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User-generated content is materials on a website that are created by its visitors.
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Let's look at what user-generated content is using a simple example. Almost every girl had her own diary. She decorated it beautifully and sent it “for a walk” around the class. Each student left an entry in this diary. In fact, the document belonged to the girl, and all the notes were left by its readers.
Every person sometimes wants not only to find something on the Internet, but to express their thoughts. They maintain their own blogs, opinion columns, etc.
For example, there is an information portal. Its users form an online community around the site. Some may maintain their personal blogs on the same site. This is an example of UGC.
How to use user-generated content
Positive Impact of UGC
- Helps you touch and see products and services in reality.
- Increases trust: “if someone has already bought it, then I can buy it too.”
As for UGC for online stores, there are only advantages to its use.
Website visitors can sell your products and services. Instead of paid editors, website content can be created by passionate users: quickly, voluntarily, in large quantities and for free. And the task of the project administrator is to create all the conditions to find active editors and encourage them to do so.
UGC User generated content is content that users create. UGC includes everything: reviews, comments, photos of your product, and even videos.
Why do you need UGC user-generated content?
Such content is more trustworthy. Users not only chose your product, but are also ready to tell others about their choice. Photos in the feed with real people, even if sloppy and unprofessional, are more endearing than artificial photos from photo studios.
By the way, a similar thing happens with videos from ordinary people that suddenly become popular. People like to see stories that they can identify with. The simple setting and not fantastically beautiful models in the leading roles attract the audience.
Additionally, you can observe how your audience uses your product. You may realize that your target audience is wider than you thought.
For small businesses, the advantage of UGC content is also the ease of its production. Using content from users in social media posts is much cheaper than regularly organizing photo shoots to create product posts.
Thus, the company receives a lot of varied, engaging, trustworthy (one might say selling) content completely free of charge. But do users need this and how to involve them in content generation?
Why should a user create UGC?
Reviews
As you know, angry comments are written much more often than positive ones. Imagine: you went to a cafe, drank a cup of cappuccino, read updates from your favorite Telegram channels and left. The coffee was ordinary - and cappuccino is not so easy to surprise. The waiters did the job quickly. The music didn't bother me. You didn't have a negative experience, but nothing noteworthy happened either. You have no reason to find a coffee shop’s page on social networks and write a review in the spirit of “Drank coffee, convenient, simple, average price.”
So if you want to get reviews about a company, ask users for it. You can use incentives for this: for example, coffee shops often offer a small dessert in exchange for a review. Think about what you can offer your clients.
Competitions
Competitions provide huge opportunities for obtaining UGC content. You decide the format of the materials yourself: photographs, videos or stories. Users are motivated to create work. And at the same time you increase engagement.
If you need to find out what kind of engagement is in a group or other indicators, for example, on (VKontakte, Facebook, Instagram and other social networks), as well as find the best publications in any groups, Popsters will help.
Bloggers
The content that bloggers create can also be classified as user-generated. In addition, such content is usually of quite high quality. If you cannot allocate a budget to work with popular opinion leaders, find small platforms that may be interested in bartering cooperation. For the cost of the product, you will receive a photo, review and coverage of the blogger.
How brands work with UGC
M.Video, together with Electrolux, is holding a competition to get live feedback on the technology. Advantages of the campaign: new reviews appear on the site, the audience is involved in interaction, site visitors see that the reviews were definitely written by real people as part of the competition.
Purina Pro Plan regularly runs contests in which users post photos of their pets and tell stories about them, while also mentioning the brand. Of course, cats are a noble topic for social media, but Purina's variety of contest topics and audience engagement can be learned from. The brand has more than 10,000 photos in the VKontakte community, and almost all of them were taken by users.
The youth clothing brand Befree very simply motivates users to publish pictures with hashtags: the best posts go to the brand’s account, and the buyer receives an active link to themselves from a fairly large page. Remember psychology: people like to be “chosen”.
Beauty salons work the same way on Instagram: girls take pictures with a manicure, at the same time mentioning the salon’s account. Handmade beauty bar does this very well: all you need is a small note asking you to send photos of your nails on WhatsApp. Almost all the photos in the salon’s feed are taken from the account’s tags.
Useful articles in continuation:
- Methods;
- Like non-marketing departments;
- Ways to find.
