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Generative AI is everywhere now. You see it in content, campaigns, customer experiences, and even internal workflows. It promises speed, scale, and efficiency, but there’s a harder question sitting underneath all that progress; Do your audiences actually trust it?

Trust in the Age of AI: What Consumers Really Think About AI Generated Content

Today, PR teams aren’t just tracking media coverage and share of voice. They’re also measuring how their brand shows up in AI-generated answers, search summaries, and large language models (LLMs). This new LLM visibility layer is quickly becoming a critical part of PR performance.

15 Must-Have PR KPIs and How to Track Them

See how one platform can power every decision across PR, communications, and marketing.

The Meltwater Blog

Blog Topics: Generative Engine Optimization, Media Intelligence, Media Relations, Social Listening, Consumer Intelligence, Influencer Marketing

Find out how you can leverage Facebook to boost your brand's online presence and gain a competitive edge. Explore the Meltwater category page today!

Facebook Blog | Meltwater

Find out how you can leverage Instagram to boost your brand's visual appeal and gain a competitive edge. Explore our category page today!

Instagram Blog | Meltwater

Find out how you can leverage LinkedIN to grow your professional network and gain a competitive edge. Explore the Meltwater category page today!

LinkedIn Blog | Meltwater

Find out how you can leverage TikTok to elevate your brand with creative content and gain a competitive edge. Explore the Meltwater category page today!

TikTok Blog | Meltwater

Find out how you can leverage X / Twitter to engage your audience effectively and gain a competitive edge. Explore the Meltwater category page today!

X / Twitter Blog | Meltwater

Find out how you can leverage YouTube to create engaging video content and gain a competitive edge. Explore the Meltwater category page today!

YouTube Blog | Meltwater

Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) is transforming how brands show up in AI-powered search. Explore insights, strategies, and best practices to help your content rank and resonate across conversational engines like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Copilot.

Explore insights and strategies for Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) to help your brand stay visible and discoverable in AI-powered search.

Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) Blog Collection | Meltwater

Every day billions of conversations take place on social media: tweets, posts, comments, blogs, reviews, podcasts, and much more.
Learn how to use social listening to make sense of all of that data.

On our social listening category page, you find all our blogs covering topics around social listening and social media monitoring. Read more.

Social Listening Blogs | Category

Business Reputation Management: What does it take to add reputation management to your marketing strategy? More importantly, how do you keep your reputation sparkly and shiny? Here’s your all-access guide to online reputation management for the long term.

On our reputation management category page, you find all our blogs covering topics around business reputation management. Read more.

Reputation Management Blogs | Category

From your brand's logo to your website, your social media presence to your customer support—these elements combined are what constitutes a brand in the minds of customers. But, there are thousands of other businesses that have a logo, website, social media presence, and website. So, how can you position your business on the market and make it stand out from the competition?
The key to success is branding & brand management!

On our brand management category page, you find all our blogs covering topics around brand management. Build your strategy and reach your goals!

Brand Management Blogs | Category

Competitive intelligence and the act of collecting competitive data can be seen as growth drivers for a company. Our guide will help you understand the concept of competitive intelligence (CI) by answering questions such as: What is the definition of competitive intelligence? How is competitive intelligence useful to organizations? What is the goal of competitive intelligence? And more.

On our competitive intelligence category page, you find all our blogs covering topics around competitive intelligence. Learn how to stay ahead.

Competitive Intelligence Blogs | Category

Let’s dive into the customer journey framework and how to optimize the process by creating a customer journey map and using metrics that matter when analyzing the customer journey.

On our customer journey category page, you find all our blogs covering topics around mapping and understanding the customer journey.

Customer Journey Blogs | Category

What Is Data Analytics? [Beginner’s Guide 2023]
How can I grow my business? 
How do customers interact with my newly launched product?
How do I increase the productivity of my employees?
How do I know if my marketing efforts are working?
We have just two words for you...Data analytics!

On our data analytics category page, you find all our blogs covering topics around AI and data analytics. Technical and still easy to understand.

