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User Generated Content can add tremendous value to a web site, but it can also have horrible effects if not managed correctly. By allowing the public to create content for a web site, there is always the risk of content that is totally against the mission of the site owner. This can be handled by having a approval process that routes all content to people who will proof and authorize content to be placed on the site. This added work ensures that content on your site is always something that you wish to be on your site.

I think UGC can be very powerful if approached correctly and with much thought. There are several benefits to having UGC on your site, first it helps create a loyal user base that will visiting your site. The content providers are now vested in your site, they want to see their content, they will tell others about the content they put on your site. This advertising value is great, the visitors are then targeted and have much more potential for conversions. The content itself is then able to be index by search engines and provide more traffic to your site based on the content itself. Also, the content provider will probably be placing links to your site from theirs. This is very important for search engine optimization.

People are more and more going to alternative sources for information, user content provides way of having local perspectives on subject matter with a personal view point. This adds more value to the content, the content provider is viewed as a regular person. Major media is often viewed as biased information, user generated content can provide a more diverse view on the subject matter. Multiple views can be expressed on the content, providing a way of reach a wider audience with varying views.

By opening a site up to allowing UGC, the audience base now feels part of a community. They want the site to succeed, they want their content to be ready by many people.

Harnessing the power of UCG is a challenge and it must be understand that using this content will open up to ideas and views that you may not agree with. But, the more content that is available on a subject provides a people with enough information to make a better and well informed decision.

Learn more about this author, Lou Rainaldi.
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