User-generated content and influencer marketing are two of the most powerful marketing tools for businesses of all types and sizes. Both are powerful in helping you achieve your marketing goals, however, they work in different ways. On key difference is that user-generated content is generated by your customers while influencer marketing is a broader term that represents the relationship between an influencer and a brand. In this guide, we’ll tell you what user-generated content and influencer marketing are, what are their pros and cons, and which one should you use for your marketing. Let’s get going.
What is User Generated Content?
User-generated content, as the name suggests, is a content type that’s created by the users, customers, or fans of a brand. It includes photos, videos, reviews, testimonials, social media posts, and more. What makes user-generated content stand out is the fact that it doesn’t come from the brand itself.
What is Influencer marketing?
Influencer marketing is a marketing strategy where a brand partners with an individual with a sizeable online audience in a specific niche, also known as an influencer. The influencer then promotes that brand’s products often through sponsored content, product reviews, or tutorials. There are four types of influencers:
- Micro-influencers: Individuals with a smaller, but highly engaged following
- Celebrity influencers: Famous individuals with a large following, often used for brand awareness and reach
- Nano-influencers: Individuals with a very small, but highly targeted audience
- Macro-influencers: Individuals with a large following, often used for brand awareness and reach
User Generated Content vs. Influencer Marketing: Key Differences
While both user-generated content and influencer marketing are powerful social media marketing strategies, they are different in some ways. Understanding these differences will help you pick the more suitable approach for your brand.
Authenticity
A prominent difference between user-generated content and influencer marketing content is the degree of authenticity. UGC tends to be more authentic as it’s produced by the real customers, users, and audience of a brand. According to data, 79% of people say UGC content impacts their purchasing decisions. On the other hand, influencer marketing content mostly involves paid partnerships, which makes it less authentic than UGC.
Reach
Another prominent difference is the people you can reach. Influencer marketing lets you reach a large number of people often in a specific industry. This can be beneficial for brands trying to build awareness or generate more leads. UGC, on the other hand, is more about your existing customers, although it can help you get new ones.
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Cost
A key difference between both types of content is the cost. User-generated content tends to be significantly cheaper than influencer marketing. You may not even have to spend anything to showcase and repurpose UGC on your social media. In an influencer marketing partnership, there’s a value exchange; brands often pay influencers to get featured on their social media.
Control
Brands have a lot more control over the content an influencer posts on their socials. You can even send your own content and ask them to publish it. On the flip side, you have limited to no control over what your customers think and say about your business.
Challenges of UGC and Influencer Marketing
Like any marketing strategy, UGC and influencer marketing have their challenges.
Challenges of UGC
Brands may have to sift through a lot of UGC to find the right pieces to showcase to their audience, which can be time-consuming or resource-intensive. Plus, since the content is created by customers, you can’t control its quality; if it’s written badly, you can’t edit it and will have to showcase it as is.
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Challenges of Influencer Marketing
Influencer marketing can be costly, depending on your niche, target audience, product, and the quality of the influencer. Plus, it can be hard to find an influencer that can genuinely help your brand grow. Lastly, by partnering up with an influencer, you’re depending on their reputation. If its gets tarnished, your brand’s reputation will be at stake too.
Influencer Marketing vs. User-Generated Content: Which One to Use?
The answer depends on your target audience, marketing goals, and resources/budget. User-generated content to prospects who’re in the final stages of their buyer’s journey i.e., interested in your product but need a nudge. UGC builds trust and credibility, pushing confused prospects over the edge and improving your conversion rate.
Use influencer marketing when you want to reach a large audience, build brand awareness, generate leads, and get people interested in your offers. One effective way to leverage influencer marketing is by building your email list.
How to Combine User-Generated Content and Influencer Marketing
Although some differences allow you to leverage both strategies separately, you can use both to maximize your results. Here’s how: Find the right influencer and convert them into your customer. Get them to use your product and create a detailed, honest review about your product. This will help you reach a large number of eyeballs and leverage the power of UGC.
User-Generated Content vs. Influencer Marketing: FAQs
Let’s discuss some frequently asked questions about user-generated content vs. influencer marketing.
What is the Difference Between UGC and Influencing?
User-generated content is the content created by customers of a brand. Influencer marketing is when a brand partners up with an influencer to achieve a specific marketing goal.
What are the Pros and Cons of UGC?
User-generated content increases engagement, builds trust, and provides social proof, allowing businesses to generate more conversions. On the other hand, it requires moderation, can be time-consuming, and may lack brand control.
What is the Difference Between Content and Influencer Marketing?
Content marketing involves creating content to attract, engage, and convert a target audience. Influencer marketing refers to working with an influencer to reach potential customers.
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Conclusion
User-generated content and influencer marketing both have their pros and cons. UGC often doesn’t require a lot of investment. All you need to do is provide top-notch services and your customers will produce it for you. However, you may have to ask most of your customers to write a review or a testimonial based on their experiences. Influencer marketing is when you partner with an influencer. It’s a relatively more costly marketing strategy since you have to offer some kind of compensation to the influencer. If you have the resources, use both to maximize your results.
