The role of user-generated content in brand communication and the tactics to encourage IT

Internet users are spending more time on the internet than ever before and are not only consuming content, but also creating it, sharing their opinions and experiences. Brand-related user-generated content (UGC) is an important contemporary phenomenon in terms of brand communication and its impact on brand reception, which all require marketers’ attention. UGC affects brand choice and sales, and is highly trustworthy and trusted more than information from traditional media sources. Marketers are spending significant resources to encourage UGC. This paper analyses the different types of tactics that brands use to inspire and encourage consumers to create content and discuss brands. The research methods used in this academic article include the literature review, systematic analysis, and generalization. The paper identifies the different types of consumers, who create content the most. Consumers, who create content, are divided into creators, metavoicers, and propagators. The article overviews the consumer motivation to undertake certain behavior, such as the decision to create content or not. In the article, different customer motivation theories are reviewed. The paper describes different marketing tactics and distinguishes that content creation and brand discussion could be motivated by monetary incentives, by encouraging users’ incentive of popularity and fame, and by encouraging joyful communication, and love of the brand. Depending on communication tactics, different actions to encourage UGC are described.