Why You Should Steal User-Generated Content from Social Media for Your Website Blog in Your Niche
(cover image: mobile social icons)
Hi Everyone! (Sorry this is a bit long, but it's worth it)
Imagine having a treasure trove of valuable content at your fingertips, waiting to be discovered and shared with your audience. User-generated content (UGC) from social media platforms is like a goldmine for businesses looking to enhance their website blogs with authentic and engaging material. This post discusses UGC, explores its benefits, teaches you how to leverage it effectively in your niche, and boosts your online presence.
Some of my posts from this experiment is mentioned here
https://my.wealthyaffiliate.com/brendamz/blog/4-articles-on-page-1-in-google
User-generated content (UGC) refers to any content created by users or customers instead of the brand itself. It can take various forms, such as reviews, testimonials, photos, videos, and social media posts. This type of content is valuable as it provides authentic perspectives and experiences that allow you to connect with your consumers.
User-generated content (UGC) from social media platforms such as Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook is a valuable business resource. It provides authentic material that boosts credibility and engagement. When strategically incorporated with original content on your blog, UGC can amplify your brand's online presence and foster a sense of community among your audience.
Thus, it is important for brands to prioritize using UGC authentically and ethically, focusing on connecting with their audience rather than solely on SEO gains.
Benefits of Using UGC on Your Website Blog
User-generated content (UGC) has become a powerful tool for website blogs in various niches. Incorporating UGC into your blog allows you to tap into your audience's authentic voice, building trust and credibility with your readers.
Here are the Benefits:
1. Increased Social Proof: UGC is a form of social proof essential for building trust with your audience. When potential readers see real people sharing their experiences and opinions on your blog, it adds credibility to your content and increases their chances of engaging with your brand.
2. Cost-Effective Content: Incorporating UGC into your website blog in your niche can help save time and resources on creating new content. Instead of constantly brainstorming and producing original content, you can leverage user-generated content. How about that? Hmmm, food for thought, eh?
3. Diversify Your Content: Including UGC in your blog can add diversity and give your audience a fresh perspective. It also allows for more variety in formats, such as images, videos, reviews, etc., making your blog more engaging and interactive.
4. Improved SEO: User-generated content can also improve your website's search engine rankings. As users share their experiences on social media or other online platforms, they can create more backlinks to your site, which signals to search engines that your content is valuable and relevant.
5. Boost Engagement: UGC encourages readers to participate actively in discussions and share their experiences with others. This increases engagement and helps build a community around your brand.
I strongly feel that searching and finding user-generated content is valuable for any website blog. It adds authenticity, diversity, and social proof to your content, increasing engagement and trust with your audience.
How to Find Questions and Use UGC From Reddit, Quora, Medium, and LinkedIn Articles
Reddit is a vast community where users ask questions, share experiences, and provide valuable insights. Dive into relevant subreddits within your niche to find trending topics and popular discussions that can inspire blog post ideas.
Reddit Steps
- Choose the relevant subreddit in your niche: Select one related to your niche or industry. For example, if you run a tech blog, you can explore subreddits like r/technology or r/programming.
- Use the search bar: Utilize the search bar at the top of the page to type in keywords related to your niche. You can also use Boolean operators like "AND," "OR," and "NOT" to refine your search results.
- Sort by relevance or popularity: Once you have entered your keywords, sort the results by relevance or popularity. This will bring up threads with more engagement and comments, indicating that the topic is popular within the community.
- Look for unanswered questions: As you browse through the results, keep an eye out for questions that have not been answered or have received vague responses. These are potential topics that you can address in your blog post.
- Read through discussions: Other users may share valuable insights and perspectives in the comments section, even if a question has been answered. Read through these discussions to gather more ideas for your blog post.
- Take note of the discussions: What answers are they giving? Jot down the question, then research how to write better answers on your website blog post.
Google lacks UGC in website blogs, so they elevated Reddit, Quora, Medium, and LinkedIn Articles.
Quora Steps
Quora is another powerful platform where users seek answers to their burning questions. Browse through the endless stream of queries related to your industry or expertise and leverage these insights to create informative and compelling blog posts.
The steps are the same as above using the Quora platform:
- Search for your keywords: Enter your keyword or topic in the search bar at the top of the page to find related questions and discussions.
- Filter by topic or relevance: Quora allows you to filter your search results by subject and relevance. Select "Questions" or "Answers" to narrow down your results.