AI & Data Analytics Blogs | Category

Public relations and media relations can add impact to any marketing strategy. It’s an opportunity for brands to grow their reach beyond traditional sales messages. PR helps to shape the image you want people to have of your brand.
So, what is PR and how do you use it? This guide shows you everything you need to know to build a strong public relations foundation.

On our public relations (PR) category page, you find all our blogs covering public relations and communications topics. Step up your PR game.

Public Relations (PR) Blogs | Category

We all know exactly what the roles of sales or accounting are in a company, right? We might even have a slight idea of what the IT guys are doing.
But there is another business discipline, that plays a crucial role in organizations, even more so during the pandemic – internal communications!
But what exactly do we mean by that, what purpose does it serve and what steps can you take to ensure you and your employees will communicate effectively?

On our internal communications category page, you find all our blogs about internal comms topics. Learn about the intranet, internal newsletters, and more.

Internal Communications Blogs | Category

As the internet has taken root in more areas of our lives — everything from entertainment to shopping to paying bills and more — traditional marketing is becoming less impactful. As any marketer knows, you need to focus on where your audience is if you want to reach them. Since the average person spends about seven hours a day online, it’s no surprise that content has maintained its hold on marketers.

Here's a closer look at what content marketing is and why it matters more than ever in our digital-first economy.

On our content marketing category page, you find blogs about content marketing topics. Learn about strategies, KPIs, tips, and more. Make your content king!

Content Marketing Blogs | Category

The rise of the influencer marketing space – today a $10 billion industry, growing 50% per year – is one of the clearest examples of how social media is transforming traditional marketing. These days having a business website, presence on social, PR coverage, and your own content isn’t enough to compete.
We'll dive into the intricacies of influencer marketing to help ensure that you're equipped with the insights needed to be successful in this space.

On our influencer marketing category page, you find blogs about influencer marketing topics. Build your strategy, find influencers, and measure results.

Influencer Marketing Blogs | Category

Have you just launched a new product or service that you want to get the word out about? Maybe you want to share with consumers why it is awesome and how it is so much better than the one your competitors offer.

Well, then, there is one thing you can't do without...Marketing!

On our marketing category page, you find blogs about marketing topics. Learn about all the different angles and types of marketing and improve your results.

Marketing Blogs | Category

In this guide, we want to give you a peek into the definition of social media management, the daily schedule of a social media manager, social media platforms to promote your business, and the do’s & don’ts of social media management.
Are you ready to begin the journey of becoming a social media superstar?

On our social media management category page, you find blogs about social media management topics. Build and manage your online community.

Social Media Management Blogs | Category

Building a following and using social media platforms to reach a wider audience requires a well-planned social media marketing strategy. In this guide, we’ll be looking at why social media marketing is so essential and how you can make it work for your business.

On our social media marketing category page, you find blogs about social media marketing topics. Learn how to get the highest paid social ROI!

Social Media Marketing Blogs | Category

In the fast-evolving realm of digital marketing and public relations, utilizing the right tools is crucial for success. Our interdisciplinary category showcases all the pertinent tools for digital marketing & PR. These tools help in enhancing your online presence and effectively reaching target groups, whether through reputation management, influencer marketing, or social media management.

On our digital marketing and PR tools category page, you find all our blogs covering topics around mapping and understanding the customer journey.

Digital Marketing & PR Tools Blogs | Category

The end of another year brings another opportunity to survey how digital language and behavior have evolved over the past 12 months. Last year, the non-negotiable dislikes better known as “the ick” beat out “nepo baby” and “girl dinner” to be the most viral phrase of 2023. 2024 gave us a whole new collection of viral internet slang to assess for their impacts on digital culture and communication.  This year, we used our social listening and analytics solution to analyze a new crop of viral phrases:

Brainrot: This year, “brainrot” and “brain rot” became internet expressions referring to the often negative effects of being too steeped in social media and internet culture. It is also frequently used to describe absurdist, ironic digital content popular with young audiences.

