Utilizing User-Generated Content In Ecommerce

After 9 hours of research, I discovered the major social media shifts in 2025. Social media is now a young adult, leaving the parents' home—traditional marketing—and carving its own identity—this theme is shared across all trends. 1. Social Media is breaking free from brand identity - Social teams are breaking free from the rigid “stay on brand” rule because it kills creativity. Look at AirAsia's on-trend content or myBurgerLab's quirky customer-centric posts. They don’t look corporate but stick in your audience’s mind. The truth? Social media’s job is to entertain and connect. If your content does that, you win—even if it feels off-brand. 2. Influencer Marketing moved beyond “Can we pay you to post?” Sure, influencer posts can generate awareness, but clicks and conversions? Not so much. Viewers have to jump through too many hoops to reach your product page. The solution? Turn influencer content into ads. Platforms like Shopee and Lazada already do this, letting influencers showcase products directly through shoppable ads. Another example? Brands like Muji Malaysia Sdn Bhd are doubling down on authentic, user-generated content for paid campaigns. The less polished the content, the better it performs—it feels real, unlike an ad. UGC-style content stops the scroll, and the results speak for themselves. 3. Video has been on every trend list for 20 years, right? But in 2025, it’s evolving again. You need a face that is raw and engaging; even LinkedIn is prioritizing the same. This is where Employee-Generated Content (EGC) comes in. Take Tokopedia's employee-led TikToks—simple, fun, and insanely shareable. However, not every brand has willing or camera-ready employees. Enter brand hosts—creators explicitly hired to represent your brand on video. Look at platforms like TikTok, Kumu, or Douyin, where brands do this at scale. 4. Social Shopping—Remember when high-end brands avoided e-commerce giants like Lazada & Amazon? Now, they’re embracing it because the revenue is undeniable. The same shift is happening with TikTok Shop and Shopee Live. Take Dyson, which showcased premium products during TikTok Live sessions for Singles’ Day sales and crushed it. Social shopping isn’t just for low-cost items anymore. It’s for anything—and it’s reaching massive audiences. 5. Live Content - Live isn’t new but more critical than ever heading into 2025. Why? Platforms like Shopee Live, Kumu , and Taobao Marketplace Live drive trends like live shopping and creator monetization. Live streams are proof of authenticity in a world dominated by AI-generated content. Even as AI-generated videos become indistinguishable from real ones, live content will stand out as raw, unfiltered, and honest at least for a while. Final Hot Take: In 2025, social media should be an independent team that doesn't have to be part of branding and marketing. #ravisbook  #socialmedia  #contenstratetgy #2025strategy

I built a Clay workflow to monitor brand mentions across social media and turn them into GTM signals my team can act on. Most teams either ignore social chatter, drown in it or react when their investor sends them something they saw. None of these works. They lack a strategy and a system to enable social listening. My Clay workbook listens across Reddit, LinkedIn, and Twitter/X, analyzes sentiment, summarizes the context, and drops a clean signal straight into Slack. Here’s how the workflow works: – Pull brand mentions from Reddit, LinkedIn company mentions, and Twitter/X keywords – Visit the source URL to extract the actual post text – Analyze sentiment and assign a score so you know if it is positive, neutral, or risky – Generate a short summary instead of dumping raw text – Send everything into a dedicated Slack channel in near real time What I love most about this is how many use cases this unlocked. If sentiment is positive, you get instant feedback on what messaging resonates. If sentiment is negative, you catch brand risk early before it spreads. If buyers are talking about a problem you solve, you spot pipeline signals hiding in public conversations. And because this lives in Clay, you control everything: Keywords, sources, frequency, models and event costs. This replaces expensive social listening tools and gives GTM teams something better... a living feedback loop tied to action. If you want the full walkthrough and Clay template, it's in this week's Stack & Scale episode. Or comment "Clay workflow" AND connect with me (I've run out of InMail already), and I'll send the resources directly. Happy (social) listening! 

