The power & potential of user generated content – Part 1

What’s user-generated Content (UGC)? It’s simply content created by consumers rather than the brand itself. And it’s everywhere.

It can be photos or videos users post on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook. It can be reviews of your product popping up on Google, in blogs, forums and wikis.

Consumers (users) no longer just want to absorb content. They want to create it. We no longer have a purely passive audience that’s fed what we give them. Your users are living and breathing their own experiences with your products and generously handing them back to you.

The rise of the smart phone and social media has quite obviously been the catalyst for this new form of content generation. And it’s not going to change any time soon. So how do you, as a product owner, harness the power of UGC for ultimate good?

All UGC has the potential to say something positive about, or show a beautiful image of your product.

That’s pretty amazing in itself. Now think bigger. Think amplification.

When individuals create some form of UGC, they share it with their own audience for self-expression, personal brand creation, or rewards (product in exchange for reviews). This sharing provides the “multiplier effect”. Your product gets in front of potential customers in the users network – family, friends, peers, like-minded individuals.

That’s powerful. But it’s not just about numbers. It’s about trust.

When it comes to making purchasing decisions, society heavily relies on the opinions of their peers. They prefer word-of-mouth recommendations over advertising. Why? Because they trust them. They’re onto us!

So with UGC, you get free authentic content created for you, that’s amplified to an audience you wouldn’t normally have been able to connect with, and delivered by a trusted peer.

Are you beginning to see the potential here?

UGC offers so much more than simple brand exposure. It helps you connect with your consumers, catapulting your product into their hearts and minds in a way that traditional marketing may struggle to do. And you don’t need to have a huge budget to have a big impact. So why not consider integrating it into your social media strategy?

Read Part 2 for the next instalment in our blog series where we explore how to maximise your UGC with strategy and campaigns that will inspire and motivate.

If you’d like Red Candy’s assistance with your social media, feel free to buzz on (07) 3122 0950 or email info@redcandy.com.au.