An Introduction To User-Generated Content

Creating content for your brand is an important, but time-consuming task. On top of that, your audience wants to hear from actual customers what they like (or don’t like) about your products and if they actually do what you claim they do. Fortunately, customers are producing more content than ever showing off their favorite products, and creating user-generated content (UGC) that you can use to help promote your brand.

What Is User-Generated Content?

User-generated content, also known as UGC, is brand-specific content made by individuals. For example, if you visit a local coffee shop, take a photo of your drink, upload it to your social media, and tag the shop, you’ve created UGC. If you’ve scrolled through your Instagram or TikTok account, chances are you’ve seen plenty of people raving about a product or service they love- that is more than likely UGC.

Types Of User-Generated Content:

Organic UGC is content that your customers make unprompted, simply because they love your product so much. There are several types of organic UGC. One of the most common is reviews or testimonials. Not only do these help encourage new customers to purchase from you, but you can turn them into graphics or add them to your website. Many customers read reviews before purchasing a new product, so take advantage of the positive things your current customers have to say about you!

Photos and videos are another popular form of UGC. This can be posted on a customer’s own social media, or with a review post. Photos help others see your product in “real life” to get a better idea of if it is what they are looking for themselves.

Blog posts are a form of organic UGC. This could include a full review or could be someone explaining how they use your product in their everyday lives. You can share a link to their blog post, or pull a quote from it.

Social media content is one of the biggest forms of UGC. TikToks and Instagram Reels are huge, and many people look for them for advice and recommendations before making a purchase. If you’re tagged in the post, you can share on your own platforms, or even just comment to show that you are listening to your customers. If you are trying to build your UGC, try encouraging your audience to use a specific hashtag or ask them to tag you in posts. While many people will do this regardless, letting your audience know you want to see their content never hurts.

Paid UGC is non-organic content, but can still be very effective. UGC creators might approach you, or you can search for creators who might be a good fit to work with you. Generally, UGC creators give authentic reviews, they just get paid (by you) to do so. UGC creators usually start making content about their favorite brands for free, and once they build a following will start charging a fee. Paid UGC creators charge less than influencers and generate honest reviews that their followers trust.

User-generated content not only takes some of the pressure off of you but helps you connect with your audience and allows you insight into what they love about your business! Have you ever created user-generated content? Have you used it for your own business? Let us know in the comments!