Not surprisingly, user-generated content (UGC) is strongly influencing purchases via social media, particularly on Facebook. The same Bazaarvoice/Savanta survey found that 26.4% of respondents said Facebook was a popular destination for them to make purchases based on UGC, while slightly fewer (25.3%) said UGC on the platform influences their buying decisions.

But since memes also tap into several of the trends that the pandemic has accelerated—from the growth in user-generated content (UGC) and influencer marketing, to “making social media fun again” through social entertainment—it’s likely that memes will continue to flood many social feeds in 2021 and beyond.

Social media memes have been around for over a decade, but the last twelve months have solidified their position as a staple of digital communication. While the topics themselves are no laughing matter, lighthearted humor about shared struggles has become a coping mechanism—or simply a much-needed distraction—for many.

The eMarketer team deliberated extensively to select the 10 key digital trends to watch in 2021 from a list of 43. Which trends narrowly missed the cut? Here’s our first in a series of additional transformative developments that ought to be on your radar in the year ahead.

And this won’t be in just social media; we’re expecting to see more UGC in all sorts of media this year, from TV commercials to digital video to print ads. Some forward-thinking brands have already started.

In his two years in the role, Dunkin' Brands’ CMO Tony Weisman has led the company through a rebrand, updating Dunkin’s image to reflect its growing beverage priorities; expanded brand partnerships, working with companies that may not seem obvious for a business focused on drinks and donuts; and become laser-focused on user-generated content (UGC).

The fact that social media is largely made up of user-generated content (UGC), which can be unpredictable, only further breeds this lack of trust. For example, 87% of study respondents agree with the statement, “there is too much fake news on social media,” while 82% say that “ads on social media are very manipulative.”.

And while short-form video provides marketers an effective channel to engage users, there are also concerns about brand safety, given the nature of user-generated content (UGC). Factors expected to influence programmatic video investment in the next 12 to 24 months include:. Striving for efficiency in a fragmented market.

Weigh the risks of UGC with the benefits. There are a lot of risks to asking people to make videos featuring your brand. “The whole basis of this platform is commenting and reacting to others’ posts,” Paas said. The question for brands is, "How comfortable are you with the consumer owning the narrative around your brand?