(abbreviated CC or in Russian User Content) are modifications, files and things for the game created by third-party users/players/fans, that is, NOT the official developer of Electronic Arts. User content means any third-party mods, skins, items for purchase and construction modes, recolors, default replacements, textures (patterns) and much, much more. Such content is also created in third-party utilities developed by fans of The Sims. You always install user-generated content into the game at your own peril and risk, since you cannot be responsible for its quality and stable performance. Sometimes this is simply due to a low level of execution, sometimes it depends on the program in which the item or mod was created, and sometimes on the version of the game, the engine and its “perception” of third-party files in general. There are situations when things of different people, or even works of the same person from different sets, cause conflicts with each other.
People who create user-generated content are most often called creators, makers, or modders. Hence the name of the process of creating a CC - creation, maker, modding.
User Content in The Sims
User Content in The Sims 2
User Content in The Sims 3
User Content in The Sims 4
Main CC categories in all parts of The Sims:
- Ready-made Sims (characters)
- Clothes and shoes
- Accessories (earrings, glasses, bracelets, rings, pendants, bags, scarves, etc.)
- Hairstyles
- Genetics (skin tones, eyes, eyebrows, etc.)
- Cosmetics (lipstick, eye shadow, eyeliner, blush, makeup, etc.)
- Recolors and patterns (category of recolors for game items or texture samples in the game Sims 3)
- Objects for shopping mode (upholstered furniture, cabinets and tables, decor, objects, lighting, household equipment, plumbing, electronics, etc.)
- Objects for construction mode (windows, doors, doorways, floors and wallpaper, columns, fences, soils, trees and greenery for the garden, stairs, roofs, canopies, etc.)
- Finished lots and areas (public lots, residential lots, manufactured homes, new cities and areas, etc.)
- Hacks and mods (poses and emotions for Sims, animation, new careers, global mods that change the gameplay, new character traits, new food recipes, new functional additions, default replacements, graphics mods, etc.)
Works created without the use of User Content are usually marked , which literally means no Custom Content. Such examples include a residential building in which only initially game objects are involved. Creations of this kind are highly valued because they work for almost any player, do not require downloading unnecessary unknown files, and are the most stable.
What is VPK and unpacked content
What is VPK
First, let's figure out what VPK is.
VPK (Valve Pack file) is a game archive format that replaced GCF as a faster and more disk space-efficient format.
A little history
After the release of Steam, the question arose: “Where will we store game files?” The answer to this was GCF files, which were a kind of file system with its own specific sections and folders. After the launch of the Steam Community, another question arose: “What if not just one schoolchild plays at the bakery, but also his dad, and on a different account?” aki: “What if there are several Steam accounts on the PC?” The Achilles heel of the GCF format was the lack of support for multiplayer mode, that is, two copies of the game were downloaded to two Steam accounts, and the disk space became half as much. It looked like this:
C:\Steam\SteamApps\MSPDGM\Half-Life 2\ C:\Steam\SteamApps\EH5X\Half-Life 2\
Do you feel it? Smells like fried Winchesters!
In this regard, VALVe were forced to develop a new format that supports Steam multiplayer mode, taking up 2 times less space. This is how the VPK format was developed. Also, the trigger for the development of the new format was texture wallhack cheats.
Interestingly, VPK has a similar structure to GCF.
After the update, if the game is purchased on both accounts, the path to it will look like this:
C:\Steam\SteamApps\common\Half-Life 2\
A little about the structure
The VPK format is a kind of virtual file system.
Archives in which game files are stored have the ending "_xxx" (xxx is a sequential number, 001, 002, etc.).
The "control" archive ends with _dir, and the entire VPK system is loaded through it.
cstrike_pak_001.vpk cstrike_pak_002.vpk cstrike_pak_003.vpk cstrike_pak_dir.vpk
VPKs can also work separately, as is done by custom content creators; in this case, there is simply no need to add any prefixes.
yourmod1.vpk memes.vpk CTmiku.vpk
Since VPK contains all files in uncompressed form, but only for systematization, you can also use unpacked content for customization.
What is unpacked content
The unpacked content is the same VPK, only without shoving all the files into archives.
Unpacked content - all materials, models, sounds, resources, cache files, skyboxes, maps that Not packaged in VPK and downloaded separately into one of the game content folders (hl2 or cstrike).
