In case you haven’t noticed – user-generated content (UGC) is the latest darling of the marketing world.
NB: This is an article from CartStack
When we think about the reasons why UGC is so effective across audiences, its quick rise to prominence should come as no surprise. UGC is defined as “original content related to a product or service that is created by individuals and not by the brand itself.”
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Pretty straightforward, right? This brand of content can materialize on effectively any content channel, from social media platforms (TikTok, Instagram, etc.) to online reviews, vlogs, podcasts, and more. And guess what? We’ve all, in some form, likely participated in the creation of UGC ourselves (yes, even those of us who leave “influencer” off our resumes).
Let’s consider an example – you’re sitting at your kitchen counter, aimlessly scrolling through your Instagram feed as you relish your morning coffee when a post from your friend catches your eye. She recently moved into a new apartment, and the image shared was taken during the infamous golden hour. In the post, soft, warm light streams through the window of her new bedroom, casting a dreamy, golden hue across her bed, which has been artfully made up with linen bedding and tastefully arranged throw pillows. Her cat is pictured laying languidly across a textured throw blanket at the foot of the bed, and on her nightstand sits a small stack of books, a candle, and a sleek, modern lamp. The photo – surely by design – offers up the effect of a cozy bedroom nook, and you find yourself especially drawn to the rich, sage color of the bedding. As your eyes skim past the photo to her caption, you notice a hashtag at the end: #MyParachuteHome, and realize your friend’s new bedding must be from Parachute, a luxury bedding company known for comfortable essentials that “make you feel at home.”
Even if you never purchased bedding from Parachute yourself after seeing the post, you were impacted by their UGC – after all, it caught your attention and made you aware of the brand. And in an increasingly noisy world and competitive brand marketplace, consumer attention is a hot commodity. More importantly, UGC feels authentic – not contrived or strategically curated in the way a billboard advertisement or traditional marketing campaign often does. Rather, it puts a brand where its customers are – on the ground level – and acts as a visual form of word-of-mouth advertising while bringing customers into the fold as genuine brand advocates. And if you ask me, User Generated Content can (and should) change the game for hotel and hospitality brands eager to elevate their direct bookings.
