• Facebook will help you hook up with your crush. And a bunch of other stuff. 
• After hitting 28m subscribers, Hulu is launching new shows and a new ad experience.
• Need affordable, virtual customer service? Check out Google’s new platform; CallJoy.
• LinkedIn is testing a new profile feature, which will allow users to display their services.

When it comes to breaking through the ‘noise’ on social media, user-generated (UGC) content takes the cake.

Why?

It’s the most authentic form of content creation out there. Think about it…

No one is forcing your customer’s hand. They’re sharing your product because they want to. That’s a powerful thing. 

From an engagement standpoint, UGC is huge. The more people who share, the better your posts will perform in the feed.

Enough about the why. Let’s talk about how to encourage your users to generate content.

1. Hold a competition: People love prizes. An easy way to fire up some UGC is to host a competition in which you offer a prize for the best photo featuring your product or service. Make sure to include some ground rules, such as; ‘To qualify, you must tag 3 friends.’
2. Hashtag: The hashtag game has changed a bit, but the premise remains the same; hashtags facilitate searches. Do some research on existing hashtags. Pick one that no one else is using and ask your audience to use it.
3. Backed by a cause: Doing good is good. What’s really good is when your brand can align with a social cause (aka cause marketing). Brand ethos matters to people, so whether you’re a big or small brand, think about ways to get your user base involved with a cause.
4. 15-seconds of fame: If your customers know they can land on your website or other social channels, they might be more enticed to generate content. Make sure you’re re-sharing UGC on other channels outside of Instagram.

Your favorite dancing baby GIF just got a whole lot funnier! Watch the dancing baby do its thing as you listen to Katy Perry’s Swish Swish or Snoop Dogg’s Drop It Like It’s Hot.

It’s like Giphy, but with music. Legit music.

Try GifNote.

Thursday vibes. Here’s a fun one.

Poor Kevin.