UGC Brainstorming - Need Some Help!

[esztanyo]

Hi All,

I'm helping a client build an e-commerce store from the ground up, which sells class rings to high school students.  Not a novel product, but they have a nice URL - WearMyStory.com, and are thinking through creative ways to reach the market by letting users share their stories with UGC.

I have some ideas, but could use some help.  I think using video/picture/essay contests for students to share their stories is a great way to get buzz and grow socially.  What I don't know is how to capture all of this great UGC for SEO purposes.  Do you know of any great sites with brilliant UGC strategies (outside of reviews, etc.)?  Do you have any examples of software companies who help you leverage the UGC into SEO gold?  I'm trying to find great examples of frameworks where sites are leveraging the UGC.

The other wall I am hitting is how to create a community when it is simply a one time purchase e-commerce product.  If a customer buys a ring (or any product for that matter), what would keep them coming back to the site?  Any good examples out there that you can think of?

Thanks!

[Gyi]

Hey Eric,

Here are a couple resources and thoughts:

• seomoz.org - take a note from Moz's community building approach, it's one of the best, imho.

• Also check this: http://www.seomoz.org/blog/ecommerce-seo-making-product-pages-into-great-content-whiteboard-friday

• Which reminds me of Zappos.com

Hope this helps and good luck!