Definition:
User generated content (UGC) is the content that users themselves generate on the Internet about a brand, without there being a prior economic agreement. They are people who generate this content because they are satisfied with the products / services. You could say they are brand ambassadors.
Table of Contents
What is user generated content or UGC?
UGC is content generated by the users, followers or fans of a brand. Some examples of UGC are:
- A public comment from a follower
- Images or videos created by users.
- A post, paid or not, from any blogger.
- Digital reviews of a brand’s services or products.
It is essential for brands to know in depth what UGC is since they help to enhance their image. They serve both as support to differentiate yourself from the competition and to gain visibility by getting the brand talked about without having to pay for advertising.
What are the advantages of using user-generated content in content marketing?
User-generated content is a very interesting initiative to bring real results to your content marketing strategy.
That users share an opinion about the brand can be the most effective, even more than the material that produces it.
Consumers have greater confidence in other buyers than in expert statements from the brands themselves. In addition, they feel less invaded than with ads.
Therefore, it makes a lot of sense to generate UGC campaigns included in the current strategy. What it presents as advantages:
- Social proof. One of the most interesting ways to convince a potential customer is to use social evidence. That they can see first-hand the opinions of other people. User generated content provides this evidence as it shows several people who took the time to engage with the brand.
- Source of new materials. Some brands rely on what users have said to generate advertising, larger promotional actions, or content for their blog.
- Source of engagement with the person. It is the ideal scenario, that of having a large loyal and committed audience.
- Impulses to the brand. It is one of the most interesting points of user generated content, that of being able to reach places that other forms of content would not reach. Not only for the content itself but, in addition, it manages on the one hand to attract attention and on the other to mobilize customers and fans of the brand.
- Low investment and high results. Investment is low, as we only need to engage the audience around the message. However, the influence it has at the level of marketing and positioning is high.
How does user-generated content impact SEO?
The UGC can have a positive influence on your SEO, on the search rankings. The benefits that will have to include these actions are:
- Backlinks. One of the benefits is the number of backlinks that are generated by user-generated content. Receiving links from authoritative websites is a strong indicator of trust for search engines.
- Reliable content. It is one of the points that search engines have most in consideration, the reliable content from one buyer to another. Which means that if shoppers speak well of a brand, Google will most likely place your page in a good position in the results listings.
- Increase the search volume about your business. The brand will become better known and with that it will be more sought after by more people.