Why collect and utilize User Generated Content (UGC) when we have artificial intelligence that can produce high-quality content at scale and low cost? If you’re wondering about the future of UGC in the era of ChatGPT and other generative AI, this article is for you.
Let’s be clear: UGC has never been more valuable than it is today, and AI will make it even more precious in the coming months and years.
As AI-generated content becomes increasingly pervasive, consumer-generated content (customer reviews, testimonial videos, etc.) will become the last refuge for consumers seeking authentic and credible content to assist them in their purchase decisions.
User-generated content (UGC) is some of the most potent marketing content
Let’s recall that User-Generated Content (UGC) refers to all content:
- Produced by consumers on the internet and social media, AND
- Related to a product, service, or brand.
This includes:
- Textual content, starting with reviews and comments left by consumers on e-commerce product pages or review platforms (such as Avis Vérifiés).
- Consumer videos: testimonials, experiences, reviews…
- Content published on social media by consumers and micro- or nano-influencers. This content can take the form of posts, stories, reels, TikTok videos, etc.
Almost all consumers read customer reviews before purchasing a product or service online. It’s no coincidence that companies prominently feature these contents on their websites. Social media browsing also plays a significant role in the pre-purchase journey.
In short, UGC plays a key role in the buying journey.
Why? Because UGC is considered more reliable, authentic, objective, and human compared to content produced by brands. There may be doubts about commercial content, but there is less doubt about the sincerity of UGC. They serve as “social proof.” Additionally, UGC is created by consumers who have the same needs, expectations, and pain points as the consumers who read this content. This is an additional advantage.
The reason why ChatGPT won’t replace UGC
The presentation we have just given about UGC (User-Generated Content) is sufficient to understand why UGC has a promising future, even in the era of AI.
It’s not the quantity or even the quality of content that makes UGC powerful, but the characteristics we have highlighted earlier: reliability, objectivity, independence, authenticity, proximity, and humanity.
UGC is created by real consumers, and this is what gives it its value in the eyes of consumers.
We do not intend to deny the value of ChatGPT in content marketing and marketing in general. There are numerous powerful use cases for AI in marketing, and the example of product descriptions is a prominent one. Using ChatGPT makes sense for generating this type of content, and, in most cases, it would be a missed opportunity not to utilize AI. However, it’s crucial to emphasize that this should be done intelligently and thoughtfully.
As you have understood, the production of content that derives its primary value from being human cannot be automated.