User-generated content | Solutional Webdesign Antwerpen

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User-generated content, often shortened to UGC, refers to any form of content such as photos, videos, text, testimonials, and audio that are posted by users on various platforms, including social media^[1] and wikis. It’s a broad term that encompasses a range of uses, from problem-solving and news reporting to entertainment and advertising^[2]. Notably, major news outlets like BBC and CNN, as well as businesses of all sizes use UGC for their respective purposes. The key characteristics of UGC are user contribution, creativity, and online accessibility. While it’s a powerful tool, it also raises challenges such as defining the minimum creative effort and managing potential negative outcomes. UGC plays a crucial role in media pluralism, challenging traditional media hierarchies and diversifying content sources.

Terms definitions

1. ↑ social media. Social media is a broad term encompassing a variety of digital tools and platforms that facilitate the sharing of information and the creation of virtual communities. Emerging from early systems like PLATO and ARPANET, it has evolved into modern platforms like Facebook and Twitter. These platforms offer unique features that differentiate them from traditional media, including the ability for users to generate content and engage in dialogic communication. They cater to over 100 million users globally and offer different forms of services, such as messaging apps and collaborative content creation platforms. The use of social media has far-reaching impacts on individuals, society, and businesses, influencing everything from marketing practices to political processes. However, it's also associated with ethical concerns, such as the spread of misinformation and potential addiction.

2. ↑ advertising. Advertising is a form of communication used to inform or persuade an audience, often with the goal of selling a product or service. Its history dates back to ancient civilizations, where Egyptians used papyrus for sales messages, and wall paintings were used in ancient Asia, Africa, and South America for promotional purposes. The medium evolved over time, from print in newspapers to audio-visual and digital mediums, with the rise of mass media and technological advancements. Advertising strategies can vary, aiming to raise awareness or drive sales, and can target different audiences on a local, national, or global scale. Various methods include print, radio, web banners, and television ads, among others. New trends have emerged in the advertising business models, like guerrilla marketing and interactive ads. The role of women in advertising has also been notable, with their insights being valued due to their purchasing power.

User-generated content (Wikipedia)

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User-generated content (UGC), alternatively known as user-created content (UCC), is generally any form of content, such as images, videos, text, testimonials, and audio, that has been posted by users on online content aggregation platforms such as social media, discussion forums and wikis. It is a product consumers create to disseminate information about online products or the firms that market them.^{[dubious - discuss]}

User-generated content is used for a wide range of applications, including problem processing, news, entertainment, customer engagement, advertising, gossip, research and many more. It is an example of the democratization of content production and the flattening of traditional media hierarchies. The BBC adopted a user-generated content platform for its websites in 2005, and TIME Magazine named "You" as the Person of the Year in 2006, referring to the rise in the production of UGC on Web 2.0 platforms. CNN also developed a similar user-generated content platform, known as iReport. There are other examples of news channels implementing similar protocols, especially in the immediate aftermath of a catastrophe or terrorist attack. Social media users can provide key eyewitness content and information that may otherwise have been inaccessible. By 2020 businesses are increasingly leveraging User Generated Content to promote their products, as it is seen as a cost effective and authentic way to grow a brand's image and sales. Due to new media and technology affordances, such as low cost and low barriers to entry, the Internet is an easy platform to create and dispense user-generated content, allowing the dissemination of information at a rapid pace in the wake of an event.

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