How Can User-Generated Content Help Your Brand?

Have you heard of User-Generated Content (UGC)?

Have you ever come across a content creator who enthusiastically raves about a product and keeps it real with you? Or, when considering a new laptop purchase, have you ever tuned into YouTube reviews from YouTubers to help guide your decision? This is the power of User-Generated Content (UGC) – it’s real, raw, and crucial for propelling your brand to the next level!

What is User-Generated Content (UGC)?

User-Generated Content (UGC) is unique and brand-specific content created and shared by users on social media platforms. It is a form of participatory media where social profiles play an active role in creating, curating, and sharing content about your product or brand with others in a variety of mediums. This is a very powerful marketing tool: consumers consider User-Generated Content to be 35% more memorable than content from professional marketers!

Types of User-Generated Content (UGC)

User-Generated Content (UGC) can essentially be any content! Some common types of UGC include:

Photos, Videos, or Podcasts
Customer Testimonials
Social Media Challenges (TikTok #challenges)
Youtube Content

Who Can Create User-Generated Content (UGC)?

Customers

The type of content a customer creates is flexible. Whether that be a raving Google review or a fun TikTok unboxing video, your customers are a great way to receive UGC from. Keep in mind, however, sometimes a customer shares UGC because you’ve asked, while sometimes it is organically shared (a decision a customer makes on their own).

Here’s a fun fact: According to this source, 87% of brands use UGC for authentic (and free) content. Also, engagement increases by 28% when consumers can view a mixture of user-generated product videos and official brand authored content.

Employees

Employees can develop their own content to show the value and story of your brand. Generating “behind the scenes” content, such as packing orders, can contribute to showcasing authenticity across social media platforms and establish a strong brand identity for your customers. This is a great way to increase engagement with your followers, as employee posts get re-shared up to 24x more than a branded post.

UGC Creators

The market for UGC has significantly increased because of how impactful this marketing tool is for increasing awareness for your brand or product. Because of this, a UGC creator is a social media user who specialises in generating content for brands. Here’s the catch: though this content appears authentic, is it actually often sponsored. This means that UGC creators are paid by brands to create content that appears to be traditional, authentic, un-sponsored UGC, such as that produced by satisfied customers. Considering that 79% of people say UGC highly impacts their purchasing decisions, if you need a strong method to market your product, this might be a good decision for your business.

A real-world example of UGC: Maybelline has uploaded advertisements on social media using photos taken from customers posting videos online reviewing their makeup products.

Why is User-Generated Content (UGC) Important?

Viral Power of Word-of-Mouth on Social Media

The rise of short-form videos and platforms such as TikTok has made User-Generated Content a major player in the social media world. According to this source, millennials trust UGC 50% more than content generated by the brands, whether it’s a TikTok of someone providing a review or exploring a store. UGC is crucial because it operates on the principle of word of mouth, where people trust the opinions and experiences of others. They prefer a more casual, authentic approach over high-production, polished content created by companies.

Builds Brand Loyalty

Sharing User-Generated Content highlights a brand’s existing customer base and creates brand appeal among similar target audiences. For example, developing types of challenges and incentivizing customers to create UGC can help grow and create an engaged community.

Builds Credibility and Trust

By leveraging User-Generated Content, the authenticity and genuineness of real customers sharing their positive experiences with your business can build credibility and trust. As your audience sees others are already buying from your business, potential customers feel more confident in making a purchase themselves. To support this, 84% of consumers say they trust peer recommendations above all other sources of advertising.

Influences Purchasing Decisions

When you are faced with a crowded market of similar products and brands, what’s the first step you take? While some may initially research the company behind the product, many turn to customer reviews as the ultimate deciding factor. Why? People trust the honest, real-life experiences and opinions of fellow users over the polished marketing pitches from the companies themselves. So, when shopping for items, User-Generated Content, such as reviews and customer testimonials, can greatly influence the purchasing process.

Start building your strategy for User-Generated Content today!

At Tiny Planet Digital, we know how to get your community involved with your brand to build awareness, trust, and loyalty. Our experts will work alongside you to create the perfect plan for your business.

Book a Discovery Call Today!

In the meantime, check out our other blogs:

Blog post written by Shirley Wen, 2023. Updated by Pauline Lexanova, 2024.