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State of User-Generated
Content 2021
02 State of User-Generated Content 2021 - TINT
Note from
the CEO Table of Contents
Note from the CEO and Table of Contents 02
Executive Summary and 2021 Themes 03
This past year taught us the We’re honored to present the 2021 Overview 04
importance of being present State of User-Generated Content
through tumultuous times. It was this report by TINT, a deep look into Theme #1: The Battle for Engagement 05
emphasis on real-time engagement how brands increasingly elevate
Theme #2: Omnichannel is No Longer Optional 09
that kept us grounded to continue to the voices of their fans, customers,
serve our teams, customers, partners influencers and teams – plus winning Theme #3: Influencer Marketing has a New Definition 13
and communities while it felt like the strategies for the next 12 months
world was unraveling. and beyond. Our report shows that Theme #4: Social Meets eCommerce 16
UGC is more important than ever and
It also helped us become better contains several surprising findings Theme #5: The Rise of Virtual and Hybrid Events 19
listeners than we’d ever been before. and actionable tips for taking full
About TINT 23
We listened as customers asked advantage of emerging trends.
their favorite brands to empathize Thank you 24
with current events, take a stand, The insights in this report
and do their part. Becoming part demonstrate the importance of Methodology 25
of the conversation was no longer incorporating your customers’ voices
a question—it was a requirement. as a core element of your marketing
Now, we’re starting to see the shifts and brand strategy. I hope you find
that this is creating in the marketing this year’s State of UGC to be a
landscape. helpful guide.
Sameer Kamat
CEO, TINT
03 State of User-Generated Content 2021 - TINT
Executive Summary 2021 Themes
User-generated content (UGC) increases trust, Theme #1: The Battle for Engagement
engagement, and revenue – and it's everywhere. As marketers struggle to prove ROI and consistently create engaging
From travel and tourism to education, retail, and content with limited resources, organizations are turning to using UGC
eCommerce, UGC helps people decide which to alleviate increased expectations and responsibilities.
products, services, and experiences to trust.
Theme #2: Omnichannel is No Longer Optional
Our study finds that 93% of marketers agree that
Marketers and social media managers, specifically, have a massive and
consumers trust content created by people more
underrecognized responsibility to build and scale brand reputation and
than content created by brands. The allure of high
engage their audience wherever they are. By investing in the proper
engagement and strong conversion rates has
resources, brands can practice social listening and strengthen the
prompted brands across industries to recognize the
connection they have with their audience.
power of UGC and explore ways to incorporate more
of it across their marketing channels.
Theme #3: Influencer Marketing has a New Definition
Past research showed us the importance of UGC Influencer marketing is so much more than celebrities and people with
in the customer journey and its impact across millions of followers. UGC and employee-generated content (EGC) exert
organizations. Now, in TINT’s 2021 State of UGC true influence by turning customers, fans, and team members into visible
report, we examine how UGC plays an critical role in and impactful brand advocates.
effective marketing strategies. Through our research,
Theme #4: Social Meets eCommerce
we uncovered 5 prevalent themes surrounding UGC,
how it’s used, and what to expect in the future. People are increasingly shifting to social media to stay connected, 24/7
These themes cover topics from helping marketers and everywhere they go. These shifts in consumer behavior coupled
be more effective in reaching their goals to being with the meteoric rise of online shopping are driving social commerce –
the ultimate conversion tool for the next wave of intertwining the purchase experience with social content.
social commerce.
Theme #5: The Rise of Virtual and Hybrid Events
Travel bans and prohibited large gatherings forced brands to adopt digital-
first experiences – which bred new event models, virtual experiences, and
increased expectations. For brands, conferences, and events, the focus is
on maximizing engagement and creating personalized experiences that
build trust.
04 State of User-Generated Content 2021 - TINT
Introducing the State of
User-Generated Content 2021
The past year showed brands the content across new and emerging
importance of being connected to platforms to meet their customers
their audience and customers. whenever and wherever they are.
