How User-Generated Video Content Can Help You Increase Website Sales

If “content is king”, then “video content” should be the crown. Video is taking content marketing by storm. And we all need to incorporate it in our marketing strategy. Moreover, user-generated video content is getting more powerful than ever. Let’s find out how to leverage it in our marketing strategies with some tips from the folks at Billo.app. Billo is the #1 platform where eCom brands meet video creators. Trusted by 10,000+ eCommerce brands such as Warby Parker, Pupford, and more.

Marketing plays a big role in helping secure conversions and growing sales. With the internet now having become the main source of information, it makes sense to focus on content that online users are becoming more drawn to when making purchasing decisions. 

User-generated content (UGC) originates from real-world consumers of products that are eager to share their experiences and opinion of a brand. The content can include written reviews, images, and videos from amateurs or even industry experts. 

Video content is highly appealing as 85% of US online users make a point of watching video content on their devices. It also offers the highest return on investment (ROI), with experts predicting that people will be watching as much as 100 minutes of video content per day in 2021. This popularity has encouraged as much as 60% of businesses to incorporate it as a marketing tool. 

User-generated video content (UGVC) has come to overshadow professional productions because online users perceive it as being more credible. This has encouraged greater conversions as consumers feel they are getting genuine information rather than the highly customized imagery and modeling done in the studio to cover up possible flaws. 

For businesses, the appeal lies not just in the boost in sales that can be achieved, but also in the lower cost. There is little they have to spend in securing the content as brand loyal customers are often happy to create content and share it with them. They do not pay for the production yet by securing the content, can use it to make money. 

So how does UGVC lead to greater conversions and sales for businesses?

 

UGVC boosts engagement

Social media campaigns that include user-generated content experience a 50% increase in engagement. Whether it is going to check out reviews or asking a question in the comment section, this engagement means they have an interest in the product or service and are that much closer to making a purchasing decision. 

UGVC is often short but also condensed. It provides valuable information that consumers would be interested in and encouraged to take the next step. Incorporating it increases the chances they will travel further down the sales funnel and convert.

One of the most aggressive UGVC campaigns has to be Doritos Legion of the Bold community that sought to have consumers improve on the brand through creative participation. The campaign has worked great in providing ample research and insights sourced through consumer interactions, focus groups, and social media content. The more users participate, the more they can unlock contest opportunities with various rewards up for grabs. 

 

UGVC provides content that users want to see

According to Statista, 27.2% of online users watched over 10 hours of video content weekly in 2020. Given that the average user spends about 23 hours a week looking at digital screens for work, entertainment, and communication, video content represents a healthy chunk of online activity. 

For businesses, focusing on the type of content that online users desire, find entertaining and engaging is most strategic. The more likely they are to opt to watch a video, the more likely it will lead to them clicking through links and landing on your e-commerce platform to make a purchase. 

Many brands are now switching to a more inclusive approach when it comes to marketing their products. For instance, those in the fashion business that went for rail-thin high-fashion models are now drawing on their customers of all sizes, races, and even ages, to create ads that are more relatable to fellow consumers. And going by the viewership numbers, they want to see more of. 

Dating platform Bumble used the “Find Me On Bumble” campaign to highlight and celebrate its diverse clientele through UGVC. Talking about themselves and what they were looking for in short video clips made into a collage helped market Bumble as the ideal place New Yorkers of various backgrounds and interests could meet. 

 

UGVC adds authenticity

People are no longer as enamored by professionally made advertisements and posters. They understand that this was an effort by the business to portray their product or service in the best light possible. They know that making sales and profit are what matter most. 

For the consumer, however, getting their money’s worth is what is important. UGVC makes them feel like they are getting an authentic opinion on the true value of the product or service on offer and can make an informed choice from there. It comes from someone who is just as invested and can honestly tell them what benefits and flaws to expect. 

 

UGVC can be instructional

UGVC content is not just about basic reviews. Some content can be lengthier, even showing demonstrations of how the products can be used. They can even delve into the product’s specifications, educating the potential buyer on the nitty-gritty details that make the product unique. 

This lengthier content may be created by existing customers, or can even come from within the business. Many businesses will have their in-house experts develop video content on how products are made, can be used, and even hacks. Their opinions can also be better trusted by consumers than professional models hired for an advert. 

This instructional content can help to boost sales as it enlightens users on the various ways products offer good value for money. This trend has successfully been used to sell everything from fashion to cars. 

 

UGVC is short yet comprehensive

UGVC is often short but highly informative. This is because consumers are more likely to watch videos to the end if they are brief and to the point. 

Videos that are less than 2 minutes long attract the most engagement. Any longer and people tend to lose interest. Not a surprising statistic when you consider how fast platforms like TikTok, Snapchat, and YouTube shorts have come to dominate. 

You can share a much larger amount of information on a product in a video than you can in text or using just images. As the content creator talks, they can also display the product and demonstrate how it works, creating a quick yet comprehensive way to market. 

 

Linking to E-Commerce Sites

When you secure permission from the content creators, you can use the videos on just about any platform you have a presence on. This includes social media sites, blogs, and your main business site landing page. Anywhere you share content about your products, you can easily incorporate this content. 

It is easy to include links that will allow online users to go directly to where they can buy the product that has been reviewed. UGVC helps drive traffic where you can better secure conversions and sales. 

 

Taps into Influencer Marketing

Influencers are great for showcasing products. Top influencers can have a massive following and with just a simple endorsement, can drive your sales through the roof. While they may use different kinds of content to share their opinions, videos are the most powerful tool. These videos will often go viral and can drive sales exponentially.

Rapper Nicki Minaj has severally thanked Taylor Swift for endorsing her Super Bass track while on a radio show. Minaj credited the spontaneous endorsement for giving her greater visibility and pushing the track over 80 spots up the charts. The clip of Swift’s utterances has been viewed millions of times. 

Summary

UGVC can strongly impact the success of a brand by influencing the perception that potential buyers will have about their products and services. More and more businesses are making this video content very much a part of their marketing plan and have seen their brand visibility and sales grow as a result. 

This content works by:

• boosting engagement that will stir the interest and the desire to make a purchase
• providing content that appeals to online users and guiding them where they can partake of the brand’s offerings
• adding an element of authenticity that makes consumers more likely to trust in the views expressed 
• providing additional content value that includes instructions and real-world demonstrations of how products work
• offering short yet easily digestible content that is comprehensive on what benefits the product offers
• directing online viewers to e-commerce sites where sales can be easily executed
• tapping into influencer power to boost sales and grow following

The consumption and influence of UGC keeps on growing, with video content becoming a prominent player. Optimizing your marketing strategies to incorporate this content will help improve the performance and outcomes of your sales funnel. Take a bold step and look into ways you can stimulate your existing followers to contribute and share this across your social media presence.