A great writer once said, “Consumption is just as crucial as creation, for without consumers there would be no reason to create.” This quote has been proven true many times over by the world of user generated content (or UGC). Not only has UGC shown that consumption is critical to the world of creatives, but it shows that users are inspired by social media marketing to become creators themselves.
What Is User Generated Content?
What exactly is user generated content? Well, any time someone who utilizes a product you’re selling expresses their love for it on social media, that is user generated content. If I dislike a product, but post about it all over my page, that is a form of UGC. To be precise, user generated content is simply content created by users of a product, rather than the creators of said project.
How User Generated Content Works In SMM
Why is UGC so important in social media marketing? Imagine that you’re trying to advertise for your brand. If you put out one hundred Instagram posts where you detail how great your products are, that might get some attention. However, if an actual participant of your brand posts even once about their use of your products, this will be taken into account by all of their followers in addition to all of yours, and it will be taken more seriously because they are unbiased toward the brand.
In basic terms, user generated content is social proof. It proves to other possible consumers that your brand is truly what you say it is. UGC shows potential buyers of your products that other reliable sources enjoy partaking in your brand. If your mother recommended a book to you, wouldn’t you be more likely to read it based on her recommendation than if the publisher recommended it? Without the bias of the owner or a paid worker’s opinions, user generated content shows your products at face value.
At the end of the day, a company can be successful with traditional forms of advertising and proper SEO. For brands looking to capture the interest those on Instagram, Tik Tok, and Facebook, user generated content will go a long way towards establishing trust and a more organic reach.
