Our lives are no longer the same. We are living in a world where more conversations are had over social media than in real life. The Internet has changed many ways we live. With one-click delivery available at our fingertips, people can buy what they need without leaving their homes. Fewer people are travelling to the high street to shop.
Is this an opportunity for your business to thrive?
Businesses have online websites that tell you how great their product is. People like to buy from people, not a salesperson. With user-generated content (UGC), the game is about to change.
User-generated content is organic content created and posted online by customers. They can wear/use the products and promote it when they post their videos, photos, blogs on their social media.
Whether they are out on the beach or having a picnic in the park, they can feature their outfits on their social app which lets their followers link off to your site. This is not the same as influencer marketing, as they aren’t paid by the brand. But they are the same in the sense that they both share content about the product or service.
Why does this benefit you?
Not only is this free marketing, but this is also more appealing to be seen from your target audience. It’s a relatable, authentic experience that can create a sense of desire for others to buy. When men see multiple posts of people using skin cream (for men) for example, then have a button to buy it, they are likely to FOMO for that experience everyone is having. Visual and interactive content is preferred by 91% of buyers over traditional formats, a DemandGen report reveals.
Customers buying journeys on an online store can get disrupted when browsing and having too many navigational clicks. With UGC, customers can easily click on the product when they see it and like it and go straight to it on the web store. This can eliminate steps that prevent the customer from making the purchase. If they desire that product, this process is fast and easy to do.
- 70% of consumers trust UGC more than branded content
- 79% of people say UGC highly impacts their purchasing decisions
- Customers are 6x more likely to purchase a product if the page includes pictures from social media
“Marketing is no longer about the stuff you make, it’s about the stories you tell.” – Seth Godin
Why is this the future?
Less people are impressed by a professional website. It is something that is expected by every business. Their time isn’t spent as much here. People are however spending many hours of their day scrolling on social media. They are authentically influenced by lifestyle. What people see, what they eat, wear and do. This makes it powerful to commercialise users’ content with UGC. Brands have the opportunity to play around with this early on to find out what engages consumers the most. This is an opportunity to stay ahead of competitors.
Will it soon be unclear what is content and what’s commerce? Like the difference between advertising and editorial? Will more social networks incorporate UGC? Or is this just a FAD that won’t catch on? Leave a reply below with your thoughts.
Interested in User-generated content? For more information on how to incorporate this into your business, contact us now https://bombshellpr.com/contact/.
Source: https://www.demandgenreport.com/features/industry-insights/b2b-marketers-leverage-interactive-content-for-relevant-buyer-experiences/