They are everywhere on the Web: user reviews on your product pages, comments about your brand on forums, blog articles, and especially, content on social media.
UGC (User Generated Content) is the new eldorado for companies serving a profitable strategy.
But when it comes to generating and obtaining UGC, let’s just say there’s a lot to consider (if you’ll allow us the expression). However, they can really make a difference with your target audience, provided you implement an effective strategy to collect and reuse them.
In this article, discover everything you need to know about User Generated Content: explanation of the phenomenon, benefits for companies, types of UGC and their advantages, and our detailed advice on how to reuse them.
Table des matières
User Generated Content or UGC: Definition and Explanation of the Phenomenon
UGC: Definition of User Generated Content Online
To put it simply, User Generated Content (UGC) refers to all content generated and disseminated by internet users on the Web / digital platforms.
This content is indeed free and (in theory) not subject to payment, unlike in the case of a partnership with an influencer or an agency.
The most striking example? Wikipedia, the collaborative encyclopedia launched in 2001, which allows users to add, modify, and publish content on millions of topics, ranging from definitions to concepts, including personalities or audiovisual productions.
You know better than anyone: anyone with Internet access can now become a content creator. This power gives all consumers the opportunity to share their purchasing experience or give an opinion following a visit to an establishment (beauty salon, restaurant, hotel, etc.)
Today, UGC is mostly associated with content published on social platforms like TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Twitter or Facebook, as well as on forums or blogs.
Different Types of UGC: From Reviews to Short Videos!
While 15 years ago we could sum up UGC as written reviews posted on brand websites, comments on forums online or blog articles, this time is (slightly) outdated.
The explosion of social networks has given rise to new types of highly visual content, with a much broader reach: TikTok videos, stories and posts on Instagram, posts on Twitter (or rather: X), Facebook shares…
At this point, a clarification: UGC should not be considered merely as a “beneficial and fortuitous”“” consequence of customer satisfaction. But rather as a royal gateway to gain notoriety and optimize your company’s growth.
The different types of UGC and their benefits for a brand or a Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) distributor include:
🌅 Product photos and videos / service breakdowns (software, subscriptions, etc.) 🌅
1. Unboxing: a common example in the beauty and lifestyle sector!
👉 Benefits: authenticity and transparency of the purchasing experience.
2. Tutorials: to show how to use the product (beauty routine, DIY tool, ingredient in a recipe…)
👉 Benefits: educate, increase perceived product value, engage communities
3. Comparisons / “battles”: photos or videos comparing this product to a competitor’s product.
👉 Benefits: establish the brand’s credibility against its competitors.
✍️ Customer Reviews and Testimonials ✍️
1. Comments / reviews on your website.
👉 Benefits: improved natural search engine optimization (SEO), customer reassurance, and increased conversion rate.
2. Reviews on distributor sites: whether it’s Amazon or other merchants.
👉 Benefits: expanded reach and increased sales.
3. Video reviews: short sequences on product pages to detail an aspect of the product / service sold.
👉 Benefits: Authenticity, social proof, improved perceived value.
📲 Community and Social Media Content 📲
👉 Common benefits: increase organic reach and community engagement, customer satisfaction, while benefiting from marketing content (if subject to a written agreement with their authors.)
1. Instagram / Twitter / Facebook posts: in the form of photos, carousels, or comments under the brand’s publications.
2. Instagram / TikTok stories, videos, or reels: ephemeral content or dynamic video montages (with added music or voice-over, subtitles…).
3. Challenges / mentions of brand hashtags.
4. Forums and discussions: users can share tips or ask questions about the product.
5. User-generated FAQs: these are answers to frequently asked questions, coming from users themselves.
6. Fan Art or customizations: the perfect example? Cooking recipes in which the user mentions one of your products.
📝 Blog Articles and Editorial Content 📝
1. Reviews / product tests with detailed analysis of products.
👉 Benefits: education, better online ranking, and increased traffic.
2. Buying guides and selections (which may be subject to affiliation).
👉 Benefits: credibility and increased website traffic (and sales!)
3. Interviews: with members of your team or satisfied users.
👉 Benefits: brand humanization, strengthening of trust.
What Are the Advantages of UGC?
Many brands use UGC in their marketing strategy to meet objectives of awareness, visibility, customer reassurance, and ultimately, growth through increased sales. And it’s not surprising, given the benefits these contents offer.
Content Marked by Authenticity
The Cohn & Wolf study (Authentic Brand 100 report) reveals that only 7% of French people consider brands to be honest and transparent. A figure that speaks volumes about the trust consumers have in companies’ promises!
More interestingly, 91% of French people say they are more likely to buy from a brand they perceive as authentic.
UGC (User Generated Content) offers the kind of authenticity that brands find hard to replicate. If we go back to the very etymology of the word authentic, in Greek autos (“self”) and hentes (“author”, “to be”), authentikos means “person acting according to his own authority”. So, let him be both author and originator of the content.
User-generated content is most often spontaneous testimonials, photos or videos shared by satisfied customers. They speak on their own behalf and validate the product or service experience.