- Browse through popular answers: Quora highlights answers that have received many upvotes, indicating their popularity within the community. Explore these threads and note valuable insights and perspectives users share.
- Check out unanswered questions: Similar to Reddit, look for questions that have not been adequately answered or have received vague responses. These are potential topics that you can address in your blog post.
Medium Steps
Medium is a hub for thought-provoking articles written by professionals and enthusiasts alike. Explore trending stories in your field on Medium's homepage or follow influential writers who consistently produce high-quality UGC that resonates with readers. Use Medium's search function to discover articles related to your niche and gather inspiration for your blog posts.
The steps are similar once again.
- Type in keywords: Use relevant keywords related to your industry or expertise in the search bar at the top of the page.
- Sort by relevance or popularity: You can sort your search results by relevance or popularity to find highly engaging articles related to your topic.
- Browse through articles: Read the articles in your search results and note the insights and perspectives shared by the writers.
- Follow top writers: Follow influential writers in your niche to stay updated on their latest content and gather ideas for your blog posts.
LinkedIn Steps
LinkedIn articles are another valuable source of UGC that can inspire your blog post ideas. LinkedIn is a professional networking platform that allows users to publish long-form articles on various topics, making it an excellent resource for finding informative and well-written content.
Here's how you can use LinkedIn Articles:
- Search for relevant keywords: Use relevant keywords related to your industry or expertise in the search bar at the top of the page.
- Filter by content type: Select "Articles" under "Content-Type" to view published articles related to your keyword.
- Explore popular articles: Browse through the most popular articles in your search results and take note of the insights and information shared by the authors.
- Connect with influencers: Connect with influential professionals in your niche who regularly publish insightful articles on LinkedIn. This will help you stay updated on their latest content and get inspiration for your blog posts.
- Find some questions there that some are missing: While browsing through these platforms, you may come across questions that have not been answered or have received vague responses.
Final Thoughts
These platforms are great opportunities to provide valuable insights and establish yourself as an expert. Note these questions and use them as prompts when asking AI to help you write your website blog posts,
You can easily find relevant and engaging content ideas for your website blog using social media platforms like Reddit, Quora, Medium, and LinkedIn articles. When you use all of those platforms' search functions, sorting by relevance or popularity and browsing through discussions and articles, you can gather valuable insights and perspectives that inspire your blog posts.
You can use AI tools like conversion.ai to help you write high-quality and engaging blog posts using the UGC you have collected from these platforms. With these tips, you'll never run out of content ideas for your website blog again! Go and get them!
-BrendaMZ
PS. Have you tried using UGC questions and answers on your website blog lately?
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Recent Comments
133
Hi Brenda
Very extensive post! 👍👍😎
Are you also creating content on some of the Web 2.0 sites you mentioned or others with links pointing back to the posts on your website?
Frank 🎸
Hey Frank! I have a question for you: What is the difference between Web 2.0 and Web 3.0 websites? Your contributions are always much appreciated.
Abie
No, but I am going to. As I said yesterday, I need someone to do it for me. I can't do all of them myself. I won't even go there on my own. I can do Medium and LinkedIn myself. Reddit, no way, Quora, maybe, but it's going to pull me into too many directions that I am unable to do. I teach a class coming up in about a month. I will be too busy and won't have time to devote to all those UGC social platforms. Then add Youtube and all that. Where will I find the time to do all that would be impossible? See the photo image; that is me.
Hi Abie
Web 2.0 sites, as you know, are built for users to post questions as well as answer them in a totally open or monitored environment. The well-established sites typically have a very high domain authority.
I haven’t had any real experience with Web 3.0. I know that they are more AI-driven and ideally suited for decentralized tech such as blockchain. Therefore they can accommodate things like smart contracts between multiple users with more security, privacy, and accountability.
Web 3.0 is becoming very attractive to the financial sector. My private bank mentioned how they plan to invest in this tech during our last meeting.
Frank 🎸
It's good to know I'm not the only one. I know you love Pinterest. I'm not having much success there, but I still post some pins there every now and then when I have new blog posts. You are correct that Web 2.0 sites are typically forum-type sites with high domain authority such as the platforms mentioned in this post. Thanks for answering the question for Abie and for all of us as well. I did read about the new idea of Web 3.0. Usually, blockchain is in the financial industry, so it makes sense that banks would focus on that technology.