Brat: Following the release of pop artist Charli XCX’s hit album brat in June 2024, using the phrases “is brat” and “brat summer” became a trendy way of describing someone or something as carefree, confident, and, often, kind of messy.

Demure: Thanks to content creator Jools Lebron, the phrase “very demure, very mindful” took the internet by storm this year. As a result, “demure” has become synonymous with quiet, unbothered sophistication.

Rizz: Particularly popular among Gen-Zers, “rizz” is shorthand for “charisma”. Content creator Kai Cenat is often credited with popularizing the term online. 

Yap: In internet parlance, to yap is to chat at length, often about light-hearted or inconsequential topics. “Yap”, and its variations “yapper”, “yapping”, and “yapped”, became newly popular on social media in 2024.

Here’s how English-language usage of these viral terms across 21 sources — including social media platforms, digital media outlets, podcasts, broadcast programs, comments, and blogs — measured up against each other.

Learn more about the cultural shifts driving “brainrot”, “brat”, and other examples of today’s irreverent internet culture in the 2025 Webby Trend Report.

What was the most viral slang term of 2024?

“Brainrot” (Oxford University Press’s Word of the Year) was mentioned 2.92 million times from January through November 2024. Its biggest day of usage was October 1 when mentions spiked five times higher than average. This was partly due to a viral post on X proclaiming, “they hate it when you serve internet brainrot along with critical thinking while also serving fits.”

This post on X helped the term “brainrot” go viral in October. 

The phrases “is brat” and “brat summer” were used about 786,000 times from January through November. The biggest day for brat slang was September 3, 2024, just after Charli XCX declared “goodbye forever brat summer” in an X post. Far-reaching media outlets like BBC and The Independent reported on the post as the official end of brat summer.

Learn more about the ins and outs of hopping on social media trends with our Ultimate Guide to Trendjacking.

“Demure” (Dictionary.com’s Word of the Year) was mentioned more than 3.19 million times in 2024. Its biggest day for usage was August 17, 2024, when mentions spiked 165 times higher than average. 

That day, the most common keyword mentioned along with “demure” was “vocabulary” thanks to a popular post on X praising viral slang for introducing people to new words. 

There were about 10,400 daily mentions of “rizz” from January to November 2024, or about 3.48 million total. Mentions soared 214% higher than average on February 22, 2024, after the release of a BuzzFeed interview in which actress Zendaya praised her boyfriend Tom Holland for having “rizz”.

“Yap” and its conjugations were mentioned about 6.63 million times across sources from January through November 2024. 

It went most viral on March 9, 2024, when mentions were 120% higher than average due to a viral post on X that used the term with another viral slang phrase, “rizz”.

This post on X helped drive the highest spike in mentions of “yap” on March 9, 2024.

Of the five slang words we analyzed, “Yap” was the most popular of 2024 by far. Social media users, journalists, bloggers, online commenters, and more used “yap” and its variations more than 6.63 million times. 

However, “demure” was much more acutely viral due to how quickly and dramatically it caught on. Despite being a relatively rarely mentioned word for most of the year, “demure” had a spike in mentions in August that was higher and longer than that of any other word, illustrating its massive cultural impact. So while “yapping” will likely continue to be a new favorite conversational term for many around the world, no word will go on to scream “2024” quite like “demure”.

From big names like Kai Cenat and Jools Lebron to the lesser-known accounts behind viral social media posts, content creators are the driving forces behind evolutions in mainstream slang. And as these phrases and terms gain prominence, many youth- and digital culture-focused brands rely on them to signal that they are on the same wavelength as their target audiences. The creator economy is poised to grow even larger in 2025, meaning the relationship between marketers and influencers will become even more complex. Learn more about these and other industry shifts to watch out for in our 2025 Marketing Trends Guide.

What Was the Most Viral Slang Term of 2024?

If video hadn’t already killed the radio star, podcasts would’ve done it. Everyone from celebrities to influencers to brands are trying their hand at podcasts, some with more success than others. 

