Jim Klar Easy2 Technologies Jim.klar@answers.com

DRIVING CONVERSIONS with USER-GENERATED CONTENT

The True Voice of Your Customers

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AGENDA

• Easy2 Introduction

• What is User-Generated

Content?

• What impact does UGC

have on shoppers?

• What is the opportunity

for marketers?

• Success Stories

• Best Practices &

Recommendations

• Today’s Technology,

Tomorrow’s UGC

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EASY2 INTRODUCTION

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• 15 Years Experience

• Serving 200+ Clients

> Home Improvement

> Major Appliances

> Housewares

> Juvenile Products

> Consumer Electronics

> Sporting Goods

• Product Demos &

Selectors

• Multi-Channel &

Multi-Device

INTERACTIVE MERCHANDISING

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Measure Improve

Customer Experience

Help Make It Better

GLOBAL BRANDS RETAILERS

WHAT IS UGC?

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Monthly UGC Engagement in the last 5 years: Grown by 32 million users TYPES OF UGC: WORD OF MOUTH / SOCIAL PRODUCT REVIEWS VIDEO

User-Generated Content Basics an Answers company

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WORD OF MOUTH / SOCIAL • 58% share positive

experiences and seek advice (Source: SDL)

• 43% are more likely to buy a new product afterward (Source: Nielsen)

• 92% trust word-of-mouth from friends and family, above all else (Source: Nielsen)

Word of Mouth an Answers company

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PRODUCT REVIEWS • Online reviews: second

most trusted form of advertising (70%) (Source: Nielsen)

• 87% agree favorable reviews affect purchase decision (Source: Cone Inc)

• 85% consumers are more likely to spend when online recommendations support offline advice. (Source: Cone Inc)

Product Reviews an Answers company

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VIDEO • YouTube: UGC videos get

10 times more views than brand content. (Source: Octoly)

• 52% say watching product videos gives more confidence in their purchase decisions. (Source: Octoly)

• Brand engagement rises by 28% when shoppers view both professional content and UGC video (Source: comScore)

Video an Answers company

Why Users Generate Content

SELF-EXPRESSION • Speak their minds, promote their

personal views, opinions, likes and dislikes

• Connect with like-minded users with the same interests

• Perform public service • Ego

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Why Users Generate Content an Answers company

FAME & PRESTIGE • Allows consumers to increase

personal equity and reach

• Connect with like-minded peers, gain notoriety, expand personal reach and recognition or self-expression

• Hopes of “going viral” (fame and fortune)

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YOUTUBE “UNBOXING” VIDEOS • An unvarnished peek at

commercial products • Research for comparison

shoppers • Increased 871% since

2010 • 6.5 years of UB footage

was uploaded to YouTube in 2013

• Posters can make $2-$4/1,000 views

• Brands ship free samples to most popular channels.

--CNN, 2/12/2014

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“UNBOXING” VIDEOS SEARCH RESULTS • “Unboxing”: 20,900,000

results

• “Unboxing Appliances”: 486,000

• “Unboxing Housewares”: 23,500

• “Unboxing Mr. Coffee”: 8,322

• “Unboxing KitchenAid”: 5,350

Video an Answers company

WHAT IMPACT ON SHOPPERS?

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NEARLY 2/3RDS TRUST USER REVIEWS MORE TRUSTED THAN EXPERT OPINIONS • 67% would trust an

“Academic or Expert”

• 66% would trust a “Technical Expert”

• 62% would trust a “Person Like Myself”

Who Do You Trust? an Answers company

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INCREASE CONVERSIONS

• 50 reviews per product can equal 4.6% conversion increase

• 63% more likely to purchase when a site has user reviews

• Shoppers reading reviews and customer Q&A - 105% more likely to purchase, spend 11% more

• Internet Retailer: Product reviews can increase conversion by 14-76%

Key UGC: Product Reviews

WHAT OPPORTUNITY FOR MARKETERS?