Brands that were well attuned
to the voices of their customers UGC can help with content
were able to listen and quickly, production demands while
efficiently, and skillfully pivot increasing engagement. Smart
their messaging and product brands will look for opportunities
offering during tumultuous times. to turn customers into brand
In one of the most chaotic years ambassadors and leverage trends
of our lifetimes, marketing and in the meteoric rise of social
communications teams strategized commerce, like shoppable UGC, to
creative ways to make these increase conversions.
pivots in real-time across a rapidly
Community and connection also
and unpredictably changing
take center stage in the event
landscape.
space, as virtual events and a new
event model – hybrid events – look
TINT surveyed marketing
to continue for the foreseeable
professionals, from boutique
future.
agencies to global brands, to
Ninety-three percent (93%) of
learn about their experiences
At TINT, we’re constantly learning
in 2020 and identify the themes
through our work with over 5,000
marketers agree that consumers
driving strategy over the next
leading brands, and we’re excited
year. We found that many plan to
to share that knowledge with you.
trust content created by people
rely on user-generated content
We encourage you to use this
and employee-generated content
report to inform your marketing
more than content created by brands
more than ever.
strategy and to refer back to it as
Moving forward, brands must learn needed internally with your team
how to distribute and deploy more – and externally in your content.
05 State of User-Generated Content 2021 - TINT Theme 1: The Battle for Engagement
The Battle for Engagement Q: I have more job responsibilities
because of the pandemic
The results are in: the 3 most important KPIs to marketers are Strongly Agree 36.6%
engagement, leads, and ROI – but there are some challenges.
Somewhat Agree 35.6%
Once again, we’ve found that Consistent engagement is no Neutral 19.8%
marketing professionals rank small challenge when you consider
engagement as their top KPI our research finds 72.2% of Somewhat Disagree 4.0%
for the second straight year – with marketers report having more
Strongly Disagree 4.0%
41.2% of respondents ranking it at job responsibilities now than
the top in 2020, a marginal increase compared to 2019.
over the 41% identified in past TINT
research. Research shows that marketers
feel like they don't have adequate
"There is no doubt that every marketer would love to be
Engagement is a leading indicator resources to succeed – with time,
able to get more leads and report back to their company
of a brand’s health because people budget, and team size being the
leaders on the ROI from their marketing budget.
willing to interact with a brand main challenges holding them back.
before converting into customers Reduced budgets and head count
However, for companies to take advantage of social
share interest in the brand. A brand mean that marketers now have more
media, a medium which was made for people and not
that successfully aligns its values responsibilities with fewer resources.
for businesses, they need to learn to use social media
with intentional marketing can turn
as it was meant for: To engage and collaborate, not to
strangers into customers and loyal
promote and sell. That's why I am not surprised and
customers into advocates – but it
actually encouraged that more and more marketers are
comes down to consistency and
41.2%
using engagement as their main KPI when it comes to
giving each person what they want.
social media."
of marketers report
engagement is the
most important
metric to measure
Neal Schaffer
CEO, PDCA Social Digital & Social
Media Marketing Consultant,
Speaker & Author
www.nealschaffer.com
06 State of User-Generated Content 2021 - TINT Theme 1: The Battle for Engagement
The Time Crunch Q: What are your Time 52%
top 3 challenges
when it comes to Team Size 41.2%
More than half of when it came to content Marketers and content
social and visual
marketers surveyed marketing was not teams must find ways to Budget
content production? 37.3%
(52%) believe time having enough time. make the most of the
is a challenge when Proving
time they have. The use 36.3 %
With consumers ROI/Metrics
it comes to social of UGC and employee-
recognizing when Volume
and visual content generated content (EGC)
33.3 %
brands are lazily cross-
production. can save considerable
posting across their Quality 29.4%
marketing channels, time and resources while
This is an increase from Engagement
teams must instead building trust and 28.4%
our last report, which
source and post the engagement.
found that only 36%
right and most relevant
of marketers admitted
content for each
their biggest concern
channel.
