Introduction : Understanding the Impact of UGC on SEO Strategies for SMEs: Why, What, and How It Works

The UGC (UGC) is defined as the data which is provided by the customers and is published on the different social media platforms and official website of the company. Many times the customers out of excitement post the data over the social media platforms. Thus this is called UGC with in which the data is generated by the user themselves. For the effective working of the company it is very necessary that the implement the use of UGC for improving the online visibility. The present study is based on analysis of the fact that how the UGC can be used by the small and medium Enterprises for improving the online presence. Currently the use of digital marketing and online platform is increasing and it is very necessary for the businesses to operate at the digital level. Hence for the SMEs it is very necessary that they effectively and actively participate over the social media platform so that they can attract more of the customers. Thus, current study will help the SMEs in UK to analyse that how they can use the UGC for improving the Search Engine Optimisation and other platforms of online visibility. The present proposal will outline the concept of the UGC. It will also outline the ways with in which this content can be used in Search Engine Optimisation and other different social media platform for attracting the customers. At last it will evaluate the different benefits and drawbacks of implementing the UGC within the success of the company.

Aim and objectives

Aim

To examine how UGC assists in shaping the SEO and online visibility of companies. A study on UK SME.

Objectives

To develop an understanding relating to the concept of UGC and SEO.

To evaluate how UGC is used in SEO and online visibility.

To assess the benefits and drawbacks of using UGC for increasing online visibility and SEO.

To recommend some of the ways relating to improving the use of under-generated content for online working.

Research questions

What is the concept of UGC and SEO?

What are the ways within which the UGC is used in SEO and other online marketing channels?

What are the benefits and drawbacks of using UGC for SEO?

What are some of the recommendations through which the use of UGC will be improved?

Research Significance

In this highly competitive environment, consumers must be kept happy and satisfied. This is particularly necessary because when consumers will not be happy the performance of the company will be impacted. It is due to the reason that when the consumers will not be happy then they will not comply with the services and different products of the company and it will impact the whole operational efficiency of the company. Hence, the current topic is of significance to UK SMEs as they can use the information from the study and can try to improve their working in a better manner. Moreover, companies other than SMEs can also use information as social media and the use of UGC is helpful to every company working within the competitive environment.

Research rationale

The competition within the corporate environment is very high and if case working and operations of the company are not effective then it would affect the working of the business. Hence, to make the work successful working of the social media and UGC must be made. It is due to the reason that all these aspects will help the business in improving the efficiency and work effectively. The present study will assist the company in acknowledging the fact that the UGC can be used effectively in making the marketing strategy and improving the working effectively. This will further help in improving the efficiency of the company and try to influence a large segment of consumers towards the company for a longer time. Along with this, the current study is of academic and personal interest to the researcher and because of this, the current topic is selected.

LITERATURE REVIEW

Theme 1- Concept of UGC and SEO

In the views of Chen and Sénéchal, (2023) UGC is particularly a type of content which is created by the users working on the online platforms. This can be done in the form of text posts, videos, photos, and reviews of products, blog posts, social media content and many different kinds of methods. It can also be stated as the content which occurs when the customers of the product create and disseminate different online ideas with regarding to the services and product which the company offer. When consumers post any kind of information relating to the brand over social media then they tend to influence other buyers decisions as well. Thus, it is very necessary for the companies they effectively take care of this content so that other consumers also get attracted towards it. Most of the people state that the people are much influenced by this UGC rather than the content made by the brand itself.

In against of this, Iqbal and et.al, (2022) argues that when the company shares the UGC over the different social media platforms then it influences the other people as well to buy the product or the service. Hence, this will assist the company in increasing its market share and the number of consumers easily. It is particularly for the reason that when existing consumers will be sharing the appropriate experience then it will automatically attract the potential consumers as well. The UGC highly impact the purchasing decisions of the potential consumers and as a result of this, the working of the business can be imprvoed.

In support of this Khan, (2023) states that SEO that is Search Engine Optimisation is very crucial for business for using. It is because for the reason that it includes the process through which the quantity and quality of the website traffic and visibility on Google and other search engines. For the effective management of the business and its marketing, effective search engine optimisation and other kind of social media strategies must be used for the promotion of the business in this highly competitive market.

On the contradictory note Saura, Reyes-Menendez and Van Nostrand, (2020) stated that the use of SEO is very important for the achievement of the business. It is necessary for the reason that when effective SEO and other marketing strategies are used then it will improve the working of the company. Thus, resultantly, the overall efficiency is improved and will help in facing the competition well. Along with this when the effective SEO and other online marketing strategies will be used by the companies then this will improve the position of the company within the highly competitive market.

Theme 2- Ways in which UGC can be used for SEO and other online visibility.

