Trending in 2023: User Generated Content

Aifton Coleman - February 6, 2023

If you’ve spent any amount of time on TikTok since the New Year, you’ve likely heard the term “UGC” or User Generated Content. While this is not a new trend, it has recently gone viral, and brands are taking notice. There two important distinctions that need to be made when discussing UGC: Organic UGC and Paid UGC.

What is Organic User Generated Content

Flashback to 2014 with me when everyone was snapping pictures of their favorite meals, beauty items, or new shirt and simply posting it online. That was UGC in its simplest form. To provide a more formal definition, UGC is content posted by a user to various social media channels (including podcasts!) that are specific to one brand.

How Can My Business Utilize Organic UGC

There are two easy ways that companies can encourage social media users to post about their brand(s).

1. Specific Hashtags
2. Tagging the company profile

By encouraging a consumer to use a specific hashtag and tagging the company profile, you’re opening your brand up to valuable and authentic content that can be utilized in future marketing efforts. Examples of brands that utilize organic UGC in a successful way can be seen below:

As you can see above with Lululemon, their feed is full of diverse content sourced from their hashtags and creator partnerships (more below). UGC doesn’t just apply to clothing brands though, as Loews Hotels utilizes the hashtag “Welcoming You Like Family” to encourage guests to post about their experiences across their properties.

Paid UGC

Paid UGC involves brands working with and paying creators for content that feels authentic and organic, while having a say in what is being created. Working with a UGC Creator can be a cost-effective way to refresh your brand’s social media and grow your following. These partnerships are typically handled via a contract for a pre-determined amount of assets to be delivered. The cost can vary based on the creator, however, compared to a formal photo or video shoot the savings could be exponential.

If you’re curious about how you can incorporate organic or paid UGC into your content strategy or digital marketing efforts, reach out to the experts at MoreVisibility today!