I’m sure someone out there would argue that this blog is user generated content and thus proves that UGC is the wave of the future (actually I’ve been a professional writer for quite awhile). They may even go so far as to say UGC is all that people will be consuming in the future. Your network, your brand or your news organization better get with the program or risk becoming dinosaurs! There are over four billion hours of video uploaded to YouTube and as of earlier this year Nielsen had tracked over 181 million blogs.

Truth is, that very few blogs are written with the same quality as popular fiction or approach the quality of a random Seth Godin blog entry. Very few videos on YouTube are watched on the average family room television over driving to RedBox for a DVD. Most Facebook post will never be read more than once and cherished like an old Batman comic book. Most UGC just isn’t good enough to be appreciated by more than immediate friends and family.

So what does this mean for marketers? Should you abandon social media marketing? No, but you should understand that scalability is a real issue. And if you want your story told well you’ll need to hire professionals. That may mean hiring an agency with a track record of success or a competent production company to bring your ideas to life and up to broadcast standards.

Why is professionalism so important today with everyone doing UGC? Because your audience still seeks quality content. That’s why so many TV shows fail every year and so many movies tank at the box office. And if your content is fighting against four billion hours or YouTube videos it better be damn good or it’s not ever going to be noticed.

Posted on: November 26, 2012, by : Jimmy Gilmore