Reviews, referrals, and WOM: The new “El Dorado” for your brand. +92% of consumers trust recommendations from friends and family more than any other form of advertising. In an era dominated by digital ads and influencer partnerships, word-of-mouth (WOM) marketing remains one of the most effective and authentic tools for beauty brands. >>KEY Elements<< 1.-Trust and authenticity drive conversions. Unlike paid endorsements, testimonials from real users are perceived as genuine and relatable. This resonates particularly with Gen Z and millennial consumers, who are increasingly skeptical of traditional advertising. In fact, 84% of millennials say they don’t trust traditional ads, preferring instead to hear from peers. 2.-LOYALTY and advocacy. Loyal customers are not only repeat buyers but also active promoters. When customers refer others, they are 39% more likely to remain loyal to the brand themselves, according to a Texas Tech University study. These brand advocates form a self-sustaining loop of acquisition and retention. 3.-REFERRAL programs that scale. Beauty brands leveraging structured referral programs see measurable returns. +16% higher lifetime value than non-referred ones. Sephora's "Beauty Insider" program is a prime example of using incentives to transform happy customers into vocal brand ambassadors. 4.-SOCIAL media as a WOM amplifier. Brands that share customer-generated testimonials, transformation photos, and unboxing videos reach a wider audience while keeping content grounded in real experiences. +71% of consumers are more likely to make a purchase based on social media referrals. 5.-USER-generated content (UGC) as a strategic asset. Campaigns that encourage customers to post before-and-after images or skincare routines not only boost engagement but also supply a continuous stream of authentic content. +79% of people say UGC highly influences their purchasing decisions, compared to only 13% influenced by branded content. >>Statistics WOM by the numbers<< +25% profits on companies with heavy word-of-mouth (WOM) marketing. +18% lower churn rates. +16% higher customer lifetime value (CLV) is achieved via WOM marketing +4x shoppers acquired via referrals are more likely to refer others. +20–30% of new customer acquisition on average In the beauty industry. Conclusion. In a beauty landscape brimming with options, word-of-mouth marketing provides an invaluable edge. By fostering genuine relationships and amplifying real experiences, beauty brands not only gain new customers but also build enduring loyalty. Find my curated search of examples and get inspired for success. Featured brands: Abela Bodyhealth Bread Crown Glowery Hello Clean Hismile Onekind PH in Pink Lemonade Prose Revair Sennok #beautyprofessionals #beautybusiness #luxuryprofessonals #luxurybusiness

AI generated UGC is exploding and D2C brands are rushing in. Without realizing the bigger consequences. "Proof" like: - Influencer endorsements - Product reviews - Testimonials For $5/video. In seconds. Not realising the impact it can have. Not being to tell real from fake doesn’t just hurt your brand. It shakes trust in the entire eCommerce industry. And we’ve already seen this concern with paid UGC. But AI will scale it 100x. So as a D2C brand what should you be doing? Here are 5 ways you can still be authentic and build trust in an era where AI content is overflowing: 1. Leverage "live shopping" on your website or on social. Where customers can see other customers interacting and buying on chat.    2. Showcase product-making processes, factory tours, and team interviews to reinforce authenticity. 3. Founders come forward. Do IG lives, AMAs (ask me anything), new collection launch events offline + live stream it. 4. Host offline events, building a community. Once a customer, try keeping them around with quality product and loyalty programs. 5. On reviews add verification badges, tags, timestamps, and location-based proof. This can make them look more authentic. Most importantly: Be transparent. If you use AI (even for an image), call it out. That way the other content would look authentic as you're being transparent. P.S. Amazon & Google are already cracking down on AI-generated content. Overdo AI UGC, and your ranking could tank. D2C brands that stay real will win. Will you?

Everything that brands have built their Amazon strategy on is changing with AI & creators. For years, e-commerce has been built around search: you go to Amazon or Google, type in a need, and find the best match. That’s been the core of online shopping. But here’s where things are changing: products are now finding YOU. My wife recently bought an EMF harmony device—not because she searched for it, but because she saw someone talk about it on Instagram. It’s a perfect example of social commerce in action, where the product finds the customer instead of the other way around. This is the future. AI will change how search works, making it more conversational. Instead of typing “60-inch TV,” imagine asking for “the top 3 60-inch OLED TVs under $1,000 with the best reviews,” and AI instantly providing a tailored comparison. On the other hand, creators are influencing buying decisions more than ever, with social platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube becoming shopping hubs. Gen Z often starts their product research on TikTok, moves to Amazon or a DTC website, and sometimes even buys directly from TikTok Shop. The journey is social-first. This shift is also building trust. Instead of relying on anonymous reviews, you’re seeing creators—people you follow and trust—showing you the product in use, backed by real-life experiences. And as AI reshapes e-commerce, we’ll see search and shopping become smarter and more personalized.

