User generated content (UGC)

User generated content (UGC) is content that is created by individual people — potentially a company’s users or customers — as opposed to marketing collateral or other content that is created internally. UGC can include photos, videos, reviews, blog posts, and so on. Often, customers will submit UGC organically on social media, although marketers can also run targeted campaigns that offer incentives for users to generate content for the brand.

One of the key reasons UGC is so powerful is due to the social proof it provides a brand. Whereas many traditional marketing content can be viewed as biased and not as trustworthy, user generated content is seen as a more authentic and trustworthy form of marketing. In addition to valuable marketing material, UGC can also provide valuable insights into user sentiment and behavior around new products or services.

One of the key use cases for user generated content is building brand awareness, typically on social platforms, and increasing the brand’s trustworthiness. Encouraging users to create authentic content related to the brand not only increases visibility but also drives valuable user insights. After it’s created, many brands will also amplify their UGC through traditional means such as paid advertising and other forms of marketing. 

Specifically, a few key uses of UGC include:

• Brand awareness: With more customers sharing their own content related to a brand this creates a more engaging and authentic online presence.
• Social proof: UGC also showcases your product or services in a more trustworthy way and thus can build credibility on social platforms with new potential customers.
• Product development: UGC can also be leveraged as a form of feedback and drive new product development by soliciting feedback from real customers.
• Influencer marketing: UGC is also often used in influencer marketing campaigns by directly partnering with influencers and brand advocates.

Regardless of how you go about obtaining user generated content, it’s important for marketers to track and analyze the performance of their campaigns over time.

As a leader in marketing analytics, Singular provides a suite of tools to increase the ROI of your UGC marketing campaigns. 

With Singular’s granular insights, you’re able to optimize opportunities to generate value from user-generated content. For example, you could use Singular links to measure impact and value, or provide assets for users that you improve via creative-level performance analytics. You can also amplify customers’ UGC and reach new audiences while measuring impact and performance with Singular analytics.

In summary, UGC is a powerful marketing technique used by brands to increase engagement and authenticity with their customers. By pairing UGC with a marketing analytics tool like Singular, brands can gain valuable insights and increase the ROI of their overall campaigns.