What Is User Generated Content(UGC) And How It Helps Our Business
You've just launched your new clothing line. Customers who have bought them and are delighted, they take pictures wearing them and post them on social media. Or you have a property and your guests share stories from their stay. Congratulations! You just got new User Generated Content(UGC) for your business! Through UGC, the audience of these users came into contact with your business/brand and thus you gained access to a new audience. At the same time you have also acquired material that you can post on your channels(with permission of course). UGC is a very powerful tool that you can use to serve many purposes. In this article we will tell in detail what User Generated Content is, why our business needs it but also how we can use it. What is User Generated Content(UGC); Το User Generated Content(UGC) or user-generated content is original user-generated content published on social media or other channels. Content is usually created spontaneously mainly because users are fans of the brand and/or love the product. UGC can take many forms, such as pictures, video, critics, testimonials, articles or even podcasts. Where does UGC come from?; Content may originate from customers, followers, influencers, content creators even from a company's own employees. You will surely have achieved an unboxing video somewhere on social media. Or a photo of a restaurant menu from an enthusiastic customer. You may have seen make up artists make "how to..." videos using certain cosmetics. Or a tech maniac to review a gadget that just hit the market. These are all examples of UGC. This means that anyone can create content for a brand(brand). Even employees can create content for the brand they work for(EGC). This can be a backstage video of an event, the production process or even a simple video showing how much fun they are having at work. What makes user-generated content stand out?; User generated content is authentic, as we mentioned above, it is usually spontaneous. Of course, there is also the case that a content creator or influencer gets paid to create it, but even so the content is authentic as it is usually created through the perspective of a third person and not the brand. It is very different for the customer to hear the usefulness of the product from a simple user than from the company itself. People trust people. They want to see the usefulness of the product/service in real life. We would say that UGC is a digital form of "word of mouth". According to surveys consumers are 2,4 times more likely to view user-generated content as authentic compared to brand-generated content. Authenticity helps build loyalty, trust and in the development of the community of a business. But it's not just consumers who are passionate about authentic content. The 60% of marketers agrees that authenticity and quality are equally important elements of successful content. And there is no other type of content that is more authentic than User Generated Content from your customers. Caution! Don't be tempted to fake user-generated posts or campaigns. The public can tell when something is fake and this can damage your brand. Increases Sales UGC is used at all stages of the customer journey. It keeps him informed and connected. The customer can make a purchase immediately or it may take some time. But still, UGC motivates him. It also creates familiarity with the product or service. End, puts the product in the "consideration" of the potential customer. He may not need the product or service right now but when he wants to buy it he will come to us. In marketing terms, UGC influences audience engagement and increases conversions. Shows the product/service to a new or larger audience Today, brands have to fight to get in front of their ideal audience. The competition is huge and everyone is vying for the public's attention. As a result, shoppers are more selective and skeptical about the brands they interact with and buy from, especially the Gen-Z generation. Through UGC your business has the ability to be shown to a new audience. In the user's own audience. This audience is much more engaged and trusts the user. If the user is a fan of your brand, probably his audience will love you too as it consists of like minded people. That is, people with the same way of thinking and with the same values. So most likely the user's audience is also your ideal audience. Creates Engaged Community UGC gives customers a unique opportunity to participate in a brand's growth and become part of its community rather than just a spectator. This is something they do with enthusiasm and joy. UGC also opens a channel of communication between a brand and its customers and this helps create and grow an engaged community.. Increases confidence Let's not hide behind our finger. Consumers don't trust advertisers. The exaggeration, "big" words and utopian images do not help. And the truth is that many ads and many campaigns have these characteristics(although fortunately they are gradually decreasing). also, many consumers have in their minds that companies(especially the big companies) they only intend to sell and do not really care about them. In a survey done in the USA, showed that in fact, Only the 9% of Americans trusts ads. Not an encouraging number! Companies have to work harder than ever to establish their credibility. also, according to statistics the 93% of professionals…