They say nothing is truly new anymore; only new improvements made on old ideas & technology.
And they have a point.
At the end of the day, what is a DM? It’s just the modern-day way of sending a message in a bottle with much more precision and less friction. The purpose and outcome is the same: Communicating to a loved one, friend, family, co-worker and ask the ever important question: “Sup?"
And aren't cave drawings the original #TBT?
The same can be said about Customer-Generated Content (CGC). It’s a concept as old as time: Word of Mouth (WOM) marketing.
Everyone (andwemeaneveryone. Seriouslyitjustkeepsgoing) agrees that word of mouth marketing is the best way to generate business. No matter how many ad buys or how much a brand pays Peyton Manning, nothing generates business more effectively than a trusted source saying, “Have you tried Epic Burger? It’s delicious."
And that’s what CGC is. A referral from a trusted source.
But much like the DM there are immense, game-changing improvements: Instead of telling to one person at a time that “Epic Burger is delicious”, your customers are broadcasting to hundreds or thousands of people at once.
Also:
- It is accompanied by a photo or video, which presents your product or service in a more impactful way
- There is a conversation thread which allows others to add their thoughts and/or ask questions
- The business can join in on the conversation
- It is easier for your customers to share this post to their own following.
- It is trackable, so you as the business can know who created the CGC
But don’t just take our word for it, look at some comparisons below: