You might have heard the term “UGC creator” tossed around a lot lately and wondered what exactly it means — and if these people should be part of your marketing strategy.
In this article, we’ll take a look at who UGC creators are, the benefits of working with them, if they’re a good fit for your brand, and what your alternatives are.
Let’s dive right in!
What is a UGC creator?
You’re no doubt familiar with user-generated content.
It’s content — images, video, audio, product reviews, etc. — organically created by a brand’s customers, fans, or followers. The brand may then feature this content on its website, in its marketing, or on social media.
A UGC creator, on the other hand, is someone who creates such content for a brand in exchange for product or payment.
The content appears to be organically created and authentic in nature, which is what makes it so valuable.
After all, nearly 80% of respondents in a 2021 survey said that UGC highly impacts their purchasing decisions because it’s more authentic.
What’s the difference between a UGC creator and an influencer?
Creating content on behalf of a brand sounds a bit like an influencer, right?
The key difference between a UGC creator and an influencer though is that UGC creators make content, but they aren’t obligated to post that content on their own social channels like an influencer would. When brands work with influencers, they’re also paying for access to the influencer’s audience.
So UGC creators don’t need to have a massive social media following in order to work with a brand.
Content made by UGC creators is also typically less polished and professional than influencer content — and that’s on purpose.
The brand paying for the product tutorial or review, for example, wants that content to look like it was created spontaneously by an actual customer.
Why? Because consumers trust content created by real people far more than that produced by influencers or by brands.
What Makes UGC Creators So Popular?
UGC creators exist because their content is powerful and it all comes down to authenticity.
User-generated content is effective because it’s essentially word-of-mouth marketing.
People put more stock in the opinions’ of a product’s actual users and consumers, so when a “regular person” raves about a new moisturizer — or even sings the praises of a brand’s corporate culture — we take notice. After all, they weren’t paid to say those nice things, right?
But now, thanks to UGC creators, companies can dictate which products or brand initiatives they want those “real people” to talk about and even provide them with talking points.
And it works.
Research shows that consumers find user-generated content 8.7 times more impactful than influencer content and 6.6 times more influential than brand-created content.
It’s why beauty brand Glossier features UGC prominently in all of its marketing and you’re far more likely to see an actual consumer showcasing its lipstick on Instagram than a model.
In fact, the company attributes 90% of its revenue to its fans who frequently tag the company in selfies in hopes of being featured on its brand channels.
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Should Your Brand Hire UGC Creators?
Working with UGC creators can drive sales, improve brand awareness, build community, and more.
But when it comes to whether you should work with them, it really depends on both your goals and the nature of your business.
UGC creators are clearly effective at what they do, especially when it comes to B2C businesses and driving ecommerce sales.
But what if you’re looking to promote your employer brand? Develop thought leaders within your company? Or help your sales team grow its pipeline?
In these instances, the best UGC creators are actually your employees.
Why? Once again, it’s about authenticity.
When we want to know what it’s like to work for an organization, who can speak to this better than its employees?
If we want an expert opinion on trends within a specific industry, we naturally look to people who work in — and excel in — that industry.
When an employee truly loves the product they work on so much that they take to social media to sing its praises, it’s powerful.
Why Employees Make Awesome UGC Creators
So it’ll come as no surprise that companies in a variety of industries, both small and large, invest in an employee advocacy solution and take steps to activate their employee influencers.
Just take a look at what employee influencers can do:
- Reach a 561% bigger audience than brand channels
- Drive increased pipeline, better win rates, and up to 48% larger deals
- Improve employee productivity by 25%
- Reduce costs by saving on paid ads
Empower Your People to Be Your UGC Creators
Ready to activate the UGC creators you already employ? Book a demo!
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