In the views of Sunarso and Mustafa, (2023) the use of UGC is very necessary and helpful for the company in improving the marketing. This is particularly because of the reason that the UGC includes the views of the customer relating to the product of the service of the business. Hence, this is an unsponsored or the unpaid content which the customers share over the social media networks of the company. The first and foremost strategy or the way through which UGC can be used for improving online visibility includes finding and reposting the UGC over different social media platforms. This is particularly necessary because many at times the customer post the photos or the videos over the companys official website. Thus, it is the responsibility of the company that they must find these kinds of posts and must repost over different the social media platform as well.

In support of this Azit and et.al, (2022) stated that this is particularly necessary because it might be possible that they do not visit the companys official website. But when these posts are reposted over the different social media platform then it provides a brief overview to the customers relating to the different services provided by the company. In addition to this it will also help the customer in analysing the views of other customers and try to use the product or service of the company. Thus, for connecting with the different audience it is very necessary for the company to provide the repost of the comments provided by the customer also over the official website of the company. There are different kinds of social media platform which can be used effectively by the companies for providing the appropriate information to the customers. The social media platforms are accessible by many of the people and as a result of this the people will be aware about the companies and the services provided by them.

On the contradictory note Das, (2021) argued that the effective use of UGC helps the company in getting fresh and relevant content relating to the company and its services. This is particularly because of the reason that every customer is different and there mindset is different. Hence it provides with fresh and unique content relating to the product and services being promoted by the Businessman stock does ultimately it will assist the company in having a good set of information relating to the product and services of the company. In addition to this the content creation by the customers is a good task and it will help the company in providing authentic content with high quality. This authentic content will be used to over the website of the come means and it will be promoted over different social media platform.

Moreover Angeloni and Rossi, (2021) stated that another strategy for implementing the effective use of content over the Search Engine Optimisation is to always asking permission and credit creators. This is particularly very necessary because when the permission is taken before using the UGC then it will improve the company and its position. This is particularly necessary because for the effective UGC it is always necessary to take the permission. Hence for this it is necessary that before hitting the share button it must always ask for the permission. This feature is necessarily to be implemented because it highlights the respect and the legality of the working. Hence, this asking for permission will definitely attract the different customers because it ensures that the company is respecting for their privacy and seeking permission before using any kind of information. Ultimately it will result in attracting more of the customers and as a result of this overall performance of the company will be improved effectively.

In accordance to Schultheiß and Lewandowski, (2021) another major strategy for implementing the effective use of UGC within the SEO and the online visibility is the increased user engagement and interaction. This is particularly because of the reason that when more of the UGC is implemented within the business then it automatically results in attracting more users. This is particularly because of the reason that it will lead to reduction in the bounce rate and as a result of this the number of customers will be more for the company. Along with this, engagement of the customer towards the company will be increased because it will help the business in influencing the good amount of consumers. In addition to this, the UGC is dynamic and diversified and it will help in keeping the users engaged within the working of the company to a great extent. Furthermore, website engagement will also increase because the customers will like to search the website of the company and go through it effectively.

Along with this Drivas and et.al, (2020) stated that using the employee advocacy is also crucial for business to enhance the use of UGC. This is particularly because of the reason that when the employees will also be included within the uses generated content then it will more authenticate the services an product of the business. For this the companies must include the team as the brand ambassador so that it encourages the customers to buy the product and services of the company. This is very necessary because when the user generated content is used and is supported by the employees and their views then it will attract the customers to a great extent. And ultimately it will increase the profitability of the company and the sales will increase.

Theme 3- Benefits and drawbacks of using the UGC

In the views of Chen and Sénéchal, (2023) the use of UGC is very beneficial for the company. This is particularly because of the reason that when the UGC is used by the company that it increases the interest of the consumer and trust with the company. Hence it is very beneficial for the company because it increases the trust of the customers and as a result of this the customer loyalty towards the company increases. Moreover when the effect information will be provided to the customers with help of users generated content and it will improve the brand value of the company as well.

On the contradictory note Sunarso and Mustafa, (2023) argued that the use of UGC for SEO and online visibility increases the cost for the company. This is the major drawback of using the sources for marketing the product and services effectively. It is due to the fact that all these services are very costly and as a result of this the overall cost of the company increases which intern is not good for the company. Thus, it is very necessary for the company to effectively take the decisions so that the cost of the company can be managed and profit can be earned.

Moreover, it was seen that the effective use of the UGC is very helpful for the company to grow and develop. In the views of Das, (2021) it was evaluated that another benefit of using the users generated content is that it improve the reach and engagement of the company with the customers. This is particularly because of the reasons that when the company implements the effective UGC then it attracts more of the customers. In addition to this when the existing customer share their thoughts and experience is relating to the product positively then it attracts more of the customer and increases their loyalty towards the company. Thus, it is very necessary for the companies specifically the SME to effectively implement the use of UGC. This is particularly because of the reason that the companies are operating at small level and improving the customer base is very necessary. Hence, the effective use of UGC will definitely help the companies to keep the consumers engaged and attracted towards the company.