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LEARN ABOUT YOUR AUDIENCE

• Their interests and passions

• What they love and hate

• Ask how they’re using your products

• Let ratings influence strategy

UGC for Marketers an Answers company

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IMPROVE SEO UGC for the top 20 brands is responsible for 25% of search results UGC CHECKLIST FOR BETTER SEO: • Uniqueness • Crawlability: so search

engines can access your content

• Depth: keywords • Coverage: all products • ReFreshness: up to date info

and reviews • Relevance: the reviews and

questions are relevant to the product

UGC for Marketers an Answers company

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Best Ways to Index UGC for SEO an Answers company

SUCCESS STORIES

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Success Stories

SAMSUNG Samsung invited select customers to a SmartTV launch event, where participants could test out the product and enjoy an exclusive performance by a top artist RESULTS: • 175 influencers • Created 1200 pieces of

content • Reached 3 million people • Generated 7 million

impressions

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Success Stories

COCA-COLA Coca-Cola’s Facebook page A forum for their fans to share stories about what Coke means to them • Videos • Illustrations • Pictures • Memorabilia RESULT: 80 million likes

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Success Stories

DORITOS Crash the Superbowl Campaign • Fans created their own

commercials • $1 million prize • Winner shown during the

Superbowl RESULTS: • 2,000+ video submissions • 2M votes cast for winner • 1B impressions in all

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BEST PRACTICES & RECOMMENDATIONS

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HOW DO YOU GET STARTED WITH UGC VIDEO?

Getting Your UCG ASAP

• Where do you get it?

• How do you get it?

• What do you do with it?

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CREATE THE PROCESS Critical steps to maximizing results when collecting and using UGC Video

• Second submissions for

rejected videos

• Selected Products

• Outline Legal/Safety Requirements

• Provide Guidance - Product Features to consider

• List Demographic Qualifiers

• Publicize

• Social Media Sites

• Email Registered Product

Owners

• Incentivize referrals

• Reviews videos for final

approval

• Contact all participants

• Social Media

• Ratings & Reviews (Corp)

• Ratings & Reviews (Retailers)

• Product Content

• Register users

• Follow-Up contact

• Create Database

• Set up a simple interface

• Outline step-by-step recording

instructions

• Clicks submit

an Answers company Getting Your UCG ASAP

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CLEAR CALL TO ACTION Be specific. Identify objectives of your campaign. Outline your desired contributions.

ENSURE QUALITY Set clear expectations at the outset. Offer incentives for winners. Place a premium on quality. Tap into people’s competitive nature.

MAXIMIZE CAMPAIGN VALUE Incentivize both content submitters and content viewers.

KEEP IT AUTHENTIC Drive a two-way conversation throughout your campaign -- from the submission stage, to social sharing, voting, and beyond. Keep it transparent.

What Makes a Good UGC Campaign? an Answers company

TODAY’S TECH TOMORROW’S UGC

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The Future of UGC? Collecting, Reviewing & Syndicating UGC

Collection: Mobile-Friendly, Web-Facing Portal 1) Set-Up & Guidelines 2) Record the Video 3) Upload the Video, Provide Contact Info/Create Profile

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Collecting, Reviewing & Syndicating UGC The Future of UGC?

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Corporate Website Syndication: A) Optimized for Multiple Platforms B) Placed on PDP on Corporate Website C) UGC Video Integrated with Product Content

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Collecting, Reviewing & Syndicating UGC

Corporate Website Syndication: A) Optimized for Multiple Platforms B) Placed on PDP on Corporate Website C) UGC Video Integrated with Product Content

The Future of UGC? an Answers company

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Collecting, Reviewing & Syndicating UGC The Future of UGC?

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Retailer Website Syndication: A) Optimized for Multiple Platforms B) Placed on PDP on Retailer Website C) UGC Video Integrated with Product Content

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Collecting, Reviewing & Syndicating UGC The Future of UGC?

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Retailer Website Syndication: A) Optimized for Multiple Platforms B) Placed on PDP on Retailer Website C) UGC Video Integrated with Product Content

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INTERACTIVE MERCHANDISING EXPERIENCE Using interactive product content to drive online and in-store sales.

MULTI-PLATFORM SAVVY Tablet, laptop & smartphones – Allow for every preference with multi-platform interfaces

RETAILER RELATIONSHIPS Getting your UGC on the product page - Strong retailer relationships make this happen

EXPERIENCED WITH STANDARDIZING VIDEO SPECS Keeping the format, relative length & content guidelines uniform for greater consistency, fewer problems

KEEP IT REAL Work within rules & regulations - Keep the content fresh and realistic or lose UGC’s primary benefit

Finding a UGC Partner an Answers company