Modern online stores are increasingly shifting their focus from themselves to their regular customers, employees and brand fans, allowing copyright content to be more and more embedded in their marketing activities. User Generated Content has been ranked as one of the most compelling in the world. Why? Further in the article, we will answer this question, as well as analyze in detail the topic of UGC and its impact on online store sales.
What is UGC?
UGC stands for User-generated content. This is any content that has been created, published and/or submitted by the audience of a particular brand. UGC refers to any user activity: reviews, comments, reviews, photos, and even videos. In many cases, UGC is the most effective content for brands.
Instagram remains the main UGC platform for many brands. Users create and publish posts with information about your online store, introducing their audience to the products or services offered. You can also share this content with your audience, increasing their loyalty.
The main advantage of UGC is that it benefits both parties, both the brand and the audience. Thanks to UGC, the online store constantly receives updated content, which, in fact, you do not need to spend any time or money on generating. Its authors are your customers. You, as a representative of a product or service, only need to directly or indirectly motivate them to create and distribute it, and then correctly use the material on your resources. In addition, with a high level of user-generated content, the cold audience grows trust in the brand, since the view of the same ordinary people is very important to them, and not the information presented in the advertisement. People like to feel the response from the stories of other buyers. It is something authentic, real and real. This kind of content attracts new users much more effectively than perfect, “polished” promotional photos.
Let’s look at some statistics:
- 70% of consumers trust UGC more than branded content.
- 79% of people say that UGC has a fairly strong influence on their buying decisions.
- Customers buy a product 6 times more often if the page contains photos from social networks.
- 72% of shoppers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations.
With the rapidly growing online shopping industry, the lines between content and commerce are beginning to blur. Online stores are increasingly uploading content from social networks to their sites to create a trusting relationship with a potential buyer in advance, diversify the visual of the site and encourage the user to become part of the community.
User Content Types
For a better understanding of this topic, it is worth considering the most common types of UGC.
- Reviews
In terms of sales, testimonials are the most popular type of user-generated content. This type of UGC is very important for any brand, as it has a direct impact on the image. Reviews are an indicator that the audience has something to say about your product. Most often, potential customers decide to buy based on this type of UGC. The more detailed and positive reviews, the more likely it is to increase the number of buyers.
- Reviews
Reviews are quite similar to reviews, but they are more detailed and contain an evidence base. They are usually posted on social media. In most cases, product reviews are used in text or video format. Reviews are not such a common type of UGC, as they require more time and effort to create.
- Photos
Photos are another common type of UGC. Such content is most often used in social networks: the buyer takes a picture of the product, then publishes it, tagging your brand. To increase such UGC, you can, for example, launch a flash mob. Buyers will be happy to participate in it, and you will receive a large amount of new author’s content that you can post in your brand account or even on the website.
- Video
Video is also a very popular type of user-generated content. There are a huge number of themes to create. For example, you can ask customers to use your store’s products to create creative videos. In addition, videos can be published on the brand account. A huge plus of the video is that a person sees the product not only from one angle, but can view it from all sides. UGC videos can also be used in brand advertising, as, as we have already said, real customer reviews attract new audiences much more effectively.
As it is mentioned above, user-generated content is powerful social proof. It helps build trust and closes the objections of potential buyers. How can user-generated content be used in marketing? For example, UGC can be used effectively in ad creatives. With both video and photo testimonials, you can create a compelling video creative that grabs the attention of potential buyers and builds their trust.
