In January of this year, we posted a blog that blithely discussed 2020’s Top Digital Marketing Trends. The world seems much older now, as we slide toward the end of the endless year, and our January naivety seems cute. Interestingly though, a lot of the trends turned out to be more powerful than we even predicted. One of those is user-generated content.
You could also call this marketing method “extreme word of mouth” or even “let your customers do the work for you.” User-Generated Content (UGC) happens when one of your “users” (consumers or clients) generates social media buzz for you by posting about how great your product or service is.
What is UGC?
An article called What is User Generated Content? published on BBNTimes.com defines UGC as “reviews, comments, social media posts, Q&A articles” and other opinion indicators of the public posted in various spots on the internet. At one end is a Google review that your aunt posts about a local taco spot, and at the other is the burgeoning legion of celebrity testimonial home videos about how great the Ivy Park threads that Beyonce gifted them are.
Single Grain says, “UGC can be as basic as blog comments and testimonials or it can take the form of blog posts, images and videos created by users. GoPro’s entire YouTube channel is dedicated to UGC, showing high-quality videos produced by its customers using its hardy, portable cameras. The channel is currently pushing 8 million subscribers.”
Why Does it Work?
The bottom line is that people trust other people’s “disinterested” opinions over content the brand presents to sell itself.
A Simple Guide to Using User-Generated Content on Social Media published by HootSuite says it comes down to authenticity. “Consumers are 2.4 times more likely to view user-generated content as authentic compared to content created by brands. That offers brands an important credibility boost, since most people say less than half of brands create authentic content.”
How Can It Help Your Business?
The BBNTimes.com article referenced above breaks it down. Here are the top 3 benefits to harnessing the power of UGC:
Social Proof
“According to HubSpot, more than 50% of users visit a company’s website after reading social proofs (ie positive reviews or other UGC). An optimized landing page and a converting call to action (CTA) then take care of the rest.”
Valuable Insights
“A report from Stackla informs that almost 20% of consumers unfollow a brand because it doesn’t create authentic content. In-depth user-generated content evaluation offers valuable insights that can help you foster authentic content that pleases your audience.”
A Boost for SEO Performance
“As per an analysis done by SearchEngineJournal, average web page visits nearly double when it gets customer reviews.”
It’s clear that UGC is an incredibly effective way to market your business. Want expert help in harnessing the power of UGC and a panoply of other digital marketing techniques to promote your service or product? Call Tree Ring Digital…we can help!