What Is UGC Content and Can It Be Used in Arbitrage?

Hello, community! Content is the foundation of everything on the internet, essentially its core. It not only helps inform users but also serves as a significant tool for sales. This is particularly true when we talk about UGC (User-Generated Content), which, in some ways, can be seen as the opposite of influencer traffic.

But let’s not get ahead of ourselves; let’s start from the very beginning!

What is UGC Content?

Agree, you’re much more inclined to buy something when you hear an authentic review from someone at your level of income, speaking your language, and you understand that what they’re saying is genuinely their opinion. After all, who would pay someone with barely any followers on Instagram for advertising?

This perception is exactly why this approach is so effective today.

UGC refers to content created and distributed by regular users. This principle is embedded in the term’s abbreviation, which stands for “User-Generated Content.”

It’s no surprise that this type of content is actively utilized by modern marketers:

1. Because it’s genuine content created by people for people;
2. Amid declining trust in traditional advertising, this promotion method looks most promising.

In essence, this principle resembles the work of brands with influencers: someone tells you about a product, shares what seems like personal impressions, and provides an evaluation. At the same time, it’s a completely opposite situation because, unlike influencers, regular users don’t have a large audience they can influence.

But! Let’s not forget the viral effect. For example, if a brand encourages people to create videos about their product (the motivation doesn’t necessarily have to be monetary), it creates the conditions for this content to go viral (to some extent). As a result, the gains from such a strategy can surpass those of working with influencers.

It’s also worth noting consumer reviews. Many buyers actively seek such UGC before purchasing a product or service. In fact, on the international market, about 64% of potential buyers look for similar reviews.

Let’s highlight the key reasons why marketers, including affiliates, actively use UGC to promote products:

• UGC convinces hesitant buyers and motivates first-time viewers to purchase;
• Broader reach: reviews about a product can appear anywhere, from Instagram and Facebook to TikTok;
• This leads to higher conversion rates;
• It’s also unique content that even large marketing campaigns sometimes lack.

Clearly, UGC helps boost sales. But how can such content be utilized, especially in affiliate marketing?

Ways to Use UGC

One of the most obvious examples of using UGC in affiliate marketing is adding reviews to landing pages. This approach works exceptionally well in almost any niche. For instance, in travel offers, you can use reviews from real people about hotels in your ad campaigns.

On landing pages, you can even feature video reviews, user testimonials, and more. Anything that aligns with your strategy and potentially increases sales.

There are more specific examples, especially in nutra. For instance, if you’re driving traffic to a weight-loss product, before-and-after photos featuring real people perform exceptionally well. While such content may be harder to source in an authentic, non-stock format, it’s an excellent UGC example.

There are countless other ways affiliates promote products through UGC. The key is finding a way to deliver this content to consumers. Once there, it could potentially sell your product or service on its own.

Key Types of UGC

UGC can be categorized into several key types based on the content format:

1. Photo UGC, commonly shared on Instagram and Facebook. In Ukraine, this type of content is also prevalent in messengers, while in the U.S., it’s found on Pinterest;
2. Video UGC – a cornerstone for marketers due to its massive potential for virality, especially with formats like Reels and Shorts. Such content is created and shared on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube;
3. Integrations. This includes nearly all reviews about a product, posted anywhere from niche websites to mainstream platforms like Reddit.

When it comes to effectiveness, video content stands out as the clear leader. However, depending on your strategy, other UGC formats may also be appropriate.

Conclusion

UGC is a powerful tool for increasing conversions, widely used across various niches. While it’s most effective in e-commerce and nutra, it can also be utilized in other verticals.

Do you trust online reviews? Share your thoughts in our Telegram community, the most honest affiliate marketing community in Ukraine!

Yours always, Geek!

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