User Generated Content is among us. Many of us are aware of this and others have joined this trend without even realizing it.

If you bought some trendy shoes, took a photo, shared it on Instagram and tagged the brand, you are being part of this great revolution on digital platforms.

It is also likely that you run a YouTube channel, receive a product and decide to record an unboxing video.

All these actions converge in User Generated Content (UGC).

The impact that this content usually has on brand positioning, and of course, on their sales, is worth studying.

We are very clear about the value of UGC and we constantly rely on this content to enhance our marketing strategies.

All these formats fit perfectly with the UGC philosophy and can become your best allies when it comes to brand recognition ( Brand Awareness ).

UGC has been around for a long time. But the trends for 2023 will be decisive so that brands and companies can use this content as true commercial disruptors.

Selecting the best User Generated Content platforms will make a big difference in the coming year and this is something to keep in mind.

I must confess: it is one of the most original, creative and specific content that users of a certain brand, product or service can generate.

It is valuable content created by people who actually consume the products that brands send them, or that they themselves purchase on their own.

The list is really long! If you manage a brand or venture, you need to rely on the UGC to scale your visibility and reach, and above all, to boost your sales.

Both social networks and UGC have shaped some interactive technologies to create and share data, information, interests or ideas among digital communities.

Statista has predicted that by 2025 some 4.4 billion people will use social networks.

Do you know what that means? Here I tell you: more than half of the world’s population, approximately, will use social networks in just three years.

Reasons to use UGC in your marketing strategy

Bearing in mind the projections that I have just shared with you, it would be a mistake to underestimate the potential of User Generated Content in 2023.

What you really should do is include it in your marketing strategies and here I tell you why:

1. You will get benefits from “word of mouth”

There are more and more brands struggling to get visibility online or to stand out from their competition.

In reality, the industry has become more fierce and the audiences are more and more demanding.

Indeed, today’s consumers are much more selective in relation to the brands with which they interact.

One of the most notorious changes we have seen is that they prefer authentic content and distrust the more “prefabricated” ones.

They are already valuing the quality and authenticity of the content they consume on social networks to the maximum and this will have greater relevance in 2023.

What can you do?

Here I share three key recommendations:

• Lean on UGC to gain visibility and reach in a more authentic way.

• Make sure that your brand content is generated by three key players: your own customers, your fans, and your employees.

• Do not forge or falsify user-created posts or campaigns. Your followers have the power to notice and it could cost you dearly.

If you make User Generated Content about your brand as authentic, genuine, engaging, and engaging as possible, you’re going to succeed.

It’s simple: people trust other people. Your users will trust content generators that are truly authentic and true to your brand.

And that will launch an age-old sales tactic: word of mouth. In fact, UGC is said to be modern word of mouth.

Business Wire has reported that consumers are 2.4 times more likely to view UGC, compared to brand-generated content.

Take advantage of the authenticity of your users and design a social marketing strategy that is based on authenticity and originality.

For example: if you have a handbag store and you are going to launch a new collection, send a sample to your most loyal or loyal users, without demanding anything in return.

If you have really earned their trust and they like the product or find it attractive, it is very likely that they will generate content for your brand organically.

You can also work this type of promotions by exchange or contract. But remember that you should always deprive authentic and unforced content.

2. It will improve loyalty to your brand

A loyal and loyal customer will not last to buy your products or hire your services.

But loyalty is not earned overnight. If you have a personal or commercial brand, you must make an effort to earn the trust of your followers.

User Generated Content can help you with this. Do you wonder how? This is what it can do for you:

• Customers trust authentic content.
• Your consumers stop being spectators.
• They actively participate in your community.
• UGC sparks conversations between the brand and the consumer.

The last point is key because before the conversion is the conversation. Your customers do not want you to sell directly to them (not even the most loyal ones).

They want you to listen to them, attend to them, consent and solve their problems. If you succeed, they will generate the desired conversions.

Here I tell you what you can do to generate brand loyalty: interact with your communities. This never fails!

For example, if you’re launching a new clothing line, share some sneak peeks and ask them to suggest their favorite colors, patterns, styles, and sizes.

If you use Instagram you can do this activity by sharing a box of questions in the stories.

You can also ask them to share their best looks with pieces they already have in their closets, and in return you can repost that content on your social platforms. It’s a very interesting win-win relationship!

3. They will increase sales 

User Generated Content is very powerful. So much so that it can influence the purchase decision of your consumers.

It really acts as great social proof. Use the most authentic user-generated content to show your future buyers why your products are worth buying.

For example, if you sell appliances and you say that the air fryer is your best seller, rely on the testimonials and reviews of your users to boost your sales.

UGC will take off in 2023

User Generated Content (UGC) will take off with a bang in 2023. In fact, we will see many brands creating landing pages solely to focus on this type of content.

That will be a winning strategy for your users to get more involved with your brand and feel more motivated and attracted to generating their own content.

I share this information with you and I hope it will help you to take action and boost your sales in the next 12 months: it will cost you less money to promote this organic content than to invest in influencers.

I’m going to say goodbye by briefly telling you how two large companies benefit from UGC without investing a penny:

• GoPro: You literally rely on user-generated content to feed your YouTube channel and the cost of this is zero.
• LuluLemon: This sportswear brand asks followers to share photos wearing their favorite pieces with the hashtag #thesweatlife, organically increasing brand awareness across their social media channels.

You too can achieve these goals with UGC without making large investments. Try it and get ready for your sales to explode in 2023!