Actually, there is nothing to say about the unpacked content, these are just all the game files.
What is the "custom" folder
A little history
In GoldSrc, the “custom” folder was replaced by the “mod_addon” folder, and in the settings it was possible to enable support for custom content, but not all administrators were happy with this and began to prohibit custom content on their servers, the best way was kick. I recently found a loophole to bypass the restriction on custom textures: the "mod_hd" folder. The engine was designed in such a way that when checking if there is custom content in the _addon folder, it does not see the _hd folder, and when sending data to the server, it does not “speak” about _hd at all. Thus, if you transfer all your models from the _addon folder to the _hd folder, you will not be kicked for custom content. In Source, the situation has changed dramatically, because now the engine does not support _hd folders at all, and therefore custom content can only be stuffed into the custom folder, and if you change them in VPK, then you will get VAC. Also on the server it became possible to strictly prohibit custom content using just one console command sv_pure.
sv_pure 0 //Allows the client to change the location of ANY game file. The client can use modified files to gain an unfair advantage by doing things like replacing player models with more visible ones, making walls invisible, placing beacons on C4, etc. VAC does not protect against such exploits, since they do not change the gameplay itself, and allows the server to decide what clients can do. sv_pure 1 //Allows only content from the whitelist (list of allowed content). By default, the whitelist allows custom models and any potential exploits such as flashy skins. sv_pure 2 //Forces the client to ignore ALL user content and force it to use information received from Steam. Sv_pure 2 will also prohibit the use of user-generated content and custom sprays.
What is it for?
I think, reader, you already understand everything, the “custom” folder is intended for introducing custom content into the game that does not affect the gameplay or the operation of the engine. Moreover, this folder can be used for not entirely favorable purposes, such as texture walhack (Transparent textures).
Installing custom content
Let's get acquainted with the structure of the folder
We have two objects here:
- my_custom_stuff
- readme
This folder is automatically scanned when the game boots for VPK files orGood old wasted machine translation from Sidoji:
subfolders. Each subfolder or VPK is added as a search path, so the files
inside those VPK"s or subfolders will overide the default game files.See gameinfo.txt for more details.
For example, you might have the following file structure:
Cstrike/custom/my_custom_stuff/<<< This subfolder will be added as a search path
cstrike/custom/my_custom_stuff/models/custom_model.mdl
cstrike/custom/my_custom_stuff/materials/custom_material.vmt
cstrike/custom/my_custom_stuff/materials/vgui/custom_ui_thing.res
cstrike/custom/some_mod.vpk<<< This VPK will be added as a search path
cstrike/custom/another_mod.vpk<<< This VPK will be added as a search pathMounting a VPK to the filesystem is more efficient that adding a subfolder,
because each time the engine neds to open a file, it will need to make a call to the
operating system call to search the folder. VPKs can be searched by the engine much
more efficiently. Each subfolder is a new search path that must be checked each
time the engine tries to open a file. So for optimal load times, always use VPK files
and don"t make any subfolders in this folder!Note that the following directory structure is NOT correct:
Cstrike/custom/models/my_model.mdl
That will add the directory "cstrike/custom/models" as a search path, in which case the
file my_model.mdl actually exists at the root of the game's virtual filesystem.
This folder is automatically scanned when the game downloads VPK orWhat can I deduce from this:
subfolders. Each subfolder or VPK is added as a search path, so files whose paths in the VPK match will be replaced with custom ones.See the gameinfo.txt file for details.
For example, you might have the following file structure:
Cstrike/custom/my_custom_stuff/<<< Эта подпапка будет добавлена в качестве пути подгрузки
CStrike/custom/my_custom_stuff/models/custom_model.mdl
CStrike/custom/my_custom_stuff/materials/custom_material.vmt
CStrike/custom/my_custom_stuff/materials/VGUI/custom_ui_thing.res
Cstrike/custom/some_mod.vpk<<< Этот VPK будет добавлен в файловую систему движка
Cstrike/custom/another_mod.vpk<<< Этот VPK будет добавлен в файловую систему движкаInstalling a VPK on the filesystem is more efficient because each time the engine accesses unpacked user content, it spends more time doing so and spending less time on the VPK
Each subfolder is a separate path for uploading files
And don't make any subfolders in this folder other than games!Please note that the following directory structure is incorrect:
CStrike/custom/models/my_model.mdl
This will add the "CStrike/custom/models/" directory as the upload path, and the file will be at the root of that path, not in a folder, so the engine won't see it.
