It's no secret consumers prefer to receive product recommendations from peers rather than brands.
UGC is the best example of word-of-mouth marketing in the digital age. And leading the group of vocal consumers are social media creators.
What is User Generated Content (UGC)?
UGC is content that, as the acronym itself says, is user-generated. Every time your brand is mentioned online by any user, influencer or not. This type of content, created by people outside your company, is definitely one of the best digital marketing tools at your disposal.
Content generated by online mentions of customers, creators, influencers has a very strong impact on the community because it is perceived as spontaneous, therefore sincere and quality content. UGC represents the modern word-of-mouth formula, perfect for raising awareness, but also creating trust.
UGC is therefore fundamental to improving your marketing strategy precisely because it allows you to nurture your audience that has already had contact with your brand and convert users through the testimonials of the content generated by the people they follow online.
Why is user-generated content so important?
Traditional advertising still works for services and products, but especially online the goal is to invest in organic and authentic growth, and therefore in UGC and IGC.
Influencer marketing allows marketers to collaborate with authentic voices to produce content about the brand. Influencers, brand ambassadors and key opinion leaders are responsible for some of the most impactful user-generated content on social media.
What is the difference between user-generated content (UGC) and influencer-generated content (IGC)?
UGC is now the generic term for any type of content generated by third parties and not by the brand itself. Influencer-generated content can also be called in more detail Influencer Generated Content, it is a form of user-generated content, but not all UGC has to come from influencers, which is why the two are not the same thing.
Here are the differences:
UGC can therefore be represented by any kind of spontaneously generated content, a post, but also a comment, a review that promotes a brand and assures other users of the validity of the product.
A good marketing strategy considers the design of IGCs that can create engagement and thus create UGC from anyone who has tried the product or service. One of the simplest techniques to create UGC is to send a post-purchase e-mail to customers and offer coupons or loyalty points in exchange for a review.
Why do UGCs cost less than IGCs?
As we have seen before, content generated by influencers is precisely created by influential personalities in the social world who are consequently recognisable. The popularity of these personalities comes at a higher cost because they have an online reputation that allows your brand to be more credible and at the same time allows your content to be more visible or otherwise attract the attention of users who know the influencer or creator.
UGC, on the other hand, may be made by creators who do not necessarily have an online following or a large fan base and therefore their face is less recognisable. Moreover, the quality of the content may be lower, even to follow the line of an authentic product.
We cover this in more depth in how UGC and IGC can help you save money.
Does UGC or IGC mean influencer marketing?
No, it is not the same thing: UGC that creators produce on commission for a brand is not to be considered as part of an influencer marketing campaign. In fact, this content is not published on the profiles of the people who created it, but directly in the brand's channels in organic or sponsored content. To use it in advertising you need a written agreement on usage rights: see our page on advertising rights cost.
Content generated by influencers or creators certainly offers a greater competitive advantage as it also exploits the creator's fanbase and not just that of the brand. Indeed, the latter having a larger and more influential audience can increase engagement with the brand.
Are you looking for influencers and creators to promote your brand? Sign up for free on Roundabout and assess creators with Creator Analysis: real audience, niche, history and content performance.
If you'd rather have our team find the right UGC creators and run the campaign, see our end-to-end managed campaigns, write to [email protected] or book a call with us.
