones, and YouTubers saw their viewership explode. Even as the country eases restrictions and begins to re-open, the power of UGC content cannot be unseen. It’s not only here to stay; it’s ready to dominate. 

Now with 5G speeds about to go global, and millions of people around the world carrying these filming tools in their pockets, you have an army of content creators at hand. These are the kinds of people who have already proven their value to the world, and are now the future of influencer marketing.  

But how do you reach them? How do you excite them to create content for your brand? And what does it take to build up a go-to team of creators around the globe? In effect, your very own “A-Team” of reliable, pre-screened ambassadors who can be called on regularly to deliver the quality content you want. 

Here’s the lowdown on the video production strategy that got thousands of brands through quarantine, and is continuing to change the world of marketing. 

Step one – The call to arms

Think of finding great content creators in the same way as fishing pros find the best fish. You need to go to the places where the ones you’re looking for are in abundance. But unlike fishing, you can do most of the heavy lifting through the Internet and social media. And with the addition of newsletters and email campaigns, your own influencers, and even sponsored celebrities and athletes, your communications can be far-reaching and extremely effective. So, how would this work in practice?

Let’s say you’re looking for content creators to spread the word about an upcoming event. Wyoming’s Cheyenne Frontier Days is a prime example of this. You put out the word through social channels (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter) and also hit-up pages and sites that revolve around rodeos and a love of the Old West. 

Create simple but compelling content to grab their attention, like a short video explaining the details of the event, or a graphic that catches the eye. And then, ask them to say why they’d be the best people for the job. Remember, this is not just what you say but who you’re saying it to. Speak their language. The way you get lovers of this rustic lifestyle to attend is going to be way different than the Comic-Con crowd. 

Step two – The auditions

You’ve put the word out. Now it’s time to test the waters with the people who responded. These are people who actively engage with your brand, or the brand being promoted. Not only are they ready to go to work for you, they’re excited to be a part of it. Keep this in mind when you direct message your top choices (let’s say the top ten) and feed off that enthusiasm when you ask them to do a simple audition. 

There are several crowdsourcing tools available for this. With Cinebody you can get each potential contributor onboarded in less than a minute, and then set them a task to complete. And it really is as simple as asking them to state their name, where they live, and why they want to do this. You want to see how comfortable they are on camera (as authenticity is key for content marketing), and also how well they can film. 

Step three – The screening process

Now’s the time to select your crew. Look at each audition and see if they’re truly a good fit. They may well be great on camera, but may not have the kind of personality that dovetails with your brand (or the eye in front of, and behind, the camera). You want genuine participants who are excited to be a part of your team. Reach out to these people with a message telling them they’re on board, how excited you are to have them on the project, and also what else is in it for them. And that brings us to the next step…

Step four – The gig set-up

The people you have tapped to create content will already be super-excited to capture footage that you’ll use. For example, imagine if you’re a fan of Slash and you see something you filmed in his music video. Awesome right?! And you can always sweeten the pot with free tickets, t-shirts, downloads, or any other swag. 

However, as you’re setting up a stable of content creators that you can call upon at any moment, at least once a month, it’s a good idea to look at this set-up more like a sponsorship or retainer deal. You want your A-Team to be there for you, and that takes more than good will and a free mug. So consider giving each team member $100/month to film 20-30 minutes of footage once or twice a month. That’s a pretty nice hourly rate for anyone, and you’re getting an awesome return on that investment. Just think of how much it would cost to have a freelance production crew getting that same content. And they won’t be anywhere near as close to the subject matter, or as excited to share it on social media. 

Step five – The continuous content

This is what it’s all about – great authentic content filmed by brand ambassadors and superfans. Now you give them the assignments that will be included in your upcoming campaigns. 

The key here is to have a flow of great content coming directly to you, so that you have an abundance of awesome content to work with. Plan out your content calendar for the coming months, and list what you “need to feed” it. Then set up bi-weekly or monthly tasks for your team of creators. An app like Cinebody makes it easy to create and distribute shot lists for each team member.  And as the footage rolls in, week by week, month after month, you can give feedback in real-time and make suggestions. 

And that’s all there is to it. Follow these simple steps and you’ll quickly build your content-creation A-Team that you can tap whenever you need footage for a campaign.