Podcast popularity is at an all-time high. Last year, there were 3.2 million podcast listeners in South Africa, a figure that continues to rise as mainstream radio numbers taper off. Of those listeners, 68% engage with content for longer than an hour each week, and 1 in 4 listeners actively tune in to podcasts daily. 

That’s why we’ve curated a list of the top 10 South African podcasters – across any category or topic. Covering music, finance, real-world events and local conversation, these are the top podcasts in South Africa for good reason. Have a listen, and decide which ones deserve a spot on your playlist:


Piano Pulse EP 14 |NetfLix, SASMA, Music Video's, Msaki, Shakes & Les, Major Leauge Djz,Kreative Korner,Mclaren,Limpopo


One of the most popular SA podcasts, Podcast and Chill focuses on unfiltered conversations with celebrities, industry leaders, and public figures. Podcast and Chill has built up a loyal and diverse audience, with hosts Macgyver Mukwevho, Ghost Lady and Sol Phenduka talking about everything from cultural differences to personal stories.

Having started in 2018, there are well over 500 episodes for listeners to enjoy. New episodes come out every Tuesday and Thursday.

An electronic and amapiano performer, Djy Jaivane’s podcast is a curation of music mixes, focusing on house, electronic beats and amapiano rhythms. The perfect podcast for electronic music lovers, listeners will start to recognise Djy Jaivane’s signature sound.

Djy Jaivane’s deep connection to the South African music scene and regular session uploads have made his one of the biggest podcasts in South Africa.

Speaker, author and self-made businesswoman, Mpoomy Ledwaba’s podcast takes everything she has learned along her journey and delivers it in an authentic and relatable way. The focus on personal development and holistic well-being makes Wisdom & Wellness one of the most inspirational and practical South African podcasts for any listener. Wisdom & Wellness regularly features expert guests, and uploads once a week. 

Knight SA, real name Edwin Cornelius Fortune, is one of the most celebrated midtempo producers in South Africa. His podcast taps into this, attracting a devoted audience of midtempo fans.

With more than 75 sessions uploaded, and each between one and two hours long, MidTempo Sessions by Knight SA is a must-have on any music lover’s podcast playlist.

Above and Beyond


Hosted by entrepreneur Vusi Thembekwayo, Ideas That Matter covers all things business, strategy, and leadership. With his wealth of first-hand business knowledge, Vusi Thembekwayo leads thought-provoking discussions and provides innovative insights.

With episodes released biweekly, Ideas That Matter is an unmissable South African podcast for aspiring entrepreneurs and professionals.

If You Ruled the World: A Listener Grab Bag [VIDEO]


If ever there was a South African that podcasts were made for, it’s Trevor Noah.

What Now? is a Spotify-exclusive podcast revolving around social issues, current events, and human stories. Delivered in Trevor Noah’s signature style, What Now? releases episodes weekly on Spotify.

Episode 170 The Murder of Allison Plaatjies


This podcast is a must-listen for crime enthusiasts. True Crime South Africa examines local cases — whether solved, unsolved, or still ongoing. Hosted by writer Nicole Engelbrecht with meticulous attention to detail, episodes are published regularly.

BizNews Briefing: Cilliers Brink with latest on Tshwane, Jhb; Comrades Collective triumph; Overpriced Wall St


Closing in on nearly 6000 episodes, BizNews Radio brings listeners exclusive interviews with top business leaders, thinkers, and economists.

For investors and interested listeners alike, the South African podcast is an invaluable resource for the latest news on both local and global markets.

The Money Show: China Strikes Back: Rare Mineral Exports to U.S. Halted Amid Escalating Tech War


A longstanding financial staple in South Africa, The Money Show offers expert insight into business trends and market movements. Hosted by radio personality Bruce Whitfield, the podcast delivers new episodes every day.

My Deep Is Not Your Deep curates unique house music mixes. The podcast explores the diversity of deep house, providing listeners with new tracks and commentary about the genre.

