The news: Last week, credit unions and their customers participated in the annual #ILoveMyCreditUnion social media campaign, per America’s Credit Unions. During last year’s campaign, over 1,000 organizations across all states and 15 countries reached more than 4 million people.

The details: Members of America’s Credit Unions encouraged their customers to share personal stories of why they love their credit union on July 25. The campaign was intended to “inspire authentic and high energy conversation about why we love our credit unions.”

Why this campaign matters: User-generated content boosts a brand’s trustworthiness, lets customers express themselves, and increases brand visibility. And it’s almost free for a brand, apart from any incentives offered and time spent coordinating campaigns.