The rise of creator economy tech is real. But building tools for creators isn’t enough. You need creators to 𝐀𝐂𝐓𝐔𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐘 use them. Creator acquisition has become one of the most strategic priorities for creator-focused tech companies. In a crowded market, it’s not just about features. It’s about standing out, building real engagement, and getting creators excited from day one. So I asked five standout companies in the creator space: "What’s one specific way you’ve strategically built engagement and excitement to bring creators onto your platform?" 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐞’𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐝: 🔹 Neal Jean at Beacons AI emphasized the power of personalization. His team uses data and AI to craft beautiful, pre-built link-in-bio pages even for creators who haven’t signed up yet. That proactive approach gives creators a tangible reason to join. 🔹 Will Baumann at Fourthwall shared how success starts when creators feel proud of their product. Once a sample is ordered, the team initiates a personalized onboarding sequence, including a strategy call to co-develop a launch plan tailored to the creator’s audience. 🔹 Rob Balasabas 💙 Uscreen at Uscreen leaned into the value of IRL connection. Through curated dinners, local meetups, and high-touch events, the team doesn’t just sell software. They create intentional communities where creators feel seen, supported, and inspired. 🔹 Sherry Wong at Roster turned hiring into content. Their "Hiring Challenges" tap into existing creator behavior, making the hiring process time-bound, community-driven, and shareable. That’s how Roster went viral without spending a dime on paid ads. 🔹 Cat Valdes at Mavely / Later stressed the importance of authenticity. By being transparent about what works (and what doesn’t), and backing it up with favorable commission rates and bonuses, she builds long-term trust and buy-in from creators. These companies all take different paths, but they share one thing in common: they lead with intention, value, and empathy for the creator experience. 𝐈𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮'𝐫𝐞 𝐛𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐞, 𝐚𝐬𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟: why should a creator care about your platform? And what will make them stay? The most effective platforms are the ones that think beyond onboarding and focus on long-term creator engagement from day one.

Slapping “community-led” into your brand positioning doesn’t magically make it true. Because if what you’re calling a “community” is really just: - A one-way email blast - A WhatsApp group with no interaction - A silent audience politely lurking because they don’t know what they’re meant to say… Then what you’ve got is an audience. There’s nothing wrong with having an audience, by the way. But don’t confuse people watching with people connecting. Real community-led brands do things differently: - They don’t just speak at their audience, they co-create with them - They build rituals and reasons for people to engage beyond product updates - They listen, tweak, involve - not just broadcast It’s not always loud and ain’t always sexy. But it’s consistent, intentional and centred around actual people - not just a content strategy or GTM feature. Look at Strava. They didn’t just build a fitness app, they built a behaviour loop. You show up because others do too. You cheer each other on. That, my friends, is community. If your people aren’t engaging, it’s not always an awareness issue. Sometimes, they’re just not being given anything to belong to. And calling it “community” without the trust, participation or two-way value exchange is simply just marketing. Again, that’s okay. But remember: you’re not building a community if no one’s talking to each other. P.S. We now have over 500+ members in our Nexus Femtech community. All built on a SHARED purpose. 🤝

Audience collaboration isn’t a buzzword, it’s a revenue and relevance strategy for local news. Local journalism has been under pressure for years, but collaborative investigations could offer a sustainable path forward. Community-driven journalism, where newsrooms work directly with audiences to source information and leads, is reshaping how impactful stories are uncovered. By involving audiences directly in storytelling, publishers unlock deeper insights, rebuild community connections, and diversify revenue, without relying solely on traditional advertising models. Collaborative journalism works such that communities contribute firsthand data, reducing reporting costs and uncovering underreported issues such as systemic discrimination and environmental risks. Also, public participation fosters accountability, helping counter perceptions of bias or disconnected reporting. Then, smaller newsrooms pool resources with peers or broader networks to tackle complex, resource-intensive investigations. Projects that document hate crimes or public misconduct through open submissions show the tangible potential of this model. Crowdsourced investigations allow publishers to broaden their reporting reach without expanding headcount which is a crucial advantage amid ongoing financial constraints. Revenue Models for Collaborative Work ✅Memberships/Subscriptions: Offer exclusive access to collaborative findings, early reports, or behind-the-scenes updates. ✅Grants and Philanthropy: Secure support from organisations focused on civic engagement or public-interest journalism. ✅Sponsored Content: Partner with businesses to fund hyperlocal investigations into issues like housing affordability or environmental impact. ✅Licensing: Syndicate investigative work to larger networks, research institutions, or educational platforms. The focus is on building a reciprocal relationship where audiences are not just passive readers but active participants, directly contributing to meaningful reporting. Here are the key takeaways: 1. Start Small: Pilot a single collaborative project, such as crowdsourcing insights into local infrastructure challenges, to gauge community interest. 2. Monetise Participation: Offer tiered membership perks linked to audience input, like early-access reports or Q&A briefings. 3. Measure Beyond Clicks: Track engagement metrics such as submissions received and policy changes influenced by investigations. Crowdsourced journalism demands upfront investment in moderation systems, fact verification processes, and audience education. Maintaining editorial standards while scaling collaboration is key. However, the potential payoff includes sustainable revenue streams, loyal readerships, and journalism that drives real-world change which justifies the shift. Have you partnered with audiences on investigations? Share your experience in the comment section. #CollaborativeJournalism #LocalNews #MediaRevenue #AudienceEngagement #PublishingStrategy