Find the Right SA Podcasts for You with Meltwater

Tapping into South African podcasts can be a game-changer for brands. With Meltwater, brands can now monitor podcasts for all the keywords that are important to them. Additionally, they can surface opportunities to place thought leaders from their organization on podcasts that cover topics relevant to their expertise.

Learn more about which podcasts resonate with your audience, glean listener info, and request guest appearances or product placements. Discover more when you request a demo by filling out the form below.

Top 10 Podcasts in South Africa

As far as social media channels go, TikTok has quietly become one of the biggest – and brands that don’t jump on the TikTok bandwagon risk being left behind. Globally, TikTok has over 1 billion monthly users. And it’s popular as a search engine too. TikTok is the fourth most-popular search engine, just behind YouTube, Bing and Google.

So we know that TikTok is popular globally. But the stats around TikTok use in South Africa are equally impressive.

The Global Digital 2024 report revealed that TikTok has 17.5 million South African users aged 18 and up. The gender split is fairly even, 52.0% of TikTok’s ad audience in South Africa is female and 48.0% is male. For brands, the potential ad reach is tantalising: TikTok ad reach in South Africa increased by a massive +10.6% in just 4 months between October 2023 and January 2024. This makes posting on TikTok (almost) a non-negotiable. The question is, when is the best time to post on TikTok in SA?


The Best Time to Post on TikTok in South Africa

Best Times to Post on TikTok in South Africa

Best Days to Post on TikTok in South Africa

How to Find the Best Time to Post on TikTok in South Africa for Your Brand

It’s important to clarify that there is no perfect time to post on TikTok for every brand in every province in South Africa. Part of it will depend on your industry, your audience, and what your brand objectives are on TikTok. For this reason, it’s important for brands to analyse their own TikTok data using a social media management tool to determine when to post.

Having said that, there are 3 top times worth testing based on general data:

Good news: there is no such thing as a wrong day to post on TikTok. But it does pay to look at user behaviour to pinpoint which times work best for each specific day. Posting throughout the week will allow you to find out which days and times are the most ideal for your content and your audience.

The best times to post on TikTok on Monday are in the early and mid-morning, as well as the late evening. People are active on TikTok both before and after the workday, breaking up the start to the week.

Believe it or not, TikTok is active extremely early in the morning on Tuesdays.

Like Mondays, the best times to post on TikTok on Wednesdays are before or after the workday.

The best times to post on TikTok on Thursday are 8 AM, noon, and 7 PM. Users tend to log on more frequently as the work week winds down.

Like Thursdays, TikTok is active around lunchtime on Fridays as people get ready for the weekend. Other popular time slots are 5 AM and 5 PM.

Late mornings and evenings are the best times to post on TikTok on Saturdays, with people sleeping in, and spending more of their free time on social media.

9 AM and 2 PM are the best times to post on TikTok on Sundays. The 2PM Sunday time slot is one of the most popular times to post throughout the entire week.

TikTok is one of the best platforms to experiment with, both in terms of post times and content. While brands should still follow their own brand guidelines, TikTok’s short-form videos allow brands to showcase fun and flexibility. South African audiences are, on the whole, receptive to humour, so don’t be afraid to test!

TikTok favours more content rather than less, so if you can post as often as every day, your audience will naturally see more and more of your content.

One way to find the best time to post on TikTok is to post, manage and analyse everything yourself. A much better way to achieve TikTok success is to make use of a social media management tool.

Create, schedule, manage, and track your TikTok content all in one place. With in-depth reporting and dynamic admin capabilities, equip yourself with everything you need to keep your TikTok performance tip top.

In the current climate, customers favor authenticity and transparency and are steering away from traditional marketing messages. Enter user-generated content (UGC), the latest darling of the marketing world.

Why all the hype around UGC? It’s simple: Content created by users highlights your brand in unique ways. It appears more authentic because it’s coming from your customers, not your brand. It’s instant social proof!

To add to its appeal, a survey found that more than 80% of consumers claim that UGC influences their buying decisions more than promotional content made by brands or even search results.

