What is UGC and why is it important for your social media presence

The modern marketing is driven by the incessant search for authenticity. The brands are dealing with savvy and skeptical consumers who refuse to take their word for granted and have means to do their own research so it’s becoming increasingly hard to simply razzle-dazzle your customers with a glossy ad campaign.

In this environment, UGC becomes the cornerstone of any successful marketing strategy. But what exactly is UGC?

UGC stands for “user-generated content” which is quite self-explanatory: it’s a piece of content of any kind (video, images, text, testimonials, reviews, blog posts, tweets – you name it) that is created by users rather than brands, made by consumers for consumers. In fact, if you’ve ever been on the Internet, you’ve probably produced or shared some of that UGC yourself at some point! Basically, it the experiences that social media users share in one form or another. But where do brands fit into this?

Why user-generated content is important for brands on Instagram.

The importance of UGC on social media can’t be underestimated. The evolution of the Internet and technology, the proliferation of mobile devices, growth of various digital platforms ranging from already familiar juggernauts such as Facebook and Twitter to daring new kids on the block like TikTok – all of these factors made a trickle of user-generated content turn into a flood… and brands are riding the wave!

It’s no surprise that companies big and small have been relying on UGC for a while now as it allows them to bring more and more people into the communities that are built around their brands. One specific example of a platform where UGC is helping businesses to achieve tremendous success is Instagram.

Instagram marketing had a colossal impact on many industries, from clothing and apparel to beauty products and cosmetics. It has even been suggested that Instagram has completely transformed the way the millennials and younger generations approach dining out and restaurants.

The visual nature of the content shared there is perfect for exposing your products and services to a wider audience, Instagram Stories became our go-to way for sharing first-hand experiences, and the service’s integration with Facebook Ads infrastructure gives companies several useful tools to amplify and promote the best pieces of UGC.

What are the main benefits of User-Generate Content?

Of course, there’s no single explanation for the reason behind UGC immense success, but a number of benefits that contribute to it. Let’s take a closer look at them:

• It’s Customer-Oriented. People come to social media to tell the stories of their life, their experiences, their travels and meals. User-generated content puts your customer front and center allowing them to tell their stories about your brand (in a way, it makes it almost like an indirect form of market research). By sharing the spotlight, you invite your customers to engage with you and join your community. And with increased engagement comes an increase in conversions.  

• It’s authentic. It’s easy to shrug it off as just another popular marketing buzzword, but authenticity does matter in an era when distrust of business is quite common. Your average consumer, who is constantly besieged by advertisement in their feed, quickly learns how to recognize traditional ads for what they are and skips them. UGC, on the other hand, looks organic in the feed, it doesn’t stick out like something out of place, but catches the eye and provokes interest, integrating the brand and the product into day-to-day life of a consumer.
• It’s cost-effective. There’s a very strong financial argument for using UGC as not only it can do wonders for your bottom line in the long run, but it also allows you to stretch your marketing budget. The investment is minimal, while the ROI is fantastic. However, this doesn’t mean that you need to abandon traditional and more expensive marketing altogether, in fact, it has been noted that it’s the combination of UGC and professionally-produced content that nets the best results.

• It fosters creativity and diversity. No matter how talented are the creatives at your disposal, by outsourcing the production of content about your brand to a larger community you are tapping into a nearly endless pool of creativity. You can use the continuous flow of unconventional content created by users from different backgrounds and age groups to target different segments of your audience. And – who knows? – maybe this diversity of viewpoints can give you a fresh perspective on your own brand as well.

Have trouble finding relevant UGC for your brand? We’re here to help!

In a fast-paced and constantly evolving social media landscape UGC can be the key element of your marketing campaign success, but finding the relevant content can sometimes be a challenge even for a highly-recognized brand. With Insense you can make tapping into the creative power of your audience as easy as making a few clicks. The platform gives you direct access to over 35,000 talented creators, ranging from motion designers and Instagram influencers to TikTok innovators, capable of reinventing the way your product and brand are presented to the audience. Check out the website and start optimizing the way you’re working with creators on every level!

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