StaRecently a blog post on Hootsuite has gone viral for explaining the rise of User Generated Content (UGC). Most people missed the implications of what it meant for the traditional form of marketing.

What is UGC?

UGC refers to content created by users for a business. Think of someone unboxing an iPhone on Instagram, reviewing skincare products on Youtube, or posting a picture of their latest sneaker on X (formerly Twitter) or Threads. All of these are ads that are everywhere on social media sites.

Why is it important?

Unlike traditional ads, UGC is authentic, presenting a humanized approach rather than a faceless corporation trying to trick you into buying their products. You know this person bought it and they are a real person like you, not a paid actor in a studio. It allows a two way interaction with consumers of a product that is much more personal than an ad or a faceless text review on a site like Amazon. You can ask questions and interact with the user of the product.

What does this mean for traditional marketing?

The Mad Men style of corporate advertising is being displaced slowly by a crowd sourced campaign. People hate ads and try to avoid them. However, they actively seek out and consume UGC on products. Companies have taken advantage of this and are now paying people to promote their brands online. This is replacing the traditional television, radio, and newspaper ads as these mediums are getting smaller while UGC views are increasing.