I've been thinking a lot about the kind of content brands put into the world. Some of it sparks conversation and strengthens brand connection. Some of it...just fills the feed. Most B2C brands are great at chasing engagement, but not always at building brand meaning. When I mapped it out, the content that matters most always ends up in the upper-right quadrant: High Engagement + High Cultural Relevance / Emotional Impact. 🟩 The Sweet Spot This is content people actually interact with and that strengthens brand connection: • User-Generated Storytelling (not just reviews, but authentic, emotional UGC) • Lifestyle & Aspirational Content (travel inspo, fashion, wellness — fits seamlessly into how people see themselves) • Viral TikTok/Reels Trends (when done authentically and in sync with culture) • Influencer Collaborations (especially when creators embody your brand values) • Community Challenges / Hashtag Activations (identity-driven and participatory) This is where loyalty gets built. Where campaigns outlive algorithms. Where engagement means something. ⸻ 🟧 What to Watch Out For (Low/Low) • Generic Product Ads (feature dumps without story) • Random Sales Promotions (uninspired discount graphics) • Forced Trend-Jacking (when brands hop on memes without fit) 👉 These pieces don’t move the needle on culture or engagement. ⸻ 🟪 The Trap (High Engagement / Low Relevance) • Giveaways / Sweepstakes (quick hits, low equity) • Funny Memes / Low-lift Humor (attention-grabbing but not tied to your brand) • Clickbait-y Hacks (drive views without deepening connection) • Flash Discounts (transactional, not relational) 👉 Yes, these light up the metrics — but they don’t build lasting brand affinity. ⸻ The takeaway? Don’t just chase clicks. Make more content for the upper right: where engagement fuels cultural relevance, and cultural relevance and emotional impact fuels long-term brand love. 𝙄𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚𝙣’𝙩 𝙨𝙚𝙚𝙣 𝙢𝙮 𝘽2𝘽 𝙢𝙖𝙩𝙧𝙞𝙭, 𝙘𝙝𝙚𝙘𝙠 𝙞𝙩 𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚: https://lnkd.in/d7DXQDMB 𝙄’𝙡𝙡 𝙙𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙙𝙚𝙚𝙥𝙚𝙧 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙤 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙞𝙣 𝙪𝙥𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙄𝙣𝙨𝙞𝙙𝙚 𝙎𝙤𝙘𝙞𝙖𝙡 𝙈𝙚𝙙𝙞𝙖 𝙇𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙥 𝙣𝙚𝙬𝙨𝙡𝙚𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙨. 𝙎𝙪𝙗𝙨𝙘𝙧𝙞𝙗𝙚 𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚: https://lnkd.in/d28dna4K

Most brands are still focused on polished product shots… Meanwhile, giants like Amazon and TikTok are quietly all-in on UGC: After connecting over 100,000 creators with brands, I'm seeing a clear pattern emerge: The biggest platforms are betting heavily on user-generated content - not professional ads. Look at what's happening: • TikTok's sunsetting Creator Marketplace for a more integrated platform • YouTube's redesigning its TV app for creator-organized show pages • Amazon's expanding Haul globally to compete with Temu • Meta's investing $50M in creator funds What smart brands understand: Traditional marketing assets are becoming obsolete as platforms evolve to prioritize authentic, creator-driven experiences. The winners in this new landscape aren't investing in fancy studios and professional photography. They're building networks of authentic creators who can adapt quickly to platform changes. How are you staying ahead of these changes in the market? Let us know 👇 And follow me → Leo Limin for more industry updates like this.