by By Lily Chrisman
In the digital age, social media has been a tool that brands use to connect with their audience and create a sustainable system for content marketing. A simple brand practice that Coca-Cola, Apple and Calvin Klein benefit from is user-generated content (UGC). UGS refers to any form of media or content created and shared by users rather than professionals. This encompasses many content types, including images, videos, text, reviews, comments, and more. User-generated content can be highly beneficial for brands, as it is cost-effective, creates an authentic environment, promotes community, and ultimately drives engagement.
Cost Effective
One of the benefits of UGC is that it often comes at little to no cost for brands. By tapping into a customer base, brands are able to build off the creativity of their audience and see the brand through a different lens. By resharing UGC, brands can create a continuous stream of fresh, diverse content without the need for large production budgets. This cost-effective approach saves money and enables brands to allocate resources to other marketing initiatives.
Builds Authenticity
The authenticity of user-generated content is what makes it unique. UGC provides a refreshing look from traditional branded content, as it is created by real customers who have genuinely experienced a product or service. This authenticity establishes trust among potential customers, as they can see real people enjoying and endorsing the brand. By featuring UGC on their social media platforms, brands can demonstrate transparency and build credibility, encouraging others to try their offerings.
Fosters Community
UGC has the power to build a vibrant and engaged brand community. By actively encouraging customers to share their experiences, stories, and opinions, brands can create a space where customers feel valued and connected. This sense of community fosters loyalty and encourages customers to become brand advocates, organically promoting the brand to their networks. When brands acknowledge and engage with their community through UGC, they create a sense of belonging and strengthen their relationship with their customers.
Increased Engagement
UGC invites consumers to actively participate in brand conversations which is why this tool is engaging. When customers see their content featured or shared by a brand, it creates a sense of recognition and pride. This engagement extends beyond the individual contributors, as their friends and followers are likely to join the conversation and participate in the brand’s social media activities. By encouraging UGC, brands can boost engagement metrics such as likes, comments, and shares, amplifying their reach and creating a dynamic social media ecosystem.
Hi Lily,
Thank you for your informative post. I think that user generated content (UGC) is a great way for businesses to obtain content for free. This term we worked for a client that has a limited budget. One of the objectives they created local authenticity, leading them to need to tie their business to the local community. One suggestion we made was to attract USG in order to highlight community members in the area without having to pay or provide incentives to influencers. User generated content is a great tool when needing to increase community engagement without breaking the bank.
Great piece. I think UGC provides a platform for consumers to feel seen in brand conversations. I agree that this builds community and fosters an even greater following which in turn translates to organic promotion. Which is arguably the most valuable as it is authentic.
Lily,
This was super informative! I really liked your insights on user generated content and how it can be used. This is a subject that I’ve never really thought about before, and I found it really interesting! Your four categories: cost effective, builds authenticity, fosters community, and increased engagement, are all super impressive! This was a great blog post, good job!