"Social media content that is spontaneous, and
sometimes even risky, can see huge returns. However,
the process can be fast-paced and messy, which isn’t
52% how Marketing has traditionally operated."
of marketers feel
time is a challenge
when it comes to
content production Yazmin Slim
Digital Marketing Manager
Universal Pictures
07 State of User-Generated Content 2021 - TINT Theme 1: The Battle for Engagement
ROI
ROI remains in focus with nearly one quarter (24.5%)
of marketers indicating that proving ROI is important
to their role. However, a study by Deloitte reports that
only six percent (6%) of CMOs feel they are actively
working on growing revenue across all global
"We are so closely tied to pipeline and revenue
business activities.
more than ever before. That can sometimes
One area that can positively impact the bottom line for make us second guess our ability to tell amazing
business is relationship-building through social. stories, create inspiring campaigns, or give back in
meaningful ways.
In its Social Transformation Report, Hootsuite found
that 67% of mature organizations were more likely to
In an effort to always prove value and ROI, we
agree that social media built strong relationships that
sometimes lose our way when it comes to the
benefited the business.
meaningful impact marketing can make.
I think finding that balance is a huge struggle and
can manifest itself for marketers in strange ways,
Q: Which of the following KPIs
is most important to your role? such as dysfunctional team dynamics, attribution
wars, or (probably the worst!) boring marketing."
Engagement 41.2%
Leads 24.5%
ROI 24.5% Rachel Truair
Director of Revenue Marketing
Followers/Subscribers 6.9% Confluent
Other 2.9%
08 State of User-Generated Content 2021 - TINT Theme 1: The Battle for Engagement
Budgets Team size
In 2020, more than half (51.5%) of As a solution, marketers are Forty-three percent (43%) of With engagement as a primary
respondents indicated a reduction turning to user- and employee- marketing teams have fewer indicator of brand health (and
in marketing budget while only generated content (UGC and EGC) than 5 people in-house – social media making content
16.9% of marketers experienced to facilitate content production, and nearly half (41.2% ) of creation more inclusive),
budget growth. build trust, and increase respondents feel head count is marketers will increasingly care
conversions. a challenge when it comes to about measuring engagement
While there is an expectation that content production. for a direct correlation to leads
marketers should produce more and ROI. However, without the
engagement and tie it back to ROI, With few in-house staff, proper resources, budget, and
the problem is that creating – and marketers need to be picky team – marketers will need to
properly marketing – engaging about what projects they focus lean on UGC, EGC, and strategic
content takes time and money. on – and those projects need to collaborations to alleviate where
be worthy of the time spent on time, budget, and team size are
them (and allocated away from lacking.
other projects).
Case Study: Chipotle and YouTuber David Dobrik
By encouraging and re-sharing content created by fans, customers, and
employees, brands like Chipotle create higher engagement and ROI
while spending less time and budget.
» For example, look at Chipotle’s
recent collaboration with YouTuber 51.5% 16.9%
David Dobrik. Together, they of respondents of marketers
launched the ‘Make Your Order experienced experienced
a reduction in budget growth
Famous’ campaign – where they ask marketing budget
fans to share creative TikTok videos
explaining why their Chipotle order
is “superior” for a chance to win
$10,000 in cash (and have their order
featured at Chipotle).
43% 41.2%
of marketing teams of respondents feel
» Through this creative approach, have fewer than 5 head count is a
Chipotle enables and captures people in-house challenge
UGC from TikTok and takes it all
the way to the storefront to engage
customers across digital *and*
physical touchpoints.
09 State of User-Generated Content 2021 - TINT Theme 2: Omnichannel is No Longer Optional
Q: What social platform
Omnichannel is No Longer Optional
29.7% 29.7%
is your target audience
most active on?
It was hard to ignore TikTok in 2020 20.8%
as it garnered over 700,000 million
global users and made headlines
everywhere. Some everyday users,
like Charli D’Amelio, became 9.9%
overnight success stories.
4%
In less than one year of being 3%
2% 1% 0% 0% 0%
active on TikTok, D’Amelio
surpassed 100 million followers on
the app – pushing creators to join
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Is TikTok really a thing?
