In the last decade, social media has developed into an unparalleled powerhouse of marketing’s most valuable commodity: user-generated content (UGC). Now more than ever, the direct impact of UGC on purchase behavior has become fundamental to the e-commerce world. Without it, companies will fail to bridge consumer trust, ultimately losing sales and perish against their competitors.
We’ve listed several reasons below to help you understand why UGC is so imperative in today’s digital marketplace.
- UGC is part of consumers’ standard expectations
Today’s consumers find user-generated content more reliable than the photos supplied on online retailer sites. The percentage of customers who trust UGC more has risen by 36% since 2016, with over 91% of consumers from Gen Z being highly dependent on visuals to make informed purchasing decisions.
- It leads to higher conversion rates
According to PowerReviews.com, 99% of consumers seek photos and videos submitted by previous consumers when eyeing new products online prior to purchase. User-generated content drives a 91.4% lift in conversion rates, making it a key element in a buyer’s journey. These images are not just conversion drivers, but also trust builders between the brand and the consumer.
Stars and Stories’ campaigns with well-known brands have consistently proven that user-submitted content (images, video, etc.) continues to drive high conversion rates.
- It provides valuable information about the product that is not stated on the retailer’s site otherwise.
How does the product actually look and feel in real life? Does the product actually fit in the back of your car’s trunk? In the world of online shopping where consumers cannot view or touch the product in person, user-generated content serve as the online consumer’s missing five senses.
Because certain brand imagery can be misleading at times, unedited, authentic user-submitted photos help confirm or deny product descriptions and bring truth to light.
- Consumers are especially dependent on UGC for certain product categories.
Consumers are especially reliant on user-submitted photos and videos for the following products to better understand product performance and see how they look and feel in real-life:
- Clothing
- Electronics
- Appliances
- Home and garden
- Health and beauty products
- Shoes