Should user-generated content move beyond product pages?

Through a special arrangement, presented here for discussion is a summary of a current article from the Retail TouchPoints website. As many as 90 percent of shoppers report that user-generated content (UGC) influences their purchase decisions, according to a survey from TurnTo and Ipsos. The impact of UGC outranks all other forms of marketing, including:

• Search engines (87 percent);
• Promotional emails (79 percent);
• Display ads (76 percent); and
• Social media (63 percent).

With UGC having such a powerful effect on shopper influence, retailers must understand exactly how to leverage this content to maximize its effectiveness. Jim Davidson, director of research at TurnTo Networks, noted that online merchants should expand their use of UGC beyond product pages. “When people think of ratings, reviews, Q&As and product photos, they’ll typically think of where all that fits in on the product page,” said Mr. Davidson. “Retailers really need to expand that view. They can take a slow stroll down that purchase path and really look at each moment in the consumer experience and figure out how UGC can fit into that. If you have a first-time site visitor, maybe you’ll want to showcase your products through a page that has customer photos on it, to show them how customers are using your product.” Mr. Davidson also recommended communicating with shoppers that have purchased from the brand already, so that they can share photos and videos displaying how they use the product. User-generated content appears to brighten up several aspects of the shopper experience:

• Sixty-three percent believe UGC creates a more authentic shopping experience;
• Seventy-three percent say UGC increases their purchasing confidence; and
• Sixty-one percent report UGC encourages them to engage with brands.

• User-Generated Content Influences 90 percent Of Shoppers’ Purchasing Decisions Featured – Retail TouchPoints
• 2017 TurnTo Consumer Study: UGC and the Commerce Experience – TurnTo