A new study from Offerpop is shedding light on what motivates consumers to create user generated content (UGC).
While brands think people are motivated to create and share UGC to win prizes, the data shows that only 32 percent of consumers agree with that statement. Instead, 60 percent of consumer respondents said they are motivated to participate in order to have their content "liked" or featured.
Other noteworthy insights from the study reveal that consumers are two times more likely to share content because they want a friend to know about a brand, yet only 14 percent of brands are aware of this intent. What's more, only 16 percent of brands provide specific directions on how consumers should create and share UGC because they don't want to come off as pushy. That said, 53 percent of consumers want to be told exactly what to do, while 42 percent want brands to share examples of photos and videos that help guide consumers in creating UGC.
"On-brand UGC won't create itself, yet it's one of the most valuable tools a marketer could have," said Wendell Lansford, CEO and co-founder of Offerpop. "When 85 percent of consumers say they find UGC more influential than brand-created content, it's time for marketers to listen. It's more important than ever for brands to have a proactive strategy for connecting with consumers, inspiring UGC creation and leveraging that content to increase performance across all of their channels."