Move over Influencers, there’s a new boss in town! Organic user-generated content has been around for years and utilised by many. But recently, I’ve seen a huge rise in paid user-generated content creators (UGCC) popping up everywhere, especially TikTok, so let’s get into what it means, what they do, who’s it for and the benefits to businesses.

What is user-generated content?

User-generated content (UGC) is any content—text, videos, images, reviews, etc.—created by people, rather than brands (Hootsuite)

What do user-generated content creators do?

UGCCs work with brands to make content for them to share on the brand’s social media profiles or within paid social advertising. Speaking from experience, brands (and Social Media Managers!) are always on the hunt for more content – so there’s a huge gap in the market for this!

Who can become a user-generated content creator?

Anyone can become a UGCC, you don’t need a following as businesses share the content created on their own profiles.  However, you do need to be prepared to show your face on camera and know how to create engaging, good quality and authentic feeling content.

Is this the start of a new wave of influencers?

Yes! With 64% of 18- to 44-year-olds stating they don’t trust what influencers promote through their social channels (Sitecore), this could be a new opportunity for businesses to outsource authentic content that resonates with their audiences!

Who’s it best for?

I think UGCCs could be utilised by brands of all sizes! If you’re a smaller business, with limited content available, this could be a great option to add to your overall content strategy. Larger businesses – think ASOS – have much easier access to organic UGC with hundreds of customers tagging them in content each day however, if ASOS wanted a say in which product is featured or needed to tie content into a wider campaign then paid UGCCs could be the way to go!

What’s the cost difference?

Depending on the size of the influencer, for one Instagram post businesses can be expected to pay anywhere from £500 for a mid-tier influencer to over $1 million for a mega influencer – think Kylie Jenner! UGCCs on the other hand are kinder to the wallet, with many I’ve found charging between $100-$1,500 for large batches of content.

Laura x