Hi Brenda
I like Pinterest because the graphics amuse me and AI does all the heavy lifting. Lol 😎
I’m still looking into doing YouTube Shorts and maybe TikTok if the U.S. government doesn’t shut it down.
I don’t have additional time so something will have to go, but I’d much rather teach guitar riffs than write content.
I would video all my own material so I don’t have to be concerned with copyright issues from other artists.
Yeah, my guess is that some cryptocurrency sites, like Bitcoin are already using Web 3.0.
Frank 🤘🎸
You’re welcome, Teri. It’s just off the top of my head so you might want to take a closer look. 😎
Frank 🎸
Yeah, blockchain was initially created to power Bitcoin. We’re starting to implement blockchain for electronic medical records, which is another ideal use case.
I’ve been working with a research group for a number of years on quantum blockchain, which is still in its infancy, but very interesting stuff.
That's true. I remember looking into it a while back. I have purchased about four unstoppable domain names that never expire. I still have them parked, not minted, as they need a wallet. I believe you can also host a .crypto website.
We don't part with Crypto now; we prefer the American Dollar, lol.
My hubby invests in some, but that's personal vs business.
That's awesomeness, and I knew I could count on you :) Thank you, Frank! I appreciate you :)
Abie
Hi Abie
You’re welcome, Abie. 😎
Yeah, crypto mining is becoming a bit of a nightmare in the U.S. with all the energy requirements and low frequency noise pollution from server farm cooling fans that are causing a variety of medical problems for people who live nearby.
These mining companies are trying to upgrade to liquid cooling to avoid being shut down and are heavily infesting in solar technology to assist with power consumption.
Frank 🎸
I know a mentor (that guy who associates folks with celebrity figures, lol MelB - Spice Girl; Arnie and Sylvester and Julia R) who does mining; they have certainly invested millions, but I also believe they've made millions more, lol
When I hear liquid cooling, I think of game PCs where you need the extra horsepower to get your graphics cards in tip-top shape.
Good business strategy; you need high-spec computers or servers to execute mining. And an eye on scams, as they are also on the rise.
It's an exciting world indeed. God help us!
Thanks, Frank!
Abie
Hi Frank. Do you have any tips on pinterest? My previous e experience was not great. It took so much time to make those pins link them, schedule them ...I know I should post something on social media whenever I have a new blog post, but everything takes.so.much.time...Thanks!
I have the same problem as you do. Frank uses photos that are only related to his guitar niche, and some of them are crazy photos. Frank will answer this, he uses AI for that. I am not as good with Pinterest as you. No matter what I do I still don't do well there. It's just way too many in the make-money online niche, and affiliate marketing is just hard to stand out.
Hi Abie
Yeah, liquid cooling like in gaming PCs for “home mining.”
The big computer farms with tens of thousands of machines need liquid nitrogen cooling! A very expensive proposition so the ROI really has to justify the expense of the expertise and equipment.
The equations that need to be created and solved to mine cryptocurrency are very complex and computationally intensive.
Frank 🎸
I recommend you automate Pinterest with AI. I use ChatGPT 4o to research the keywords and create the pin images, titles, descriptions, and hashtags.
Frank 🎸
Really, Brenda??
I was thinking my pin images are not crazy enough. Lol 😂
Time to eat now. 😎😎🥩
Frank 🎸
Aha moment, now we're talking... I like the idea of "Pinterest with AI."
Yeah, we are talking bucks, star bucks, and lots of other bucks - a pool of bucks with many investors - I get that :)
They're probably using AI for complex and computationally intensive equations.
Thank you, Frank! Keep on rocking!
Abie
Thanks :)
Yeah, GPT, and Claude went down simultaneously on my side—go figure! I can load webpages great, and now they're back! Could they be arguing lol or jealousy 🤣Just imagine!
Abie
I am starting to seriously question my choice of niche, it is overcrowded, relies heavily on photos and videos and I am not making either one myself. .. I am in no position to start outsourcing things, I just started.
Everything with social media takes a long time, even with your blog niche. If you switch niches, it will take even longer. It takes time to build trust and relationships with people. It's not a fast type of business. All of them online take a lot of time to market. Pinterest is the same way; it's slow. Marketing takes time and money especially for paid ads same here that why the organic route takes long time. It requires a lot of patience.
That's an excellent comment, Brenda! I totally agree that's the case, but we should also try to enjoy the journey and make the best of it. To have findings, learn, and share experiences! Kyle has advised: "You are going to find smaller little pockets of opportunity, questions people have, etc...when you immerse yourself like that."
