When there’s a conversation to be had, there will always be people who want to get involved and have their say. This is the way humans have been throughout history, and this is probably one of the many reasons social media has become so popular.
People can leave comments, share their thoughts, and post photos on virtually any given topic. This has created what is known as user-generated content (UGC). These are posts on social media where an individual shares their views, be they positive or negative, on a product or business.
Smart marketers have been able to leverage this content to their advantage. In fact, if you aren’t making use of this content, you could be seriously missing out as according to the Nielsen Consumer Trust Index, a whopping 92% of consumers trust UGC more than traditional ads.
If that isn’t enough of reason to start displaying UGC on your website, here are the major benefits of doing so:
For any business, a high number of conversions is crucial to growth. UGC, amongst other tools, can help to increase your conversions which means more sales for you!
Word of mouth has long been the most effective form of advertising. That’s because when a friend or a loved one recommends something to us, we trust them. In most cases, we know they aren’t trying to turn a profit, they’re simply telling us about something they enjoyed and hoping we will get similar value from the same item.
UGC is the word of mouth advertising of the digital age. If you run a clothing brand, for example, showcasing the photos of real customers gives your brand authenticity and shows that your clothes are in demand (a core rule of fashion). Furthermore, these images will be devoid of studio edits and present what your clothes look like in real life, on real people. This allows people to feel more confident when they purchase with you.
People resonate more with a happy shopper than they do with a brand. After all, this is what consumers want – products they are happy with.
Sharing UGC will create a positive sentiment about your products that comes from real people, which comes across as a more authentic sentiment – unlike advertising.
Furthermore, sharing UGC also shows that you care about and celebrate your customers. It sends the message that when someone purchases from you, they are part of a community rather than just being another customer. Customers who feel cared for are more likely to return and recommend your products or services to others.
As necessary as marketing is, it’s also time-consuming and often costly. UGC, however, is free. Whilst it may not have the polish of a professional video from a marketing agency, it will certainly have the authenticity and positive sentiment that you need.
Incorporating UGC into your marketing strategy will allow you to have a steady stream of content on your website with minimal time and capital investment. This is a win-win for your website!
If you find you aren’t getting as much UGC you would like, run competitions with hashtags and prizes to encourage more from your customers. If people see that you are sharing and rewarding them for their content, they’ll be more inclined to post about you.
UGC provides a valuable window into the market sentiment of your products and brand. If you’ve released a new product or you’ve seen a dip in sales on a certain product line, looking at UGC may give you some much-needed answers to your questions.
This goes both ways. Your customers can use this content to answer their own questions about your product, so they can feel more informed about buying from you.
There are a number of factors that impact your website’s performance in search, including the content on your website. UGC offers a stream of content you can use to update your website regularly, which will improve your ranking.
Furthermore, it will increase your credibility in search which helps search engines to better determine the authenticity of your content, and its relevance to search terms.
Trying to come up with exciting and fresh content for your website is not easy, especially when you have other aspects of your business that you need to attend to. UGC, however, offers you a unique supply of content that has a much needed personal touch.
Plus, there’s no telling how creative people will get – which saves you from having to constantly come up with fresh and innovative ideas!
As you can see, there are a high number of great benefits for displaying user-generated content on your website! So, if you aren’t already tapping into the valuable content that your customers are creating – perhaps it’s time to start?
