Often times brands struggle to find enough content to fill their feed, they want a fresh, new perspective on what their brand represents and what they have to offer. Consumers and brand followers often have a great perspective on how they see the brand and may point out things about a brand that they didn’t even realize they should focus on until they get the opinion of their consumers and fans. User generated content is one of the oldest, yet most effective ways to come up with content to fill your brand or company’s digital feed. Did you know that 92% of consumers trust organic, user-generated content more than they trust traditional advertising? (Nielsen Consumer Trust Index). There are many reasons why user generated content would help your social presence and overall advertising message. 
- UGC helps build credibility for your brand.
If people trust the message that you are putting out because it is coming from someone who uses your brand or service and they will be more likely to use it as well. Potential consumers trust what current consumers have to say. Their opinion or recommendation is a major factor in deciding whether they are going to go with your brand or look elsewhere. Building credibility by showing that people love your brand and it is not just some marketing stint to get people to try it out also shows potential customers that you have their best interest at heart, and you truly are the best because people are saying so.
- Increase your brands unique edge with unique content.
Everyone loves a brand that is different, fresh and unique in the way that they approach marketing. No one wants to look at the same old content talking about how great their product is, because then people automatically think that the brand just wants them to buy something and they don’t care about anything else. This is where user generated content can help. By selecting content people are posting about your brand that is unique and different, it helps shift your marketing strategy from “buy me” to “check this out,” allowing people to form their own opinions based off of the recommendations of other consumers.
- Giving your consumers the spotlight shows that you care.
Nothing says you care about your consumers like letting them speak for you. Put simply, your not marketing at your audience but rather you are marketing with them. Consumers play a major role in the shaping and defining of your brand, by including them using their content it helps to really develop a brand that everyone loves. Success in all aspects including marketing is at your consumer’s fingertips. User generated content not only shows consumers that you care, but it also creates a story that inspires and sparks peoples interest, ultimately making them develop a relationship with your brand because they can relate to it on some level. It is basically like taking the business part of the business, it makes people look at your brand as less of a big company that wants to take their money and more of a brand whose story meshes well with theirs.
- More bang for your marketing buck.
In addition to all the other benefits for UGC, it’s free! People want to be featured on a brand page and have their story or experience shared, and surprise! It comes at no cost to you. Saving here and there while still providing phenomenal content will help your budget stretch father, and will allow you to spend your money on the big stuff, like a rocking company video that shows what the brand is all about and how it came to be. Picking out user generated content that meshes well with your brand image will help take your marketing to the next level all while freeing up the budget for more fun stuff!
- UGC allows consumers to see through the fog.
Brands pushing across advertisements all the time to their consumers causes their audience to develop a blindness and apt for ignoring the messages they are trying to reach them with because they look like advertisements. People do not want to be pressured to buy something all the time, and consistent advertising will cause many people to put their blinders on. By clearing up the advertising mess and focusing on what the consumers want to see and what they will actually pay attention to, it helps build your relationship with them, making them way more likely to purchase or use your brand.
User generated content is one of the most powerful tools there is when it comes to content creation on your social and advertising platforms. UGC helps to develop relationships with consumers and help them to relate to the brand on a more personal level, which will create a greater influence on them to purchase or use your brand. UGC is also a cost saving approach to marketing, helping keep the cost down and the results up. The biggest benefit is giving your consumers a voice and allowing them to speak for the brand, creating unique and interesting content that everyone will enjoy.
