Ever thought of recording a video or writing a quick paragraph about a product or service you used and eventually, loved?
Or maybe you just received a loyalty gift hamper from your favorite brand and wanted to share your feedback/review about it?
Well, that’s exactly what UGC is. Mainly, UGC is more inclined and preferred in video format than images, reviews, comments, infographics, testimonials, blogs, case studies, etc.
In the article below, we will dive deep into:
- What UGC videos are,
- their benefits,
- a few examples to understand their essence,
- best UGC types,
- platforms you can use, etc.
Let’s begin understanding them in detail:
What are UGC Videos?
User-generated content Videos or UGC videos are original, brand-personalized content created by social media users based on their creative or emotional experience with the product or service.
As per Backlinko, around 40% of shoppers feel UGC content is important while making a purchase decision.
For brands, UGC content is an exciting advantage as it generates thousands and sometimes, millions of impressions and brand visibility for free.
And for social media users, creating such content allows them to reach a wider set of audiences as in most cases, these users are content creators or influencers.
5 Benefits of Using UGC Videos
User-generated content goes a long way in helping brands establish their authority by reaching wider audiences, which wouldn’t happen otherwise.
So if you consider these content pieces from a broader perspective, there are numerous benefits brands can reap by strategically utilizing them in their marketing campaigns.
Here are a few of them:
1. Authenticity
According to S&P Global, around 62% of respondents said more and more UGC content paves the way for brand authenticity.
And since this content is typically “borrowed content” from social media users, it automatically carries a tag of no-filter, real content.
On many occasions, brands have witnessed thousands of UGC pieces globally, thus boosting their business and product authenticity levels in the market.
2. Cost-Effective
UGC videos are extremely light on the pocket. You already know, why!
The reason is – Those videos have been made by your fans out of their will which eventually doesn’t cost you anything if you compare it with the thousands of dollars you spent on video production.
On top of that, the users have adopted a raw approach and spoken exactly what they feel after using your brand’s product or service.
3. Search Engine Optimization
The content created by your brand lovers may contain SEO-optimized keywords.
This will automatically help strengthen your SEO score on Google and generate an additional set of impressions that can be redirected to your website.
Also, many UGC content pieces contain branded hashtags that push them organically on user feeds, thus generating impressions on social media platforms as well.
4. Content Diversity
UGC content varies in multiple formats ranging from images, texts, videos, reviews, etc.
As a result, a ton of diversified content gets accumulated for the brand marketers, thus allowing them to choose the best ones from the best.
The best part is – Such diverse content enables appeal to audiences and fosters community interaction for increased engagement.
3 UGC Video Examples You Must Watch
1. Comparing Monday vs Slack
The above video provides us with a quick comparison between two leading SaaS brands – Monday and Slack.
The creator lays down points highlighting the key features, benefits, usability, applicability, and pricing, thus providing raw views about how he perceives this software to be.
2. UGC Video - Makeup Product Review
The best UGC videos are known for their credibility and unbiased take on the what and how of any product or service.
And this is exactly what the creators in the above video showcase. They have picked up a few makeup products and comprehensively analyzed their quality and application.
Plus, it’s an excellent UGC video example as it also features a few clips of certain users who have already tried these products – thus providing wider insights into the subject.
3. Unboxing iPad Air 2024 & Reviewing It
Watching creators review products is interesting as it gives viewers a comprehensive sneak peek into the what and how.
The creator puts viewers through a discovery journey, trying out the product’s features and providing a quick overview.
But if you look at the video from a UGC perspective, she has put up a comprehensive experience about using the Apple iPad which justifies her efforts.
4 Best Platforms for Using UGC Videos
UGC videos if used effectively, can bring in tons of engagement and profile visits.
With an increase in social media users over the following years, brands have become more noticeable about the content users publish on different platforms.
From the many prominent ones, here are the best 4:
1. Instagram
Apart from quick entertainment, Instagram has also become an excellent ground for shopping with around 70% of shoppers looking forward to Instagram before their next purchase.
Now as far as UGC videos are concerned, Instagram comes out as one of the most profitable platforms for brands to re-share their users’ content for enhanced visibility.
Doing so would push them in front of their potential customers’ eyes and increase the chances of sales.
2. TikTok
With more than 1 billion daily active users, TikTok is a mighty social media platform when it comes to user-generated content.
Surprisingly, TikTok UGC is a staggering 22% more effective than many brand-created videos.
This speaks volumes about how the social media giant has become a breeding ground for user-generated content that is indirectly boosting their favorite brands’ visibility.
3. YouTube
I was blown away when I read that more than 500 hours of content are uploaded by creators on YouTube every hour!
UGC videos and YouTube are a match made in heaven because, for creators, the platform is an easily accessible tool to upload their brand and product experiences.
With unboxing and product launch videos being the hot favorites, over 60% of consumers feel UGC is the most genuine form of advertising.
Therefore, YouTube can be your best bet if you’re considering marketing your UGC content.
4. Email Marketing
Looking at LinkedIn’s research, UGC in email marketing drives a 78% higher click-through rate.
Integrating UGC videos or any UGC type in email marketing instantly boosts authenticity and engagement opportunities.
While using emails, you can plan on running quick contests or giveaways and ask your target audience to share their experiences, later leveraging the same in your email campaigns.
3 Most-Known UGC Video Types
As I mentioned above, UGC comes in multiple formats depending on the nature of the message conveyed.
However, since we’re discussing videos here, check out the 3 most commonly used types:
1. Product Unboxing
Unboxing videos offer viewers a unique perspective on how products look from the outside, boosting excitement and curiosity while getting unveiled on camera.
Popular platforms preferred by creators for publishing unboxing videos include YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, etc.
Let’s consider TikTok here where according to Statista, an average US adult spent around 52 mins daily on the video streaming platform in 2023.
For brands, these videos work as a marketing tool to create hype and demand in their target buyers’ market as they get their products unboxed by popular creators.
2. Product Review/Demo
If you’re looking to purchase a product you recently discovered, look no beyond for reviews or product videos on video platforms.
In such videos, the users or customers take center stage and share their experiences about a particular product or service.
This brings out an authentic tale of feedback where they showcase a thorough demonstration of the features and benefits through UGC content.
Many creators and media channels also produce product review videos of popular gadgets to garner attention just like how The Verge did in the above video.
3.Comparison Videos
Comparison UGC videos act as a guiding light to potential customers exploring their options.
While creating such videos, creators attempt to strike an equal balance of highlighting the pros and cons of each product.
In the end, they generally pass their opinion on what product is best as per their analysis, leaving viewers with a key insight into what their creator believes in.
In Conclusion
UGC videos are excellent marketing material as far as a brand’s marketing efforts are concerned.
And there’s a simple reason why brands must consider embedding them into their brand videos and various customer outreach –
They help build authenticity and credibility – The two most important reasons why customers stick to a particular brand for years!
So if you’re a brand marketer planning to use UGC videos, you must not shy away from integrating them!
