Say User-Generated Content or UGC to just about anybody in the advertising industry and they’ll immediately think of grainy, shaky, poor-quality videos—like the kind you’d see on America’s Funniest Home Videos or any number of YouTube channels. Authentic? Yes. Organic? Certainly. But high-quality? Nope. Because of this perception, UGC is often viewed as a that’ll-have-to-do bucket for social content.

Well, times have changed. Technology has changed. And the evolution and pervasiveness of smartphones has put a veritable video-production studio in the palms of over a billion people.

NOT YOUR MAMA’S UGC.

That’s not hyperbole.

What was once relegated to also-ran content is quickly becoming some of the most desirable content for brands and marketers. Why? Because it now combines the kind of cinematic footage that was once available via traditional production methods only, with the authenticity and reach you get from real people with real stories to tell.

And as 60 percent of marketers agree that authenticity and quality are equally important for content, it’s easy to see why the latest UGC shot on the newest smartphones is a powerhouse combination.

Indeed, more and more professionals are leaning toward footage that can be shot by that smartphone in your pocket. And as cameras and software continue to advance, this trend is bound to continue.

AFTER DOMINATING SOCIAL, UGC IS GOING BIGGER.

It’s all over TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and every other social avenue. And, as the quality of UGC continues to improve, it will begin to rule other parts of the marketing mix.

Even the latest Apple commercials promote the kinds of amazing movies you can make with an iPhone. Actual movies. Shown in movie theaters. That technology is the very same camera we all carry around, from dusk to dawn.

What does this mean? In a nutshell, UGC is the future and it’s not a distant one. The footage people are able to capture with little-to-no training is stunning, not to mention cost-effective and in-demand. Small budgets love it. And audiences want it, with consumers now 2.4 times more likely to view UGC over content created by brands. This is the game changer of all game changers.

Cinebody is an IHAF supplier member whose patented User-Directed Content™ process makes it easy to produce video content with your community of fans, customers, ambassadors and employees. Visit their website to learn more.