THE IMPACT OF USER-GENERATED CONTENT ON THE EFFICIENCY OF MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS IN SOCIAL NETWORKS

Abstract

The presented work is devoted to the study of the transformation of modern marketing communications under the influence of user-generated content (UGC) as an effective marketing tool in social networks. Today, when consumers increasingly ignore traditional advertising messages, it is authentic materials from real customers that become the foundation of trust in the brand. Having studied the dynamics of queries in Google Trends, we have established a rapid growth in interest in this topic since 2022, while Ukraine demonstrates a high level of engagement, taking 14th place in the global ranking. The study analyzed the main types of UGC - from emotional videos on TikTok and Instagram Reels to meaningful reviews on platforms such as Rozetka or Reddit. The article reveals in detail how the integration of such content allows brands not only to save marketing budgets, but also to significantly improve SEO and conversion rates. Of particular interest are the examples of domestic companies (GeniusSpace, Eva, Silpo), which are already successfully using the voice of the consumer to build an emotional connection with the audience. At the same time, the authors note that working with UGC poses a number of challenges associated with the use of content not controlled by the brand - threats of reputational damage, unstable image quality, ethical and legal risks associated with copyright and data confidentiality, as well as problems with the spread of fake reviews. Based on the results obtained, the authors formulated recommendations for effective moderation and strategic management of UGC. It is substantiated that, with proper preparation, monitoring and ethical use, user content can not only increase trust in a brand, but also help strengthen the community around it and improve its position in the competitive environment.