Here’s what you need to know about user-generated content — including a definition — and how to apply it to your brand marketing.

UGC Meaning: What is User-Generated Content?

Why is UGC So Important? The Benefits of User-Generated Content

Why is Content Moderation Important for User-Generated Campaigns?

Let’s start with the basics: UGC stands for user-generated content. Sometimes it's also called third-party content or consumer-generated content.

So what exactly is UGC? Well, it is what it sounds like: content about your brand that is created by your customers, not your company.

A more thorough user-generated content definition is: the collection of text, images, videos, customer reviews, product reviews, blog posts, social media posts, or other content created by people, not brands. See our article on User-Generated Content Examples for more context.

Sometimes, your customers will generate a piece of brand-related content just because they want to. And sometimes, you might plant the bug in their ears by asking them to share a photo or other content.

For instance, your clothing boutique shoppers might snap a photo of their new outfit and upload it to Instagram with a branded hashtag (or some other relevant hashtag). Or, one of your subscription box customers might record an unboxing video to share with their friends or upload to YouTube. Boom — that's user-generated content marketing.

Brands go crazy over UGC, and for good reason. First and foremost, it’s one of the surest signs of approval. Imagine a customer loves your product or brand so much that they took it upon themselves to create some UGC posts about it and then shared them on their social networks. That’s true love!

But aside from the warm, fuzzy feeling it gives brand experts and marketers, there are tons of benefits and opportunities that come from UGC marketing. Here's why it should be part of your content marketing strategy.

It bears repeating: User-generated content appears more authentic because it comes from “real” people. Yes, you as a brand expert, marketer, or social media guru are also a real person. But you’re being paid to create brand-generated content.

Consumer content creation happens just because customers like it, even though they have nothing to really gain from it. It sends a powerful message to other users. It’s next-level word-of-mouth marketing and a testament that other people love and trust your brand.

In general, content marketers agree that quality and authenticity are hallmarks of good content marketing campaigns. Audiences are quick to point out fake reviews and UGC that appears to be staged, both of which can kill your brand's reputation. To truly reap the benefits of user-created content, it needs to come from your customers organically.

Engagement is a pillar of brand loyalty. When your customers actively engage with your brand, they’re more likely to remember you when they need something you offer.

This content strategy works for just about any industry or use case, including higher education, retail and e-commerce, hospitality, and any type of social media marketing.

Creating different kinds of content is an easy and effective way to engage your customers in a fun way. They essentially become a stakeholder in your brand and can participate in its success. Not to mention, engaged customers tend to spend more with the brands they support, and 59% are more likely to choose that brand over competitors when they join a loyalty program.

And when brands share their user-generated content on their own branded channels, customers feel seen, heard, and appreciated. The corporate walls come tumbling down and brands can show they’re listening to their customers.

In 2015, the American Association of Advertising Agencies made an alarming discovery: 96% of consumers don’t trust ads (especially Millennials). But it’s not without reason. The world (especially the advertising world) is full of misinformation, and it’s not always easy to sniff out fake news from the real deal. As a result, more consumers are increasingly dubious about marketing claims.

UGC marketing is key to helping to earn buyer trust for the long-term. Because content comes from customers, not the brand itself, it’s automatically seen as more honest and truthful. Because let’s face it: If you have a bad experience, you’re not likely to advocate for a brand or product.

That’s why many marketers consider user-generated content marketing to be akin to word-of-mouth. It’s like getting an honest recommendation from a family member or friend. It offers instant brand awareness. And since research shows that 90% of people are more likely to trust a recommended brand (even if that recommendation comes from an internet stranger), user-generated content campaigns have a strong chance of making the right impression.

The benefits of UGC are strongest when they result in real buying decisions. That’s why many content marketers rely on it at the bottom stages of the sales funnel.

For starters, user content is a form of social proof that other people have bought a product or service and like it enough to share their experience with others. With e-commerce scams on the rise (e.g., fake online stores, fake products, misleading products and descriptions, etc.), potential customers are wary about who they purchase from.