While it appears that TikTok is taking over the world, our data indicates
organizations find their target audiences to be most active on traditional
platforms like Instagram (29.7%), LinkedIn (29.7%), and Facebook (20.8%) "Most marketers struggle with feeding the content
– while only 11.8% of organizations plan to increase their activity on needs of ever-evolving and emerging channels. This is
TikTok in 2021. especially true for more established organizations that
We believe there’s still a lot of potential here, and the broader trend shows struggle to adapt in a meaningful and speedy way."
that there is significant fragmentation across channels. Gone are the days of
being active on just one channel – now your customers expect to find you
where they are.
Simon Kopec
Social Media and Content Strategy
Hospitality
10 State of User-Generated Content 2021 - TINT Theme 2: Omnichannel is No Longer Optionall
LinkedIn has become the de facto establish their reputation as thought
network for professionals, considering leaders within their space – which, if "Social media isn’t as new as we make it seem; it’s
26.5% of organizations plan to done right, can strengthen external always evolving but we now have an understanding of
increase their activity next year contacts’ perception of their brand. how things work.
on LinkedIn – more than any other
platform. Regardless of the platform – and with Working in social media is often a guessing game
more people on social channels than and I don’t think it should be at this point; we need
Moving forward, more brands will
ever before – organizations cannot companies to start believing in what we do and invest
encourage their teams and execs to
afford to underinvest in this area. more resources to getting teams equipped to do
increase activity on LinkedIn to
great work."
Joanna Rentería
Social Media Strategist
Q: What social platform does your organization Social Lab @ Google
plan to increase the most activity during 2021? (Powered by Synergis)
26.5%
Each distribution channel and Giving social media managers a
18.6% social media platform requires its seat at the table – and listening to
own strategy – audiences vary, their feedback – will help brands
ways of sharing and consuming avoid churning out tone-deaf
11.8% content change, and what works content.
10.8% on one platform doesn’t always
9.8% work on the other.
6.9%
5.9% 4.9% 4.9%
0% 0%
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Do11 State of User-Generated Content 2021 - TINT Theme 2: Omnichannel is No Longer Optional
The Right Content The Ocean Clean Up team takes
For The Right Channel sustainable content production to
a new level
Understanding the bigger picture and how each » The Ocean Clean Up (TOCU)
channel works is key. While platforms like LinkedIn created sunglasses made of 24
and Twitter house thought leadership content football fields’ worth of Pacific
and rely heavily on text, platforms like TikTok and Ocean garbage and promoted
Instagram exude a more visual experience. the campaign with UGC and
omnichannel distribution.
Customers, fans, and employees are constantly
» Their founder told the story
posting content within social media – which
of the glasses via a live, virtual
provides opportunities for brands to find, collect,
presentation.
and re-distribute authentic content across key
channels to engage their audience. » They sourced UGC from social
media and reshared it across
multiple channels to bring the
experience full-circle – from
displaying fans' reactions as
"I’m counting down the days when marketers they unbox the sunglasses on
understand their strategies need to be optimized screens behind the founder
for [distribution] channels, as opposed to using during the presentation to
social as a dumping ground." embedding a social wall on the
website with real-time content
their users are sharing across
social media.
Eunice Cancino
Marketing Manager TIP: When your leadership team and customers participate in creating your
Tory Burch Foundation brand’s content – it not only establishes social proof and increases conversion
rates – but it cuts down the time and resources needed to produce (and
distribute) engaging content.12 State of User-Generated Content 2021 - TINT Theme 2: Omnichannel is No Longer Optional
Listen To (And Empower)
Your Social Media Managers
Overall, successful omnichannel strategies require
happy and productive teams – and increasingly, this
means social media managers.