On the other hand Khan, (2023) argued that the major drawback of implementing the effective use of UGC is that it requires effective monitoring and control. It is because of the reason that any person can post anything over the website as the UGC. Hence, it is the responsibility of the company to ensure that all the information placed over the website is authentic and correct. Many at times due to competitive rivalry other companies tend to post negative reviews of the company intentionally. This is done in order to defame the company and try to attract the customers towards the other competitors. Hence, for this it is the responsibility of the companies to effectively have a control and monitoring over the messages being posted over the social media platforms and the companys website. In case any negative review is posted purposely than it must be reported and proper action need to be taken.

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

Research type

Research type is referred to as the way a study is conducted to attain to the objectives. Research can be conducted in two different methods which include qualitative and quantitative study. The formal relates to the evaluation of qualitative information with respect to the topic of research. On the contradictory note, latter includes the evaluation of quantitative and numeric information relating to the research topic (Lê and Schmid, 2022). To evaluate the use of UGC over SEO and online visibility use of qualitative study will be undertaken. This qualitative study will be used by the researcher to expand theories and content relating to the research topic for the study will outline how the UGC can be effectively used for improving the SEO and the online visibility of the companies.

Research approach

The reason on the basis of which any kind of the research method selected is known as the approach to the research. This approach can be of two different types that is Inductive and deductive. The inductive approach is the one which relates to making of aim and objective for the topic of research whereas in the deductive the hypothesis is framed and the study is conducted to prove the hypothesis. For evaluation of the fact of how generated content is helpful in Search Engine Optimisation the inductive approach will be used by the researcher. This approach will be selected why the resources because it provides the objective of the study. Hence it will assist the researcher in completing the study well and attaining the objectives effectively. Moreover, the inductive approach will provide a base for the researcher to develop the literature and findings as well.

Research Philosophy

The beliefs and the values based on which the approach of the methods selected are referred to as the philosophy. Interpretivism and positivism are the two different types of philosophy which the researcher can use to analyse the research topic. Philosophy which is based on the existing theories and literature relevant to the area of study. In contrast to this, positivism is the theory which focuses on collecting factual and numerical data in regards to the topic of research (Luo and et.al, 2022). To evaluate the impact of UGC over this Search Engine Optimisation and online visibility the interpretivism philosophy will be taken. This philosophy is helpful to the researcher as it will help them collect the theoretical information with regards to the study area. As the study is qualitative the use of existing theories and principles will help the researcher in gathering appropriate and effective data.

Data collection

For the success of the study, the appropriate and related data must be used for evaluation. The data can be gathered from two different sources which include primary and secondary. The primary source is the one which provides first-hand information releasing to the research topic. In against of this secondary source includes an evaluation of the existing information with regards to the topic of study. For the evaluation of the current study based on the impact of UGC over this SEO the use of secondary sources will be undertaken. This is particularly being used by the researcher because the secondary source will provide the white range of data and information regarding the topic of research. It will include an evaluation of the different articles journals books and other published sources which will provide data relating to the current resource topic.

Data analysis

After the gathering of the day, it must be evaluated effectively so that things objectives can be attained. Hence for the success of the research the analysis of the data is very helpful. In case the data gathered is not evaluated effectively then the objectives will not be attained and it will not provide a better base to the researcher. The evaluation of the data is done with the help of two different methods: thematic analysis and the use of SPSS (Hendren and et.al, 2023). The thematic analysis is the one within which different teams are created and data is evaluated on that basis. On the other hand, the SPSS includes the use of different statistical functions which are applied to the data gathered. To evaluate how the UGC helps Search Engine Optimisation the use of thematic analysis will be made. This thematic analysis will be used by the researcher because it includes framing themes and then evaluating different literature relating to them. This will provide a wide range of evaluation of data and will help in attaining the objectives well.

Ethical consideration

For the effective working of the research, the ethical aspects must be considered before the completion of the study. It is necessary because the ethical aspect is primarily to be included within the study to make it more successful. For the present study, the use of articles after 2019 has been used. This is about the fact that when the data is too old then it will not be providing better output. Along with this, all the data which has some copyright or patent is only used in the present study. This is because of the reason that the copyright makes the data authentic and as a result of this the overall attainment of the aim and objectives is better and more effective.