People trust that UGC doesn’t use any fancy lighting or camera tricks that make a product seem like something it isn’t. They get a better idea of what a product actually looks like or how it works, which can tip the scales in your favor.

One of the biggest bottom-line advantages to UGC is the cost-effectiveness — it’s pretty much free advertising!

Organic user-generated content is super cost-effective. You invest very little other than your time — time spent searching for, vetting, and publishing the content on your own channels. This is a huge benefit as the costs of content marketing continue to climb. Currently, cost-per-click ads are up 50% year-over-year and are only getting more expensive.

And even though 68% of content marketers say their budgets are increasing, their time and people resources are expected to remain fairly flat. Ultimately, this means that content creators will be expected to create more and better content and increase results without having the additional resources to do so. UGC can help to fill in these gaps without taking a huge investment of time or money.

What’s more, free or cheap user-created content is the next best thing to influencer marketing. Hiring an influencer can cost hundreds, thousands, or even tens of thousands of dollars, depending on their level of influence. It also takes much more involvement on your part to manage, find, vet, and collaborate with influencers.

Comparatively, the cost of asking your loyal fans to post pictures of themselves enjoying your product is minimal. There’s no need to partner with an expensive agency, since this is something so simple you can do it in-house. You might invest in a user-generated content platform or social media management tools to help you manage the process, but other than that, you don’t need to invest much into your UGC strategy.

There are many different forms UGC can take, depending on how your campaign strategy is set up. Are you soliciting reviews? Looking for social media content? If so, what kind? Videos, imagery, unboxings? Here are some of the most popular types of user-generated content to help you choose the best fit for your needs:

Social media UGC: video, live-stream, imagery, Stories

Social media UGC: videos, imagery, Stories

There are many types of UGC that fall under the social media umbrella, and this is where a very large chunk of UGC activity happens. Whether prompted by brands or not, consumers love to share their thoughts about their favorite products (or in some unfortunate instances, pan them negatively. In this case, it's important to have a crisis response plan at the ready!).  

Videos such as unboxings, reviews, tutorials, and product comparisons are very common and popular forms of UGC. They may take the form of an in-depth YouTube video dissecting features and offering expert opinion, or a snappy TikTok video designed to illustrate how something works.

Static photos may often get pushed aside in favor of video, but they still have a place as a type of UGC. Especially now that Instagram and TikTok allow for music or voice-over to be added to single images or carousels. These creative options make them more engaging are great for user-generated content.

Instagram Stories remain an incredibly popular way for consumers to share UGC. They're easy to add links to and tag brands. Due to their episodic and ephemeral nature they're a great option for showcasing "day in the life", which can illustrate how products are useful throughout the day or in different scenarios.  

UGC can also come from blog posts. Influencers today often have accompanying blogs where they can more easily post affiliate links for products they enjoy. They may also include comparison break-downs of similar products, making your choice as a consumer more informed.

Another subset of social media, AR deserves its own section since it's still relatively new. On platforms like Snapchat, brands can create their own lenses or filters that users can then take advantage of. It's a low commitment (on the part of the consumer) and fun way to encourage brand promotion.

Forums such as Reddit have burst onto the scene as a treasure trove for UGC, thanks to well-moderated communities and protecting the anonymity of each user. 

Product and service reviews are an excellent source of UGC, but they are much harder to control. There are certainly ways you can gather positive-only reviews, but these typically indicate that the user was compensated or rewarded in some way, and that can be a red flag to readers who are trying to get an impartial understanding of your company. 

If you have a good relationship with a client, ask them to participate in a case study so you can provide potential buyers with a peek behind the curtain. Case studies cover things like how you work with clients, solutions you provide, and the results garnered from them doing business with you. 

Data shows that consumers find user-generated content to be nearly 10 times more impactful than influencer content. Nearly 8 in 10 shoppers say that it influences purchasing decisions, while 31% believe UGC is more memorable than traditional advertising.

But why exactly does user-generated content work so well? There’s no single right answer here, but its impact stems from how it builds deeper connections with an audience.

