Video is the most popular medium on the Internet, with people viewing more than 30 videos a month on the average.

Interesting videos can easily go viral, getting millions of views on YouTube and many more on other sharing platforms. A well-made marketing video has the potential of giving your business the kind of exposure that can boost brand recognition and attract more customers, therefore increasing your earnings.

However, unlike blog posts or even static ads, quality videos can be very expensive to make if you do not know how to produce these yourself since you’ll need to hire anything from a small team to a whole production crew that may include a director, a videographer or two, a scriptwriter probably actors, and other professionals.

Fortunately, social media and its ability to allow users to participate in everything from posts to actual content production can provide you with a great workaround. Proper engagement with customers not only builds brand loyalty but also permits you to invite them to produce content you can use. This content is referred to as User Generated Content, and it is very important to include in your video marketing arsenal.

Here are three ways you can do this:

  1. Ask customers for feedback. Testimonials are invaluable since many potential customers look for peer reviews of the products or services they are thinking of getting. Ask them to share their testimonials in short videos you can share individually or edit into clips for sharing on your Facebook, Instagram or Vine accounts.
  2. Convert positive comments on your blog and social media pages into testimonials. Reach out to customers who leave positive comments and ask if they would be willing to repeat this on video that they themselves can shoot on their smart phones or that you can do on a platform such as Skype.
  3. Hold a contest for the best customer-produced video about your business or product. Many customers will jump at the chance to win a prize from a brand or business they love. The best thing is that setting the rules improves your chances of getting videos that best suit your needs. Depending on what you offer, you can ask them to shoot anything from funny videos to new or unusual ways to use your products or services. Or the contest could be about how your brand has helped people or touched their lives.

Specify how long the videos should be depending on the platform you plan to use. For example, 6-second clips are perfect for Vine. For YouTube, Facebook and other social media platforms, as well as your blog page or business website, 2 to 3 minutes is the ideal length.

While the potential exposure customers may get through their winning videos is often a good enough incentive, you should encourage greater participation by offering attractive prizes. You can also draw in more contestants with multiple categories and more prizes.

Most of all, it is important to show your video contributors your sincere appreciation by thanking them individually and sharing their creations.