Research limitation

While conducting the study there are many different kinds of limitation which the research face and it might impact the working of the study. Thus, it is crucial for researchers they try to manage these limitations effectively. The most common limitation which the researcher faces includes the time constraint. This is the major limitation that affects the working of the study. The completion time of the study is very less and as a result of this, the overall work can be impacted. However, the researcher tried to effectively manage the study before time by applying effective time management strategies (Strijker, Bosworth and Bouter, 2020). Along with this the appropriate selection of the data is another limitation which is majorly faced by the researcher. This is the major limitation as there were different types of data and using the most appropriate is difficult. Many different websites are providing similar kinds of data and selecting the authenticated data is very necessary. Thus, the use of effective copyrights and patents will help select the appropriate data and make the study better.

Reliability and validity

Along with the ethical aspect, it is also very necessary for the researcher to ensure the reliability and validity of the data and the study. This is particularly essential for the reason that when the data will not be valid and reliable then the research will not be attaining the objectives well. To ensure reliability and validity, the researcher will make use of the after 2019 only. The data before 2019 will not be used. It is for the reason that when the effective data will be used then the objectives will be attained well and will assist the researcher for improving the study and assistive in attaining the objectives (Köhler, Smith and Bhakoo, 2022). In addition to this, it is also ensured that proper reference to every article used in the study is provided so that the work is improved and the objectives are attained effectively. Another aspect to be ensured for reliability and validity is to maintain the confidentiality of the information. This is very necessary for the reason that the confidentiality relating to the personal information of the data source needs to, be managed and maintained so that aim of the current research can be met effectively.

TIMELINE

References

Books and Journals

Angeloni, S. and Rossi, C., 2021. Online search engines and online travel agencies: A Comparative Approach. Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Research, 45(4), pp.720-749.

Azit, A., Abd Manan, W.K.A.W., Mokhtar, M., Farzana, N. and Chee, W.M., 2022. DIGITAL MARKETING STRATEGIES TO IMPROVE BUSINESS PERFORMANCE OF MALAYSIA SMES. International Journal of Business and Economy, 4(1), pp.13-34.

Chen, J.C. and Sénéchal, S., 2023. The reciprocal relationship between search engine optimization (SEO) success and brand equity (BE): an analysis of SMEs. European Business Review, 35(5), pp.860-873.

Das, S., 2021. Search engine optimization and marketing: A recipe for success in digital marketing. CRC press.

Drivas, I.C., Sakas, D.P., Giannakopoulos, G.A. and Kyriaki-Manessi, D., 2020. Big data analytics for search engine optimization. Big Data and Cognitive Computing, 4(2), p.5.

Hendren, K., Newcomer, K., Pandey, S.K., Smith, M. and Sumner, N., 2023. How qualitative research methods can be leveraged to strengthen mixed methods research in public policy and public administration?. Public Administration Review, 83(3), pp.468-485.

Iqbal, M., Khalid, M.N., Manzoor, A., Abid, M.M. and Shaikh, N.A., 2022. Search Engine Optimization (SEO): A Study of important key factors in achieving a better Search Engine Result Page (SERP) Position. Sukkur IBA Journal of Computing and Mathematical Sciences, 6(1), pp.1-15.

Khan, S.A., 2023. E-Marketing, E-Commerce, E-Business, and Internet of Things: An Overview of Terms in the Context of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). Global Applications of the Internet of Things in Digital Marketing, pp.332-348.

Köhler, T., Smith, A. and Bhakoo, V., 2022. Templates in qualitative research methods: Origins, limitations, and new directions. Organizational Research Methods, 25(2), pp.183-210.

Lê, J.K. and Schmid, T., 2022. The practice of innovating research methods. Organizational Research Methods, 25(2), pp.308-336.

Luo, P., Luo, M., Li, F., Qi, X., Huo, A., Wang, Z., He, B., Takara, K., Nover, D. and Wang, Y., 2022. Urban flood numerical simulation: Research, methods and future perspectives. Environmental Modelling & Software, 156, p.105478.

Saura, J.R., Reyes-Menendez, A. and Van Nostrand, C., 2020, October. Does SEO Matter for Startups? Identifying Insights from UGC Twitter Communities. In Informatics (Vol. 7, No. 4, p. 47). MDPI.

Schultheiß, S. and Lewandowski, D., 2021. “Outside the industry, nobody knows what we do” SEO as seen by search engine optimizers and content providers. Journal of documentation, 77(2), pp.542-557.

Strijker, D., Bosworth, G. and Bouter, G., 2020. Research methods in rural studies: Qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods. Journal of Rural Studies, 78, pp.262-270.

Sunarso, B. and Mustafa, F., 2023. Analysing the Role of Visual Content in Increasing Attraction and Conversion in MSME Digital Marketing. Journal of Contemporary Administration and Management (ADMAN), 1(3), pp.193-200.

Online

The Advantages and Disadvantages of Using UGC for Publishers. 2023. [Online]. Available through: < https://target-video.com/advantages-and-disadvantages-of-user-generated-content/ >