"Social media managers are beacons of light
in the storm of public opinion. The smartest
Based on qualitative data (and lots While they try to raise engagement
organizations don’t just use them as a vehicle for
of our own social listening) from and keep conversions in the
pushing out reactive messaging, but as a trusted
#MarketingTwitter and research pipeline, social media managers
source of customer and cultural intelligence that
combined – social media managers have a massive responsibility
can help strengthen campaigns from start to
want to feel heard. to build and maintain a brand’s
finish."
reputation in real-time, across
The 2021 Edelman Trust Barometer a number of rapidly-evolving
reports that trust in information is at platforms.
record lows and news organizations Sarah Dawley
are seen as biased. This adds What you share (and how, when, Manager, Content
pressure to highlight and share the and where you share it) impacts Hootsuite
most trustworthy content. A lot of people’s perception of your brand.
that responsibility falls on Social Social teams are at the frontlines
Media Managers as they navigate listening, curating content, and
changing trends and a global responding to conversations. They
pandemic. understand what will resonate with
your audience and what won’t.13 State of User-Generated Content 2021 - TINT Theme 3: Influencer Marketing Redefined
Influencer Marketing Redefined
"Brands are realizing that overproduced content is
In this year’s report, an astounding 93% of marketers agree always going to perform less than content that feels
that consumers trust content created by people more more organic, natural, and human-centered.
than content created by brands.
That's why you see platforms like TikTok working so
well – because on TikTok, you might see an ad and
So, how can you obtain and use more of this trusted content? not even know it's an ad."
While influencer marketing certainly Before the internet, marketers had
spans those who get paid to fewer ways to encourage and amplify Jayde Powell
promote products to their audience, the type of word-of-mouth marketing Head of Social
to say that this is the only type of that would help their brands take Sunwink
influencer marketing is an extreme off. In the age of social media, UGC
understatement. has become the currency for By creating experiences that In our research, we find that 75% of
word-of-mouth marketing, and customers want to participate marketers are currently working
It’s important to draw a line between now everyone's an influencer with in and share, brands can inspire with small (14 State of User-Generated Content 2021 - TINT Theme 3: Influencer Marketing Redefined
Brands like Cisco and Chipotle
Employees Are Influencers Too rely on this content created by
employees to amplify recruiting
Our last study found that brand messages were reshared up to efforts and build company culture.
24 times more when distributed by employees versus the brand.
For example, Chipotle uses EGC
on its careers page to recruit
talent, highlight its culture, and
showcase what it’s like to work
"Employee-generated content is what has put the
at Chipotle from an employee’s
@WeAreCisco team on its path to success, with the
perspective.
metrics to prove its value."
By creating internal influencers and distributing EGC internally and externally
– brands can position their team as experts within their space and attract top
talent as a desirable place to work.
Carmen Collins
Social Media and Employee/ Year after year, research demonstrates that UGC supports a winning marketing
Employer-Brand Lead strategy. We found that there is a split between those that have a person or
Cisco
team dedicated to collecting and repurposing UGC – and those that do not.
Q: My organization often uses Q: My organization has a person or team
content created by employees (EGC) dedicated to collecting and repurposing content
to communicate internally created by its fans, users, and customers (UGC)
Strongly Agree 27.5% Strongly Agree 19.6%
Somewhat Agree 26.5% Somewhat Agree 21.6%
Neither Agree 14.7% Neither Agree 11.8%
or Disagree or Disagree
Somewhat Disagree 18.6% Somewhat Disagree 18.6%
Strongly Disagree 12.7% Strongly Disagree 28.4%15 State of User-Generated Content 2021 - TINT Theme 3: Influencer Marketing Redefined
How To Leverage TRUE
Influencer Marketing Incentivize Customers to Create UGC
50% Another way teams By featuring UGC
can obtain more across your marketing
of consumers wish UGC is by running channels, you’ll inspire
brands would campaigns and more of the user-
steer them to what
content to create contests that reward generated content
and share fans and customers to you’re looking for by
create and share their modeling the exact
best content. sort of behavior you’re
looking for.
