Before the advent of the Internet and social networks, User Content (UGC) had a familiar and simple form - but in the last decade or so it has turned into something much more.
Today, the public can enter information into the news cycle in various ways - through blogs, videos, tweets, or even stories from Snapchat.
We will look at what UGC is and how it continues to transform the relationship between editorial boards and their audience.
What is custom content?
Custom content is any content (photos, video, audio, text, etc.) offered by members of the public. This content can be provided to news organizations directly or posted on the Internet through social networks.
UGC is not a new concept - the public has contributed to the news since the time of writing letters to the editor.
For example, the BBC used e-mails, texts, photographs and videos from the public when covering the explosions in London on July 7, 2005. As a result, she was able to report the locations of each attack half an hour after the bombing.
In 2017, American journalists used UGC to help gather information about the massacre during the filming of a concert in Las Vegas. According to Reuters, the content that was shared by members of the public during the attack, allowed journalists to collect history in real time.
User content is a big part of the news gathering process. According to digital journalism research, the ability to find and test UGCs are important skills that journalists need to learn and maintain.
Why does UGC matter
Below, we have identified three ways in which user-defined content influences the relationship between editorials and their audience.
- He helps create and put into action stories that are relevant to the public.
UGC allows journalists to see the real world through the eyes of the public.
2. It promotes communication between news organizations and readers.
Similar stories and “appeals” to the UGC create a community between information organizations and their audiences. In an era of distrust of the media and false news, the creation of such a community can really change the situation in the newsroom.
3. It promotes loyalty between the editors and their audience.
Communicating current and community-friendly stories using UGC helps news centers return readers.
“The better you think about how you work with your audience to capture content to which you can add context, the more likely they are to come to you, rather than place it on another platform or send it to a competitor,” Fergus said Bell, a former editor of AP for social networks and user-generated content, in an interview with the International Network of Journalists.
That is why many news and other organizations have created departments and tools for working with UGC. The better they will work in this direction, the greater the likelihood that the public will come to them.
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The use and importance of UGC will continue to grow as technology advances. User content in the form of product reviews has long been entered into the content marketing of many brands. Thanks to UGC, you can adjust your promotion strategy and increase sales. It is important to use all the features of the User Content correctly.
Futureinapps company is engaged in integrated business promotion in the network.
