Types of User-Generated Content

User-generated content, more commonly known as UGC, is any piece of content like a photo, video, online review, blog post, or vlog that is created by the end-user. In this article, we’ll go through different types of User-generated content and how they can be used.

Advantages of UGC

To users, the creation of UGC allows them to collaborate with their favorite brand, express themselves creatively, get various rewards and discounts for it, and even make some, even small changes in the company. Below given are the advantages of UGC.

Credibility

One of the most valuable bonuses that can be obtained with the use of user content is the trust of users. When you show interest in some of their thoughts, ideas, and feelings, and show your openness, attention, and respect for them, you will generate confidence in your company.

Reaching New Users

When some people start to trust you, others will see it, and there is an excellent chance that they will be interested in your company. This phenomenon is called social proof, which you have probably heard of more than once.

According to a study conducted by Nielsen, 92% of users believe content shared by their friends and relatives, more than any other messages from the brand itself. The second most important source is considered to be the opinion of strangers about a particular product.

Social proof has a strong influence on people, and with its help of it, you can significantly expand your audience. People tend to believe other people more than brands and companies. Thus, UGC allows you to not only strengthen relations with existing customers but also to reach new users.

Potential to Go Viral

Most likely, the virality of user content will be higher than that of ordinary content, as people tend to share their creativity with friends, relatives, and acquaintances.

Positive Impact on SEO

UGC also has a positive effect on SEO. KissMetrics revealed that if we consider the top 20 brands in the world, their results in the ranking are higher by 25% due to successful user content. This means that a large amount of organic traffic and content is associated with links to the site (mainly backlinks).

Encourages Users to Make a Purchase

The most challenging task for brands is to make people buy their products. According to a report from L2 Inc, when a user is in the process of thinking over the purchase faces UGC, it increases the conversion rate by 4.6%.

Types of User-Generated Content

These are the types of UGC that can be created, either by paid UGC creators or the general audience.

Comments

Comments help identify whether the product or service is helpful or not and whether people managed to find what they had expected.

Reviews

Think about the process of making an online purchase. You visit a website, open the page with a necessary product, and scroll down to find clients’ reviews. We do it unconsciously. Why do we look for them? We want to discover customers’ experience in dealing with a company.

Photo Review

We want to discover the way our product looks in real life without ideal lighting and presentation since very often, a product on a website and real life may differ.

Video Review

Video review is another excellent kind of UGC because it allows you to see how the product is used in real-life. It is especially crucial for gadgets and household appliances.

Ideas for New Design

UGC is an excellent variant when you are in search of new and fresh ideas for your products’ improvements. Use social networks and ask your clients to create a unique design for a reward.

As you can see above, Starbucks offered its clients to create a new design of their white cups and to post for collecting likes and shares. As a result, 4,000 people participated, and the number of clients grew by five times.

How to Start Collecting UGC

We’re read how UGC can help you grow your audience and boost your sales, but how do you start collecting it? Well, here’s how to get more UGC:

Analyze your Target Audience to Find Better Places for UGC

If your target audience consists mostly of young people, use social networks like Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, etc. If you work with both youth and adult people, create a special place on your website for leaving feedback. Its interface should be user-friendly and simple to review. Offer your clients a chance to leave their feedback after a purchase.

Be Creative and Original

Make regular competitions for your subscribers, and don’t forget about rewards. Create a page on social networks and post their new arrivals, posts, questionnaires, and competitions. Ask your clients for likes and shares. Another great idea is to do a giveaway. People will be delighted to get something for free, and you can also ask them to make a post with a unique hashtag.

Conclusion

Creating high-quality content takes a lot of time, money, and energy. Therefore, user-generated content is hugely beneficial. With the help of it, you can save a lot of money and, without much effort, get a lot of fresh and unique ideas, increasing customer loyalty and brand awareness. We hope this article helps!