Just because you don’t have a We previously reported that fifty-
If you’re just starting
dedicated team doesn’t mean you percent (50%) of consumers wish brands
out and don’t have
can’t leverage UGC to increase would steer them to what content to "If more marketers
any examples of
engagement, brand awareness, and create and share. took the time to
UGC to show them,
conversions. understand that
Brands that clearly define what content create your own
so your customers people connect
In our research, 43.1% of marketers to create, when to create it, and how to with people – and
share it are able to turn their customers know exactly what
reported that it is challenging to their contribution
you’re looking for.
find engaging UGC – but here are a into genuine brand advocates. to culture will take
few ways to make it easier. them further – their
Encourage customers to create UGC
outcomes would
Tell your Customers, Fans, by asking them to post on Instagram
be completely
and Employees What to as they unbox their product, to share
different."
Create their new purchase as a Tweet, or show
Most brands don’t realize that their themselves using your product and,
customers want companies to give of course, use your custom hashtag
them ways to share their products strategy to tag it. Just make sure to Siôn Rees
with friends and family. always get the legal rights for UGC. Brand Identity Designer
Pentagon16 State of User-Generated Content 2021 - TINT Theme 4: Social Meets eCommerce
Social Meets eCommerce
People are increasingly shifting to social media to stay connected, Instagram replaced the notifications button with a
24/7 and everywhere they go. These shifts in consumer behavior Shopping tab, Reels are now shoppable, and TikTok
coupled with the meteoric rise of online shopping are driving social is experimenting with livestream shopping – shaping
commerce – intertwining the purchase experience with social content. user behavior (and new buying habits). Additionally,
online shopping has never been more prominent –
According to GroupM's eCommerce Forecast, global retail particularly during a major global health pandemic when
eCommerce will increase from 17% of global retail sales in 2020 to many felt unsafe venturing indoors to stores and malls.
25% of retail sales in 2024.
In 2020:
Social commerce is disrupting the marketing funnel, as social
channels like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat pave the » Black Friday was the second-largest online spending
way for the future of shopping. day in U.S. history
» Chains that offered curbside, drive-thru, and in-store
pickup options in the U.S. increased digital sales at a
26% higher rate
» Shopify reported $5.1 billion in Black Friday and
Cyber Monday sales in 2020 – compared to $2.9
billion in 2019.
» Alibaba made $35 billion within the first 30
minutes of Singles Day
As people increasingly shop online, behaviors and
expectations around the buying journey will continue
to shift – where assurance for a safe, convenient, and
hyper-personalized buying journey will increase.17 State of User-Generated Content 2021 - TINT Theme 4: Social Meets eCommerce
Hyper-Personalization
"Successful brands have their own content, aren’t
Hyper-personalization is the act of collecting and using afraid to do things differently, and they leverage
consumer insights to improve the experience you provide. their audience’s content to make people feel like
they can speak and are being heard."
Hyper-personalization is more than the usual "Hi,
[Insert Name Here]" in an email – it’s the special
75% experience you provide your audience that shows
them that you understand and care about them. Charles Etoroma
of marketers claim Sr. Social Media Strategist
EXPRESS
UGC makes content Why is hyper-personalization important?
more authentic Consumers trust reviews from other people (including
strangers) more than brands, so UGC is key to
creating balanced content that your audience will
resonate with. But there’s still significant opportunity
for growth in this area considering that:
59.8% 39%
» Thirty-nine percent (39%) of TINT respondents are of marketers agree of respondents are
focusing on balancing brand and community voice that authenticity and focusing on balancing
quality of content are brand and community
» More than half of marketers (59.8%) agree that equally important voice
authenticity and quality of content are equally
important
» Three-quarters of marketers (75%) claim that UGC
makes content more authentic18 State of User-Generated Content 2021 - TINT Theme 4: Social Meets eCommerce
Case Study: Paqui Chips
#OneChipChallenge
At TINT, some of our (willing) employees took the
#OneChipChallenge together. Creating an internal
experience for our team to bond over will be hard to
forget (and, frankly, so will that chip!) – and sharing this
experience with our audience personalizes the TINT brand.