Abie
Yeah, I think they’re both OpenAI.
I had some problems with ChatGPT, too.
I love it when a platform misbehaves. I put down the computer and pick up a guitar. Lol 😃
Hi Abie
There’s always a way to work our hobbies and pastimes into each day, if only for a few minutes.
I worked like a demon for about 50 years and enjoyed it all.
Now, it’s time to cruise into the retired lifestyle. Lol 😃
Frank 🎸
Hey, you two are chit-chatting away like two chimps, what's the monkey going to do? Play all day chit-chat. Don't y'all have a business to do? LOL
My content creation is being managed like clockwork... We're productive, Brenda! Thank you for your concern.
Hahaha, we heading to the beach to have a little dinner, Brenda.
Signing off until class time. 😎
That's the topic I am looking into promoting.
"Med Cruises" - however, locality-based so that I can cross-sell other products and services - Fingers crossed, I can get it working, Frank!
It is a lot of hard work to get it off the ground.
I am in this momentum, Frank! Lol It is my demon time LOL
==
I don't know what's with Brenda! LOLOL
Abie
LOL! Im on Medium so yay! finally got the courage to go there so while you two chit chat on my blog post I'm on Medium! Gotta go and get that done. see you in class
Woohoo! Now that's a favorite pastime...
I have a site on the backburner that would discuss The Outdoor Al-frescos" - But it will be a while before we get there.
My research shows we can run many promotions for this site.
Abie
How do you manage content creation? Do you batch tasks? I work haphazardly and I need to be more efficient.
Thank you, Brenda! I am also subscribed to GPT and Claude, and they are running like clockwork except when they're down. Thanks to Eric's webinar series :)
Abie
I use Claude too but through Poe so I have access to all different GPTs- all in one for one price. I have not experienced seeing any of the GPTs being down through Poe they all work every time I use it.
I subscribed to Poe in the past, but it is now discontinued. I don't know. I found it distracting, but I liked the Dall-E3 there. I am happy with the current setup; I find it neat.
My bots get envious and argue, lol - I ignore them. That's when they shut up and get back to work. (jk)
Thank you very much, Brenda. You have simplified and answered some questions that had flashed into my mind as I attended a master class led by Jay, on UGC. Thank you, one again.
Joseph
Hi Joesph, Yes, Jay's class on UGC was great! I attended, too. I'm experimenting with this on my site. I'm not using social media except for Pinterest. Im just focusing on my audience when I am scouring those platforms.
Yes, I mentioned it in a previous post. Perhaps you missed that one? 4 Articles on Page 1 in Google One of them is still between Reddit and Quora on page 1 in Google
I guess I did; I can't keep up. I stop by for a break, check out chat and, see if there are any questions I can help answer, have some coffee, sometimes one of the cats has crawled in my lap, and I can't move my arms, so I read, lol. and then go back to work :-)
I have been playing MEATLOAF since yesterday, LOL the girls are apparently not a fan of the volume or my singing LOL. I am jamming and being very productive. I always need music :-)
And never apologize for length lol if it makes sense to cover the topics well and do your blog justice lol
Abie
Aw, sweet. Thanks, Abie. The only reason I did that was that some people have said they prefer to read posts here with less than 500 words, which is kind of impossible with content like this one.
I, too, like short, sweet, and straight to the point, but sometimes, as you say, it needs to be a long to get the correct message across - totally great :)
Happy Early Birthday on your 61st, lol. I read some comment someplace on the forum, lol
Abie
See more comments
Hi Brenda! A great follow-up to your previous blog! I bookmarked this one to try.
I have word credits to use up before I lose them, so I created some posts from my HUB suggestions. I Googled those, and of course, Reddit and Quora results popped up.
I took my HUB-suggested title and renamed it based on what showed up on Reddit. I am going to write content, answer the unanswered questions, and see what happens.
It's a great experiment! It would be cool to see my post show up below the Reddit and Quora results.
Yes, that was my intention. So far, one post is there. Also, you can use those social platforms yourself to create a backlink to your website.
Doing it both ways should work. Make sure the content varies.
I am aware that with Medium, you can import posts from your website, which can rank faster while waiting for those articles to index and get in the search results.
Google will not consider it duplicate content; it's a backlink. I am working on that right now.
Awesome, thanks for that!