In France, for example, the hashtag #JePorteCeQueJeSuis from the clothing brand Kiabi has successfully capitalized on this authenticity by encouraging customers to share their outfits on social media.
UGC in the Service of Customer Reassurance
Content produced by internet users serves as a powerful reassurance tool for potential consumers.
“92% of consumers trust peer recommendations more than any other form of advertising” (Nielsen survey)
By leveraging UGC such as text/video reviews or customer testimonials, companies benefit from social proof that dispels doubts and improves trust perceived by target consumers.
To go further, before/after videos, unboxing, or product usage demonstrations are other levers to help internet users envision the customer experience with the brand.
🔍 All this UGC can be reused and highlighted on your social networks, relayed in newsletters or added to strategic pages and product sheets of your e-shop!
👉 A great example of reusing UGC collected from Laboratoire ACM ambassadors (from campaigns launched through Trustt)
Community Engagement: UGC as Massive Consumer Enthusiasm
Unsurprisingly, UGC promotes brand community engagement. Companies that encourage consumers to share their purchase experience, produce testimonials, or leave reviews see a significant increase in “engagement on their social networks.”
“User-generated content shows an engagement rate 28% higher than posts shared by brands themselves”
AdWeek Report
Some examples of campaigns launched by brands on social networks (that were highly successful):
- Adidas, which initiated the #HereToCreate movement to encourage internet users to share their motivation stories;
- Calvin Klein, with the hashtag #MyCalvins, inviting fans to showcase their Calvin Klein outfits and get the opportunity to be featured by the brand;
- L’Oréal Paris and its #WorthSaying campaign, calling on women to share what’s important to them.
Whether you’re a company offering cosmetic products, high-tech devices, sportswear, dietary supplements, or pet nutrition products: invite your consumers to share their experience!
Not only does this approach create a dynamic of exchange and sharing between the brand and its community, but it also allows you to benefit from the virality enabled by content on social networks.
🔎 Good to know: with the Trustt tool, each UGC mission launched has a specific hashtag. You benefit from automatic content retrieval while making them unique.
Reduced Marketing Costs Thanks to UGC: The Cherry on Top?
Let’s not forget the economic advantage of UGC: they are less costly than professionally produced content (in a studio, by an entire dedicated team!) or by influencers as part of paid partnerships.
According to the Content Marketing Institute, the average cost of producing user-generated content is about 50% lower than that of content created internally or by an agency.
And this, while generating high levels of trust and engagement.
📌 Let’s not pit professional content creation against ambassador UGC: both approaches are relevant and complementary for your strategy!
Benefits by UGC Type: Concrete Use Cases and Achieved Benefits
Talking theory is good, giving examples is better. Here’s an overview of the benefits according to the type of UGC and how to reuse them as a brand.
Text Reviews on Product Pages
Benefits for brands:
- Reassurance: customer reviews allow potential buyers to envision the purchase experience and confirm the match between expectations and reality!
- Customer Insight: written feedback is a valuable resource for improving your products and collecting information about your target audience’s needs.
- SEO Ranking: each additional review on the product page contributes to improving its natural search engine ranking. It’s synonymous with reliability and quality for future customers.
Examples of reuse:
- Integration and relay of the most useful reviews on your communication channels (newsletters, social networks, brochures) and sales materials (brochures, POS displays, website landing page…).
- Adding a “testimonials” or “your feedback” category to the website.
Reviews posted on the company’s Google My Business page:
Benefits:
- Online visibility: they appear in Google searches associated with your brand
- Credibility: the more positive reviews a brand has on its Google page, the more it benefits from a strong reputation.
Examples of reuse:
- Highlight the best reviews in local marketing campaigns
- Include quotes in press releases, social media posts, or sales materials.
Before/after videos on social media (Instagram or TikTok):
Benefits:
- Visual proof: this type of “UGC shows the product’s effectiveness in a concrete way. A case” that is particularly relevant for beauty products, dietary supplements, or household products, for example.
- Engagement: this content is among the most shared and commented on (average engagement rate of 17% for TikTok videos)
Examples of reuse:
- Video integration on a landing page for a specific product.
- Use in a paid advertising campaign on social media.
A before/after UGC shared on Instagram by an influencer from the Klorane Portugal Ambassador Program, set up through Trustt.
Instagram stories: use or presentation of the product/service
Benefits:
- Authenticity: this type of instant and human video offers a sincere glimpse of the experience with the product.
- Exclusivity: this content is ephemeral (only 24 hours), which creates a sense of urgency that encourages continued scrolling!
Examples of reuse:
- Set up a highlighted story “your shares” showing different customer experiences (for this, the person’s account must be public, and your own brand must have been mentioned in the story).
- Reuse the story’s video content in retargeting campaigns
💭 Good to know: the automatic upload of stories to the Trustt dashboard also allows you to download them in mp4 format!
In images: the story shared by an Emile Noël ambassador, presenting the benefits of black garlic and sharing her permanent post where she gives tips on how to incorporate it into cooking!
Bonus: the direct link to the e-shop, proof of her sincere commitment to the brand!
