User-Generated Content (UGC).

The best-known form of UGC is reviews: on Google, in shops, on platforms. Added to that are customer photos with the product, tagged posts on social networks, unboxing videos, experience reports in forums and questions and answers on product pages. What they all have in common: they come from real users and are therefore considered more credible than any advertising copy.

For visibility, UGC is doubly valuable. Reviews in the Google Business Profile are one of the important factors in the Local Pack. And when asked for recommendations, AI assistants increasingly take into account what people write about a company. Ask for reviews regularly and reply to every one, and you build up both.

An example: a florist adds a small card to every order: 'Show us your bouquet and tag us.' Selected photos are shown on the website with the people's permission, with first name and occasion. In addition, every customer receives an email after delivery with a direct link to leave a Google review. That brings in real images and reviews on an ongoing basis, without anything having to be bought.

Legally important: photos and texts from customers may not simply be reused. Using them requires the consent of the author and, where people are recognisable, their consent as well. Bought or self-written reviews are unfair practice. To be distinguished from this are 'UGC creators': people who are paid to produce videos in the style of customer content. That is advertising and must be recognisable as such. On your own website, customer images and reviews have the strongest effect close to the enquiry button — a classic topic of conversion rate optimisation. Locally, Google reviews are the most important form of UGC (local SEO).