What is User Generated Content and Why is it Effective? 

Diego is a big fan of GUCCI. Each Time he purchases something from this brand, he posts a video or image of it to his little YouTube channel, Facebook or Instagram profile with a nice review post. Jackson Dorian, a 14 years old surfer recently made a video of surfing with GOpro action Cam in a restless sea and uploaded it on Instagram. Gopro official Instagram page shared one video welcoming him to their family with a lot of Hashtags. Do you know what these types of contents are called? These are called UGC or User Generated Content.

UGC or User Generated Content basically refers to any content that is created by users, customers, people or interested parties rather than the brands. UGC can be in many forms such as videos, Images, stories, reviews, ratings, a testimonial, or even a podcast. Brands can be promoted to the next level by using UGC. When a customer posts something about any product or service, the brand can take permission from the person and use it to its own social media account. Remember to always ask for permission to use the content. It creates a sensibility of moves toward the customers. User Generated Contents are absolutely unsponsored and unpaid and entirely dependent on the user promoting information on social media and other internet venues. 

Importance of User Generated Content

In the usual sense, UGC may seem like a regular stuff but if you closely look at the impact, you’ll notice the ultimate output. UGC is considered as one of the most effective marketing platforms as it is used at various phases of the buyer’s journey to increase engagement and boost conversions. 

First of all, UGC is not something that the brand promotes by themselves. It’s a bunch of raw and genuine reviews from the customers. Customers tend to believe User generated Contents more than regular contents by the brands. Because it portrays the authenticity of the product or service and has no sales approach in it. In the era of photoshop and graphics designing, it’s very easy to convert a cat to look like a ferocious tiger in content. So general users and consumers can not find the regular branding trustworthy. 

UGC creates brand awareness among the potential customers. The customers and the interested parties get a clear cut sight to make a purchase or consider it in near future.

UGC mostly appears in Social Media platforms. So companies can make campaigns or highlights about the customers’ contents and make it their asset permanently. It will definitely be a wonderful strategy to boost and make growth for the business. 

When a user writes a review highlighting the brands name or product name, uses some hashtags, makes a code about the product, it automatically boosts the Search Engine Optimization. About 30 percent of the search engines related to brands are somewhere connected to UGC. Using user-generated content in the SEO plan is a great approach to improve the brand’s search engine rankings while also promoting social validation for your goods.

UGC is the most cost effective way to promote a brand. In fact it can be free of cost most of the time. Customers get a satisfactory service from a brand and happily post it to their online platform. This later can become a valuable asset for any brand.  All the brand needs to be aware of is to provide a top notch product and hospitality to the customer.

User Generated Contents is highly influential and encourages consumers, specially  potential buyers  to make a purchase. So brands should focus on these types of contents in order  to create a better brand value. To learn more, click here