As eCommerce, drive-thrus, and curbside
pickups continue to grow – brands will
To boost brand awareness and eat the chip and submit their turn to UGC to collect feedback, share "No matter what
sales, Paqui engineered a social agonizing reactions. UGC-inspiring social proof, and build trust throughout innovations are in our
experience and tapped the experiences are found at every turn the journey. In the near future, marketing future, we will always be
broader cultural trend around including coffin-shaped packaging, activations will look like curbside ads, marketing to people. There
“challenges” with their notoriously and shoppable merchandise website galleries with real-time social will be tons of new trends,
deathly spicy Carolina Reaper like t-shirts and party packs to media content, digital out-of-home but no matter what’s next,
chip. With its #OneChipChallenge, challenge friends. (DOOH) ads, and promoted ads featuring empathy, authenticity,
Paqui elevates the voice of *real* customer testimonials. and a genuine interest in
influencers to drive the campaign. In essence, Paqui uses UGC as helping others will propel
social bait to tempt people to Shoppable social is only the beginning your brand forward."
Paqui takes the social experience participate and share their own of how brands should be leveraging the
full-circle on its landing page #OneChipChallenge. UGC is the conversion-boosting power of UGC.
– from starting with a promo content, but Paqui strategically Look beyond single social channels to
video compiled with UGC that places it throughout their buying implement a creative social commerce Brianne Fleming
leads into the Wall of Infamy – a journey to increase engagement Marketing Professor
strategy that considers multiple University of Florida
social wall that dares people to and conversions. touchpoints your audience will come
across – starting with your website.19 State of User-Generated Content 2021 - TINT Theme 5: The Rise of Virtual and Hybrid Events
The Rise of Virtual
and Hybrid Events
“Virtual events are here to stay and with travel
The pandemic brought restricted around the world, hybrid events will be local-
events, conferences, and first. People want to buy from brands that care and are
tourism to a crash halt. Field present in their communities. They want to see a local
marketers, destinations, impact. They want to eat at local establishments.”
and venues had to make
harsh pivots to a new future
– where events had to be
translated into new digital
S. David Ramirez
environments for consumers Event Marketing Manager
to attend safely from home. TINT
The learning curve that followed included crisis communications,
negotiations, new tools and platforms, social distancing regulations,
Q: What event formats are you
and more with a change in event marketing to fit virtual-first events.
considering for 2021?
The in-person elements allow "locals" to connect while the digital
elements expand the audience to anyone with an internet connection. Virtual Events 75.5%
Hybrid Events 70.1%
Webinars or 48.9 %
Online Seminars
Streaming Events 38.8%
75.5% 70.1% Roadshow 25.0 %
of respondents said of respondents are also
Hub and Spoke 17.9 %
they were considering considering hybrid events
virtual events in 2021 Other 4.9 %20 State of User-Generated Content 2021 - TINT Theme 5: The Rise of Virtual and Hybrid Events
The mega-conventions of yesteryear may be gone for the
Understand
immediate future especially when organizers can deliver
New Expectations
record-size audiences by eliminating geographic, budget,
for Events
and travel restraints on the web.
With hybrid and virtual events,
attendees will expect a new
experience that is able to
compete with the pre-COVID-19
in-person events. Companies will
continue to rely on video and
live streaming on social media
to host conferences, webinars,
virtual roundtables, etc., but
without attendees walking
Event and field geographies. Previously hybrid event model, around venues, events must find
marketers are turning to the model was we’ll be seeing new ways to fuel digital engagement.
focus on unique event unpopular because expectations from
structures that can it required the same attendees, a need
capture the attendance amount of logistical lift for maximizing digital
of a major trade show to produce as a major engagement, and a
without sacrificing conference. way to turn that digital
the safety of intimate experience into brand
gatherings. But attendee content.
sentiments may find
A potential forerunner Hub and Spoke to be
is Hub and Spoke, a the savior of in-person
model where multiple business events.
smaller activations
simultaneously share Marketers are certainly
content, speakers, interested in hosting
and ideas across events – and with a new21 State of User-Generated Content 2021 - TINT Theme 5: The Rise of Virtual and Hybrid Events
Theme 5: The Rise of Virtual and Hybrid Events
Case Study: #GlobalGraduation by edX
edX found its solution to virtually connecting their global
community through an omnichannel strategy highlighting UGC
to promote #GlobalGraduation.
