How to Use User-Generated Content to Capture Customers [Infographic]

Do you have a friend who can't resist taking photos of her latest Hello Fresh meal creation on Facebook? How about a colleague who posts her OOTD on Instagram?

If you own or manage a business, this trend -- everyday people promoting products they use, even if it's just to their friends -- is worth paying attention to.In fact, user-generated content (UGC), which serves as word-of-mouth advertising, shows no signs of slowing down. And that's why brands are taking advantage of it.According to a 2016 Business Insider report, people who "interact" with UGC are 97 more likely to buy a product than customers who don't. And according to Olapic, the ways in which millennials and boomers use  and interact with UGC is very different.

For example:

• Millennials say having real people featured in a post makes the branded image more authentic while boomers say the product or service matters more.

• Millennials trust UGC significantly more than they trust brand-created content.

• Millennials rank Instagram as their favorite social platform while 90 percent of boomers prefer Facebook.

• 54% of millennials use hashtags to let friends and the brand know they use a product; 50% of boomers don't use hashtags.

• 76% of 1000 U.S. residents surveyed for Olapic's research say they find content posted by other consumers to be more honest than brand content.

• 27% of people surveyed say they are now turning to UGC instead of ads before making a purchase. Ready to build a UGC hashtag contest or other campaign? Set up a free ShortStack account and we can help you with that!