← Back to glossary

What is Crowdsourcing?

Crowdsourcing is the practice of delegating certain company responsibilities to a broad group of people in the form of an open request. Low production costs, an excess of unclaimed talent and creativity, and the development of virtual communities of like-minded enthusiasts have led people to unite to perform narrowly focused tasks.

Crowdsourcing is a fast-growing, cost-effective method for businesses to gather the finest ideas from online communities and apply them in ways that benefit both the company and the contributor.

How to Use it Effectively

Crowdsourcing takes place on social media platforms that enable the creation and sharing of virtual content. Social media and crowdsourcing are shaping the way companies interact with customers and transforming the business landscape.

Both parties benefit from crowdsourcing: the user satisfies needs like social recognition, self-esteem, or the development of individual skills, and the crowdsourcer reduced costs, speed, quality, flexibility, scalability, and diversity.

There are several types of crowdsourcing:

  • Crowd Creation is the most common form of crowdsourcing. It is a type of crowdsourcing in which a project is developed through the collaborative efforts of many individuals, usually online.
  • Crowd Wisdom is a type of crowdsourcing that uses the knowledge and expertise of a big group of people to solve issues or forecast future results.
  • Crowdfunding is a type of alternative finance in which a project or business is funded by a large number of people contributing money.
  • Crowd Voting is a type of crowdsourcing that organizes and filters content based on the opinion of the community. 

Crowdsourcing can be used to accomplish a wide range of goals, including solving a specific problem, creating content, and generating ideas. Here are some tips on how to use it effectively in your business:

  • Invite your site users to participate in a contest for the best idea. Promise the winner a good reward.
  • Request feedback on your product or service from customers. Give prizes to the authors of the best or most creative one.
  • Ask customers to take a survey to improve the service of the company. Offer them something in return, like a small discount or a promo code.

Why Is Crowdsourced Content Important

Crowdsourced content can boost social media engagement. Getting more comments and likes on your posts is easier if you are using such content. Engagement rates are critical to promoting brands on social media platforms simply because the more users interact with your visual content and messaging, the higher your feed posts and the more likely new users will find your content.

Crowdsourced content can also help a customer make a purchasing decision. When it comes to making a decision, consumers are more likely to trust a fellow consumer who has used the product or service than they are to trust a brand. 

What Results Can You Achieve With Crowdsourcing

  • Build audience loyalty. The performer agrees to complete your assignment, generates ideas, disseminates information, and publishes the outcome on your site on his behalf. He pushes himself to achieve a high-quality result.
  • Improve existing products and services. The data collected can help improve the product and influence the company’s overall success.
  • Improve your company’s overall reputation. Attracting a huge number of people and constant discussion will grab the attention of the media.
Share
Choose what describes your business best:
What do I choose?

Enterprise: for multi-location and direct selling brands. Manage thousands of social media pages of your local distributors, partners, or franchisees.

Agency: for marketing agencies. Manage all your clients’ social media pages on one platform.

variant-popup-img