Peer-To-Peer Endorsements Powerful Authenticator
By Jack Loechner
According to a new report from Pau Sabria, CEO and co-founder of Olapic, User Generated Content (UGC) plays a pivotal role in meeting the need for authenticity, showcasing brands' offerings while driving shopper interaction.
Peer-to-peer endorsements are especially powerful, says the report, with 53% of millennials admitting UGC influences their purchases, seamlessly inserting consumers into the brand-building process. Marketers can take advantage of the opportunities that UGC offers to improve engagement, purchase intent, and brand loyalty.
As photo-sharing platforms continue to flourish, the volume of content produced has grown exponentially, with nearly 2 billion user-generated photos posted on social media daily. The content explosion has brought consumers and brands closer than ever, and this direct connection with consumers comes with a need for better, more authentic content.
63% of consumers trust user-generated content more than branded images, with 32% more likely to purchase clothing online if photos feature real people wearing products. Gone are the days of stiff, expensive photoshoots, says the report. Leveraging UGC can lower marketing costs and streamline content sourcing while promoting peer-to-peer sharing. UGC is especially powerful when it comes to beauty and apparel. 90% of brands say they're seeing positive results from UGC campaigns, demonstrating that consumer content is a great way to create more genuine marketing opportunities.
UGC is a critical source of customer data, says the report, providing marketers with a better sense of overall consumer engagement, the level of brand advocacy occurring within branded hashtags, and even the conversion rates of content-centered campaigns. UGC grants brands an "inside look" at how products are being used. These real-time uses can help augment and expand marketing efforts and break through to new audiences.
Email continues to be one of the most popular channels retailers use to engage new and returning shoppers, says the report. By inserting curated images within emails, retailers have the ability to deliver authentic emails uniquely tailored and relevant to consumers' interests. The authenticity generated through UGC directly correlates to revenue and engagement. Many retail and e-commerce brands are measuring the effectiveness of UGC in some capacity, with 42% measuring engagement metrics and 31% measuring sales and conversions. On average, user-generated content in email sees a 43% increase in click-through rates and a 2-3x conversion rate.
With 91% of retail and e-commerce brands affirming UGC would fit their company's tone or personality, brands should establish a culture of contribution to encourage customers to engage with their brand, opines the report. Brands can embrace their creative side, suggests the report, by creating sweepstakes that invite consumers to share brand-related content in exchange for the opportunity to win a prize.
No matter what opportunity fits your brand best, concludes the report, welcoming consumer content is a way to boost authenticity and create interactions that engage and inspire shoppers.
Source
"Peer-To-Peer Endorsements Powerful Authenticator." MediaPost, 7/19/16.