How User-Generated Content Benefits Brands and Consumers

Of all the things the rise of social media has done, allowing users to voice their opinions to the wider world, and direct to the brands they interact with, is one of the biggest game-changers. That old saying “a happy customer tells one person; an unhappy customer tells nine” has never been truer, or more worrying!

But as well as being able to voice concerns and problems louder and to more people, social media also allows consumers to help promote and enhance brands, and it is important to remember that the key is in conversation and engagement.

Listening and interacting are great for both brands and customers, so it is time to sit up and take note of the user-generated content that is being published on your company. This could be anything from tweets to blogs to pins, so get signed up and get social.

How does UGC help?

• Engaging experiencesWe all love giving our opinion, and more so when we can give it direct to the brand concerned and feel that we might be helping fellow consumers make informed choices. Through status updates, shares and blog posts in particular, consumers can shout out and influence many others. Give your customers opportunities to contribute their content on your main website and social media profiles – demonstrate your eagerness to engage directly with them.
• Building trustBy listening and responding to UGC you can show that your brand is actively involved in building and maintaining customer relationships. Even when things go wrong, good customer service on social media can go a long way towards easing the situation and regaining trust, and custom.

  You have direct access to consumer opinions – do not waste it!

• Increasing SEO and web trafficActively investing in UGC can go a long way to improving your search engine rankings and help you bring in more visitors. Customer review experiences or blogger programmes are an excellent way to do this. They also have the added bonus of giving your customers positive experiences of your company, which they will spread.

All of this adds up to a whole host of benefits for your brand. Generally speaking, UGC can be a key part of your long-term relationship with consumers. It’s a real two-way street – they feel they can talk to you direct and you get to act on whatever they say to help maintain a positive relationship. Embracing UGCcan work wonders for engagement, trust, reputation and sales, so be sure to recognise, and utilise, those social media interactions at every opportunity.