Because user content is seen as more honest, authentic, and trustworthy, people start to associate those traits with your brand, too. UGC is an extension of your in-house branding efforts and should therefore support your brand’s core values and image.

Your fans are creating content of their own volition, but you still have a brand to uphold and protect. That’s why not all user-generated content should automatically be considered helpful. Since people can create just about any type of content they wish (see Lil Nas X and the Nike Satan shoes, for example), there needs to be some form of moderation process to ensure the content is high-quality, on-brand, and won't damage your brand reputation.

So bottom line: Yes, user-generated content is a great way to boost brand authenticity, build deeper connections, and create customer loyalty. But these outcomes aren’t always automatic. The more you understand the mechanics and dynamics of user-created content, the better positioned you’ll be to reap the rewards.

Now that you know the user-generated content meaning, the benefits of user-generated content, and why UGC works so well, your next objective is to put UGC to work for you. How do you get UGC content, anyway? There are two clear paths here.

The first option is to proactively reach out to your customers to see if they would create some content on your behalf. You might send an email blast asking recent shoppers to tag you in an Instagram post or TikTok video, for example. This could come with a perk like a free gift with their next purchase, or a discount code.

An excellent way to drum up UGC is through contests that ask your customers (or potential customers) to post about your company, a product, or a service in order to enter. This gives you tons of UGC you can then share or repurpose (provided your right to do so is explicit in the contest Ts & Cs).

Though some brand partnerships might, at first glance seem odd, this can be a very shrewd UGC marketing move. NYX Cosmetics, for example, creates makeup palettes specific to an upcoming film. They then approach influencers to create a look based on that film. This can then inspire an untold number of similar videos from the followers of those influencers (even though the follower isn't getting compensated for creating the content). Voila! A slew of UGC through a unique partnership idea.

While you might use a campaign-specific hashtag at times, when you're not running a specific campaign, you could share a general branded hashtag that consumers can use when talking about your company or product. This makes it easy for you to follow and track the volume of mentions, and sentiment related to those mentions.

The second option is to enlist the help of a UGC platform to find content that’s already been created by your loyal fans. Meltwater’s social media monitoring suite serves as a centralized UGC platform, helping you quickly find content and brand mentions, connect with fans, and engage your online community from a single platform. Plus, our automated alerts and reporting tools help you spot PR crises well before they escalate.

Not only do Meltwater's solutions save you time by automatically aggregating content on your behalf, they also let you instantly share content across all your channels, including web pages, social media channels, digital signage, emails, ads, and more. You can even gamify the UGC sourcing process to encourage more users to contribute their content and expand your impact. Get real-time insights from your marketing efforts and watch every UGC campaign come to life.

See how Meltwater solutions supercharge your UGC strategy. Get a demo today!

UGC Guide: What is User-Generated Content?

Establishing a brand identity that has longevity is all about showing and not telling. A brand can’t just say it is reliable or forward-thinking or whatever other attribute it is built on. Instead, consumers need to see those attributes in action via product offerings and campaigns. And they can’t do it just once — constant reinforcement makes all the difference for established brands aiming to stay relevant. 

Cultural amplification is one strategy brands can use to stay top of mind for a wider audience. Do it right and you can reap the many benefits, including increased brand awareness, engagement, and consumer loyalty. Read on for our cultural amplification 101 guide that brands in any sector can use.

Dive into the risks and rewards of cultural amplification in our exclusive report, featuring examples from 20+ leading retail brands.

What is cultural amplification in marketing?

Cultural amplification in marketing refers to activations that amplify brand messaging across niche communities to enhance brand identity in strategic ways. They often come in the form of carefully-chosen brand partnerships and ambassadorships activated through sponsorships, in-person events, capsule collections, and more. If done correctly, these efforts can help brands enhance prominence and loyalty by breaking into mainstream culture or engaging emerging macro-trends. Overall, cultural amplification activations are key to longevity and continued relevance for all kinds of retail brands, but especially for those in the luxury sector. 

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