Are UGC Creators the next evolution of influencer marketing?

Is the age of the influencer dead?

Social media platforms like TikTok have made it possible to engage with consumers in ways that are more intimate than ever before. However, this is proving to be somewhat of a challenge for marketers.

While the power of influencer marketing has grown, it is still difficult to find content that feels ‘real’ and honest, with users growing wise to obvious sponsored content. As much as 51% of consumers believe that brands do not create content that feels authentic and relatable.

Instead, a growing number of audiences look toward user-generated content (UGC) to gain an edge on what’s trending.

UGC stands for user-generated content, and refers to content created by the customers or fans of a brand. Tagging a brand in your Instagram post or sharing an unboxing video of a new purchase are both examples of user-generated content.

A UGC Creator is a type of content creator that specializes in creating content for brands. Brands will use this content on their social media, or other marketing channels.

It’s important to understand that UGC creators and influencers are not the same.

An influencer is a person who has a significant following on social media platforms and is considered an expert or authority in a particular niche. Influencers can range from micro-influencers with a few thousand followers to mega-influencers with millions of followers. Brands will partner with influencers in order to tap into their audience and gain exposure.

On the flip side, UGC creators are not defined by their following on social media. While they might create content similar to that of an influencer, they do not post this content to their own accounts. Instead, it is used as organic content for brand accounts, or for paid social media ads.

Hiring a UGC creator has numerous benefits, including:

Authenticity: UGC is often seen as more authentic and trustworthy than influencer-generated content since it's created by users who are more “relatable” to the average consumer.

Increased engagement: Customer engagement is 28% higher on UGC than content created by in-house brand marketing teams.

Cost-effective: Hiring a single UGC creator, as opposed to an entire professional production team, significantly reduces content production costs. This makes it an affordable option for social media marketing, where fresh and “trendy” content is constantly required.

Efficient production: UGC creators work independently, and often produce content in their own home. This allows them to create multiple videos, photos and other content in a fraction of the time it would take to wrangle up a professional production team.

Builds brand loyalty: When you feature UGC created by your customers or fans, it shows that you value their opinions and appreciate their support. This can help to build brand loyalty and foster a sense of community around your brand.

Diversifies your content: By featuring UGC on your social media channels or website, you can diversify your content and showcase your brand in a variety of contexts. This can help to keep your audience engaged and interested in your brand.

Naturally, with UGC stacking up so many benefits, it begs the question: is influencer marketing dead? Of course not. Influencer marketing still plays an important role in any content marketing strategy, but it is crucial to understand when to use it.

Outlining clear goals is the first step to deciding whether a UGC creator or influencer is the right choice for your brand.

Use the table below to better understand how influencers and UGC creators can provide different results based on the goals of your brand:

If you are dead-set on using influencers for your social media campaigns, keep in mind that not all influencers are created equal.

In fact, in many cases A-list influencers do not produce the best ROI. In fact, nano-influencers, who are defined as having less than 10,000 followers, produce the highest engagement rates of any influencer.

Here’s how the different types of influencers stack up, as based on statistics pulled from Influencer Marketing Hub:

For most brands the goal of social media content is to increase exposure in order to increase sales. So which form of content produces higher conversions – UGC or influencer marketing?

In most cases, UGC results in higher conversions than influencer marketing. Consumers find UGC 9.8x more helpful than influencer content when it comes to purchasing decisions. On top of that, Flowbox found that user-generated content is 5x more likely to result in a conversion than professional “branded” marketing content.

It cannot be denied – when it comes to converting social media content into sales, UGC outranks influencer marketing.

UGC is a great way for your brand to get more personal and authentic content, while also driving conversions, increasing brand loyalty and building trust.

UGC Creators will prove to be integral to the brand marketing strategies in 2023 and beyond. Ready to reap the benefits of UGC and build a social media presence that drives conversions? Schedule a call with me and I’ll help you create content that your customers will LOVE.