They launched the #GlobalGraduation campaign across their
"When we used messages of celebrating learners in our
email, blog, website, and social media channels.
email marketing efforts – we saw 2x's more clicks than
our average blog clicks. This is an indicator to us that
there is a future in utilizing UGC more."
The result
More than 500 well wishes submitted
during the week-long campaign,
7,000+ clicks to the #GlobalGraduation
page, and high engagement on email Sree Lenhart
and social media. Senior Director of Brand Marketing
edX
500+
wishes submitted
in one week
7000+
clicks to the
#GlobalGraduation page22 State of User-Generated Content 2021 - TINT Theme 5: The Rise of Virtual and Hybrid Events
Turn UGC into Content Social and Community Engagement
Events can use Group Chats and Events are opportunities for people, connected by a
incoming UGC for their eventually, hyper- common interest, to share their hopes and plans for the
brand and marketing personalized physical future. The best virtual and hybrid events will find ways to
channels. We’ve seen experiences. capture this and celebrate it.
this within in-person
events and on social In the post-COVID-19
walls and screens event space, marketers
displaying tweets or can use UGC to Ways to incorporate community engagement
Instagram posts curated engage attendees,
from a specific hashtag. answer questions,
and promote future
As the event industry installments, showing Encourage Ask Allow Highlight
finds its balance, future attendees attendees, attendees community this content
presenters, to create members on the
marketing will be a that despite the and staff micro- and local event
lot more community- event being virtual to submit videos of people of website,
oriented – from niche or a hybrid model, content their event influence repost on
using a moments to submit social, and
Slack Groups to Zoom attendees had a great hashtag and share their own use it in
experience. them on content and future event
TikTok include it promotions
as part of
pre-roll or
cutaways23 State of User-Generated Content 2021 - TINT
About TINT
TINT is the enterprise User From UGC influencers to
Generated Content platform hybrid events and social
trusted by over 5,000 leading commerce, the world of
brands around the world to marketing continues to
incorporate authentic user expand. We're here to help
content, engage consumers, you navigate your strategy –
convert sales, and inspire schedule time to consult with
action. Weave the power of an expert today.
UGC and authentic influencer
marketing into every step of the www.tintup.com
customer journey.24 State of User-Generated Content 2021 - TINT
Thank you Brianne Fleming – University of Florida
Carmen Collins – Cisco
We’d like to thank
Charles Etoroma – EXPRESS
everyone who contributed
Eunice Cancino – Tory Burch Foundation
to this report.
Jayde Powell – Sunwink
Joanna Rentería – Social Lab @ Google (Powered by Synergis)
Neal Schaffer – www.nealschaffer.com
Rachel Truair – Confluent
S. David Ramirez – TINT
Sarah Dawley – Hootsuite
Simon Kopec – Hospitality
Siôn Rees – Pentagon
Sree Lenhard – edX
Yazmin Slim – Universal Pictures25 State of User-Generated Content 2021 - TINT
Methodology Additional data were compiled from
the Hootsuite Social Transformation
The State of User-Generated report, Hootsuite Social Trends 2021
Content is a report compiled report, Edelman Trust Barometer 2021,
and released by TINT. The Group M eCommerce Forecast, Shopify
purpose of this report is to Future of eCommerce 2021, TINT articles
understand the opportunities and enterprise case studies. We’ve
and challenges facing marketers supplemented these results with insights
to help customers benchmark, from primary interviews with leaders on
plan, and prioritize. This report is the Future of Marketing.
based on an online UGC survey
of 102 marketers conducted We wish to thank all respondents for
in November 2020, as well as their time and invaluable input. This
extensive research with 184 research would not be possible without
event marketers conducted in their attention to detail and thoughtful
August 2020. contributions. Individual survey data and
participants are held in strict confidence.www.tintup.com
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