Maximizing the Impact of User-Generated Content: Key Trends and Tips

Have you ever been browsing TikTok or Instagram, seen someone raving about a product, and immediately felt the urge to buy it?

You're captivated by the person’s enthusiasm, and you trust their opinion. The comments section is filled with others who either love the product or want to try it themselves.

You’re sold, so you make the purchase.

This scenario perfectly illustrates the power of User-Generated Content (UGC). UGC is created by real customers sharing their genuine experiences with products. Statistics show that 79% of people say UGC highly impacts their purchasing decisions and that consumers find UGC 9.8 times more impactful than traditional influencer videos.

Think of gamers streaming their gameplay or influencers posting their morning routines (GRWM).

While you already know what’s great about your brand, it's even more powerful when customers share their love for your product voluntarily.

This is why UGC outshines traditional advertising.

At SWIDIA, we specialize in helping brands leverage UGC to authentically showcase their products.

UGC is essential for building brand awareness, so here are some key trends to keep you ahead of the curve.

1. The Era of the Micro-Influencer

We’ve seen macro-influencers flooding social media with hundreds of thousands or even millions of followers. But now it’s all about the micro-influencers.

Micro-influencers have a smaller following, anywhere from 5,000-100,000 followers, and typically have a niche.

Because of their smaller following, they’re highly interactive, so their followers feel connected to them, commenting on their posts and getting responses back.

That means they have high engagement, and 60% of consumers say they tend to trust micro-influencer endorsements the more they interact with their followers.

If you need UGC, they’re a great resource to reach out to get your products in front of the right audience.

2. Pick the Right Partnerships

Yes, customers create UGC, but that doesn't mean you can’t partner with other brands and creators.

Partnerships are pretty cool because they benefit both sides. Both brands get exposure, but not in an “I’m paying you, so you have to do exactly what I say” type of way.

The partners are happy to show off each other’s products that resonate with their audience while expanding their reach.

Just make sure the partnership makes sense for your brand and audience.

For example, if you have a tennis gaming app and want users to choose top-name clothing to flex on the court, then partner with leading fashion and sporting brands.

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3. Authenticity Is What It’s All About

UGC has to feel authentic to consumers. 86% of consumers say authenticity matters and is a deciding factor when choosing between brands.

People want to hear from other customers and know what they’re getting is trustworthy.

Take a look around your social platforms. About 52% of consumers post about products at least once a month on their social media. The chances are you’ll find genuine content about your brand from real customers.

When you find UGC, share it on your social media accounts! 43% of consumers said they would keep engaging with a brand if they share their already-made content.

The content is already there, and people want you to use it!

4. UGC Short Videos > Branded Videos

From Facebook albums and Instagram posts (we’re talking the Lo-Fi filter days) to YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram reels. Short videos are what people want to see and prefer over static ads.

Think about all those viral videos that have literally caused brands to sell out their products within a week. You can be one of those brands.

Videos have a major impact on audiences, so much that “1 in 2 shoppers are more confident in a purchase after seeing a video, and UGC fan videos get 10 times more views on YouTube than branded videos.”

Get on those UGC videos!

5. UGC How You Want

The spirit of UGC is users can make content however they want. It’s whatever feels natural to them. Bringing it back to the authenticity of it all.

New trends appear every day, using new sounds, backgrounds, and editing techniques, so you’ll need to stay on top of social media.

But here are some UGC ideas you might already find about your brand or you can create yourself:

• Customer reviews
• Testimonials
• Tutorials
• Picture-in-picture video
• Third person or first person point of view
• Live stream

6. Get Your Customers Involved

There are many ways to involve your audience in UGC, but here are a few ways to start:

• Hashtags #InvolveYourCustomers: Ask your audience to upload a picture or video with a special hashtag to highlight your product. Get ready to be overwhelmed with UGC you can repost. That’s a good problem!
• Contests: Invite your audience to participate in a contest they can post about on their social profiles with an incentive.

Depending on your goals, you can offer anything from free products to a free trip.

Other incentives can be:

• Gift cards
• Tickets to an event
• Being featured on your social accounts
• Merchandise
• Promo codes
• Reviews: People want to make sure they’re getting what they pay for, so 45% of shoppers actually look up reviews before purchasing items. Plus, 72% of consumers say they

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For more information, feel free to reach out to us! We’re here to help you grow.

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