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There isn't a social media platform that doesn't have video content. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok all have endless reels of video for you to consume. The way people consume content has rapidly changed and with that, so has the way they wish to be marketed towards.
Consumers see ads everywhere and when they have the chance to skip it they will, we’ve all been there, waiting for the YouTube ad to count down from 5 seconds so we can hurriedly press “skip” and get on to watching the video.
Even if your ad does manage to catch attention, people are going to see what others are saying about it, 93% of consumers check reviews and recommendations before making a purchase. Perfectly curated images, ads, and brand videos just aren't cutting it anymore because consumers have caught on to sales techniques and desire authenticity. User generated content is what's going to catch and keep attention.
What is user generated content (UGC)?
UGC is content that’s being created online by individuals rather than the brand they’re showcasing. Have you come across unboxing videos, maybe clothing hauls or someone sharing their recent experience with a brand? If so, then you’ve been consuming user-generated content. What’s special about UGC is that it humanizes brands, it's genuine and because of how the algorithm works on social platforms, it's also relevant to the viewer. 62% of prospects are more likely to make a purchase after seeing customer photos and videos, someone praising your product online gives consumers the assurance they crave before making a purchase.
Brands that have benefited from UGC
Mount Lai
Mount Lai is an asian female- owned beauty brand that gained traction in 2021 when people wanted to partake in the ancient Chinese traditional medicine of GuaSha. One of the many benefits of this massage technique is it helps relieve tension and contours the face, while using a guasha tool that's made of a stone or a crystal like jade or rose quartz. The hashtag guasha has 1.1 billion views on TikTok, so what made Mount Lai stand out? People posting tutorials on how to guasha began promoting Mount Lai, not only because they make authentic guasha tools but also because their brand identity resonated with consumers that wanted to fully embrace the Chinese tradition. The hashtag mount lai currently has 8.3 million views on tiktok. (add some more details)
Peachybbies
Whether you enjoy them or not, it’s practically impossible to not have come across a slime video on your timeline. Since 2016 there has been an increase in slime video content and it hasn’t slowed down. On TikTok alone, #slime has 60.7 billion views. Andrea Osstifin decided to ride the slime wave and relaunch her slime small business, Peachybbies in 2019. Andrea posted regularly on tiktok about how the slimes were made and answered questions from the comments.
66% of consumers think transparency is a brand’s most attractive quality, so it’s not surprising that her audience felt connected to the brand. Customers of Peachybbies began making their own viral unboxing, review, and of course ASMR videos. Most recently even Kim Kardashian posted a series of instagram stories raving about the delicious smells and fun texture of the slime, talk about the ultimate customer review.
Skims
You can say that Kim Kardashian, given her influence, was set up for success when she launched her shapewear brand, Skims in 2019 and you wouldn’t be wrong. However, 94% of consumers have turned away from a company due to negative reviews. UGC is so powerful that even the Kardashians aren’t an exception to this statistic. Take Kylieswim for example, which received an overwhelming amount of backlash for launching $80 swimsuits that customers deemed were see-through and of cheap quality. #kylieswim has 388 million views on tiktok and the top viewed videos are negative customer reviews.
Kims brand, Skims on the other hand has gone viral on multiple occasions for her body hugging bodysuits and flattering slip dresses because women were making videos raving about how much they loved her shapewear. Under these videos you can find comments like “I'm officially convinced to buy this!” and “now I want to buy one.” 71% of customers agree that user generated reviews make them feel more confident in their decision to purchase a product. There is no doubt that Skims is as successful and trusted as it is because of the millions of positive UGC video reviews.
Conclusion
UGC is the new word of mouth, 92% of consumers trust recommendations from other people even if it's someone they don’t know. A customer's experience with your brand is either going to deter prospects or be the final push they need to make a purchase. If you aren’t utilizing UGC you’re missing out on the possibility of exponential business growth.
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