USER GENERATED CONTENT

User-generated content (also known as UGC or consumer-generated content) is original, brand-specific content created by customers and published on social media or other channels. UGC comes in many forms, including images, videos, reviews, a testimonial, or even a podcast. In simplest term, it is content that is created to show a realistic view of a product/service from consumers alike. It is not scripted, it is not staged, it is not biased. It is directly from a consumers perspective, creating authentic and informative trust between brand and consumer. A very great example of UGC is Yelp Reviews. 

The global user generated content platform market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 29.4% from 2023 to 2030

• Consumers find UGC 9.8x more impactful than influencer content. (Stackla, 2020)
• 79% of people say UGC highly impacts their purchasing decisions, (Stackla, 2020)
• 48% of marketing professionals believe that content created by customers can help humanize their marketing. (TINT, 2018)
• 34% of TINT users surveyed and 45% of marketing professionals agreed that UGC helps increase key social media KPIs. (TINT, 2018)
• 42% of marketers say user-generated content is a vital component of their marketing strategy. (TINT, 2018)
• Ads featuring UGC garnered 73% more positive comments on social networks than traditional ads. (Jukin Media, 2018)
• 31% of consumers say advertisements that feature UGC content are more memorable than traditional ads without it. (Jukin Media, 2018)
• 28% of consumers say ads with UGC content in them are also more unique than ads without this type of content. (Jukin Media, 2018)
• 58% of marketers have implemented UGC in ad campaigns. (TINT, 2018)
• Nearly half of marketers use UGC to support their overall marketing campaigns. (TINT, 2018)
• 41% of marketing professionals ranked content engagement as their top KPI for tracking user-generated content. (TINT, 2018)
• The most common types of UGC are photos, videos, social media content, customer reviews or forums, and content created with branded AR filters. (IAB, 2019)
• 60% of consumers believe UGC is the most authentic marketing content. (Stackla, 2017)
• 75% of marketers believe user-generated content feels more authentic than other types of content. (TINT, 2018)
• Consumers are 2.4x more likely to say user-generated content is authentic compared to brand-created content. (Stackla, 2020)
• 56% of internet users say they find out about products from friends or acquaintances while 32% rely on customer reviews. (Statista, 2020)
• 70% of the time, consumers are able to distinguish between consumer-created content and brand-created content. (Stackla, 2017)
• Globally, Gen Z and millennial generations watch more user-generated content than Gen X and Boomer generations. (YouTube, 2020)
• More than 30% of millennials have unfollowed a brand due to inauthentic content. (Stackla, 2017)

Incorporating User-Generated Content (UGC) into your marketing strategy can elevate your brand in ways you may not have imagined. At Stratus Digital Agency, we tailor our UGC approach to align with your specific objectives and audience. What remains consistent across all our clients is our commitment to creating UGC with exceptional attention to detail, prioritizing consumer trust and education throughout the process.

"User generated content is the FUTURE. I used UGC for the first time and in a week I generated 213% higher engagement than before." 

"UGC is going to change the world of marketing, I can feel it. I reached out to Stratus for a creative video to promote our dance team auditions and it was the best decision I could have made for our studio. We generated so much interest and buzz in our community. You should definitely try UGC for promotional content."

"I will never go back to making my own content. UGC is life!"

UGC creators do not share their branded content creations with their own audience, nor are they tagged in promotional posts by brands. The content is strategically directed, created, edited, and provided to the client for their desired dispersal and advertisement.