Many marketers and content publishers have been trying to leverage User Generated Content to boost brand interaction and online traffic for quite some time now.  Unfortunately I see too many people using UGC for UGC's sake, and often these efforts are doomed to fail.  

When designing a UGC strategy, marketers must remember that though UGC is abundant on the web, only a small percentage of web users represent the content publishers.  By and large most people fall into the category of content consumers rather than creator; they interact with content and sometimes comment and share, but they aren't likely to post or upload content of their own. You can invest a bunch of time and money into the development of a UGC feature and end up with very little content. Needless to say, you want to avoid such a brand damaging endeavor. If you're trying to convert content consumers into publishers make sure there's explicit value for the publisher and a low barrier to entry.  Also, make sure your target group is indeed convertible by performing some audience research and testing.

For the purposes of this post let's assume you have a critical mass of publishers and content.   Make sure your UGC feature or promotion has the requisite gravity to be successful.  Ask yourself: "Is my audience interested in engaging with this content and sharing it?"  That's where UGC becomes a "magic bullet" for marketing.

In the end, UGC may not be right for your brand. Too often I see rote UGC features on the web, but by making a few simple considerations you can be sure to develop a UGC feature that works for your brand, or save yourself money, headache, and brand identity in the long run.

To learn more about considerations to take into account before you develop a UGC feature or how to optimize your exisitng feature(s), give me a ring at 212-695-1010 or send me an email at tpenichter @ tgpassociates.com.  I'd be happy to discuss.