Photo or video posted on Instagram with experience feedback
Benefits:
- Visibility: expands the brand’s reach via the user’s social networks (especially when they already have an audience)
- High-quality content: images published on Instagram are of good quality, it’s the very essence of this social network!
Examples of reuse:
- Integration of photos in carousel format on dedicated product pages.
- Use of videos for your sponsored content.
- Distribution for press, print sales materials, newsletters, reposting on your social media.
Telling example: this video shared on Instagram by a content creator from the Orange community, which launched its Ambassador Program this year.
Blog article
Benefits:
- Rich and detailed content: when it’s a positive article, a usage decryption, or a statement of benefits, this UGC provides reassuring data to internet users, while taking on an educational aspect.
- Authority: this type of long-form content helps build the brand’s authority and credibility, especially when the original writer is known for their expertise in the field
Examples of reuse:
- Sharing excerpts from the article in a series of marketing emails
- Integration of the article in a broader influencer marketing campaign (with prior agreement from its author)
A blog article published by a committed ambassador of the Centifolia brand, detailing meticulously the composition and benefits of the product, while highlighting the brand’s values.
⚠️ Warning! Any reuse of published content must be granted by their creators beforehand, and in writing. This is called a rights assignment. Brands are not authorized to screenshot photos or reuse videos without the author’s consent.
🔍 Missions addressed to brand ambassadors via the Trustt solution allow for the collection of royalty-free UGC, in compliance with current laws, particularly the influence law of June 2023.
How to ensure obtaining quality UGC?
With the Trustt solution, launch ambassador missions where selected candidates are invited, in exchange for receiving the product for free or testing the service, to share their feedback (written or video reviews, social media posts, stories, blog articles, YouTube videos…).
By accepting the campaign participation clauses, candidates authorize the use of these UGC by the brand they support. And to ensure the quality of the distributed UGC, here are some tips:
- Provide a complete inspirational brief (but not imposed!): what you like / like less, music ideas, hashtags to use, types of emojis to favor, the ideal setting, examples of content from other ambassadors…
- Select the ideal panel of ambassadors among the most engaged: the questions asked in the application form should allow obtaining a representative sample of the target audience, while taking into account the audience of each candidate when it comes to an influencer.
To learn more about our tailor-made and evolving offers based on your needs:
Schedule an appointment with one of our experts.
UGV: These Video Contents That Are Making a Splash
As you’ve understood, UGC literally means “User-Generated Content “”. While reviews left on your website’s product pages or reseller sites are obviously content not to be neglected, new more visual and captivating formats are on the rise: video UGC.
UGV (User-Generated Video), is on its way to becoming THE preferred content for brands.
Why?
- Video records an average completion rate of 95% (compared to 12% for text content);
- In the era of social media, static images are no longer enough to capture attention: the content that generates the most impressions and interactions are videos or reels on Instagram;
- UGVs are reusable for authentic sponsored content
- These contents allow for more creativity and countless formats: unboxing, morning beauty routine, workout session, recipe idea, etc.
Call on our team of experts to assist you in developing your missions on the tool.
Trustt, guaranteed results.
Le contenu généré par les utilisateurs (UGC) désigne toute forme de contenu créé par des consommateurs ou des utilisateurs finaux plutôt que par les marques elles-mêmes. Cela inclut des avis, témoignages, vidéos, photos, articles de blog et tout autre type de contenu concernant les produits ou services d’une marque.
L’UGC sert de preuve sociale, indiquant aux nouveaux ou futurs clients que le produit ou service est validé par les personnes qui l’ont déjà utilisé. Du point de vue du SEO, l’UGC fournit un contenu frais et authentique qui peut améliorer le classement dans les moteurs de recherche. C’est également une source précieuse d’insights client, offrant une compréhension directe de la manière dont les produits sont perçus et utilisés.
Obtenir des UGC peut être simple : en demandant à vos clients de partager leur expérience ! Mais il est souvent plus efficace de créer des incentives, comme des concours sur les réseaux sociaux où les utilisateurs sont récompensés pour le partage de photos de votre produit en action, et mieux, via un programme ambassadeur de marque dédié pour encourager la création continue d’UGC. Les hashtags de marque facilitent le suivi des UGC. La majorité des plateformes d’e-commerce invitent les clients à laisser des avis après achat. Vous pouvez également faire appel à des influenceurs pour créer du contenu authentique autour de votre marque.
Les UGC payants impliquent une transaction financière pour la création du contenu. Cela inclut les partenariats avec des influenceurs qui sont payés pour mettre en avant un produit, mais aussi les plateformes de production d’UGC, où les participants ont un brief imposé, à l’image d’un texte d’acting.
Ce type d’UGC est souvent perçu comme moins authentique, mais il permet un contrôle plus grand sur le message et la qualité du contenu.
Les UGC non rémunérés sont créés de manière organique par des clients satisfaits ou des fans de la marque. Bien que ces UGC soient souvent perçus comme plus authentiques, ils sont également plus imprévisibles en termes de qualité et de messages, à moins de faire partie d’un programme ambassadeur. Dans une stratégie marketing équilibrée, les deux types d’UGC ont leur place, chacun offrant des avantages uniques.