If you get everything right, it should all look something like this:Originally posted by me:
The "custom" folder can contain both unpacked user files, VPK arrays or individual archives.
To push the unpacked content into the game, you need to tell the engine where to look for certain folders. To do this, you need to create a folder in the root of the custom and give it a name in English, otherwise the engine will not see your models (The my_custom_stuff folder is made for an example, to make it clearer). You need to put all custom files that belong specifically to this folder into this folder, for example like this:
╠╦Custom
║╚╦CSGOawp
║─╠╦materials
║─║╚╦models
║─║─╚╦Weapons
║─║──╠v_awp.vtf
║─║──╚v_awp.vmt
║─╚╦models
║──╚╦weapons
║───╚v_awp.mdl
║
It's difficult, isn't it?With VPK things are much better, because there you just need to place the VPK archive/array in a folder like this:
╠╦Custom
║╚═CSGOtextures.vpk
║Or like this:
╠╦Custom
║╠═CSGOtextures_001.vpk
║╠═CSGOtextures_002.vpk
║╠═CSGOtextures_003.vpk
║╠═CSGOtextures_004.vpk
║╠═CSGOtextures_005.vpk
║╠═CSGOtextures_006.vpk
║╠═CSGOtextures_dir.vpk
║
After reading all this, reader, I hope you understand how and where you need to put these custom skins and models of yours, and that’s all :3
Did you know that almost any resource is approximately 25% user-generated content? Be it a news portal, a scientific community, a humorous public page, or even an online store. We are accustomed to absorbing information comprehensively, often without thinking about what exactly we are reading at the moment. However, if you take a closer look at online materials and try to classify them, you will notice that a considerable part was created by the audience. By the way, holivar in the comments that you scroll for the second hour, ardently supporting one of the sides - this is also an element user-generated content (UGC).
Pros and cons of UGC
Advanced marketers back in the 20th century realized that the average representative of the target audience will become interested in a particular product much faster if he hears about it positive reviews or somehow learns that his opinion is important to manufacturers. With the advent of the Internet in every home, producing UGC has become a hundred times easier. Now everyone can take part in the life of their favorite brand, magazine or TV project without leaving their chair. Thus, people have the opportunity to both amuse their pride and provide a service to manufacturers. And, since there are a lot of people willing to do so, the resource fills up on its own.
It should be noted that the presence of user-generated content is no longer a nice addition to an advertising campaign, but rather a necessity. If you find that there are no visitors to your site and they are not writing anything, how will potential clients trust you? Where is the evidence that you are an honest specialist and not just another scammer? Why should they choose you if there is no evidence that your product is better than the competition?
The importance of UGC is difficult to overestimate. However, oddly enough, it also has disadvantages. One of the shortcomings that often worries website owners is that the form is not the most aesthetic. Indeed, your readers are not specialists, not professional photographers or music video directors, so their work may be of mediocre quality. But that's the whole point. Ideal user-generated content immediately suggests that it is fake. And something that has been done simple but with soul, will definitely resonate with the average reader.
Types of User Content
You should decide what UGC you will need to further promote the project. To do this, you need to understand its types. Start doing this right now!
1. Comments.
The holivars mentioned above are, in fact, a very important element of the popularity of a particular resource, especially if it is news or journalistic. And even though they seem like a waste of time to many, the opportunity to engage in controversy with someone attracts a decent portion of the audience. Encourage your readers to comment on content. Leave a column with an invitation to discussion under each update. This way you can interest people who like to express their opinions and argue. There are many of them, you can be sure.
2. Reviews.
If you sell something online, reviews are a must-have. No one wants to be the first to buy a product. It is important for everyone to know that someone has already purchased it and was satisfied with the price-quality ratio. People tend to trust their own kind more than marketers who lure buyers with beautiful descriptions. Therefore, take care of every review. Collect them, design them, and proudly post them on social networks. Don't forget to ask your audience for feedback. And do it more often - the public is forgetful, you know.
Photo and video reviews are also a type of reviews, only even more powerful. Everyone understands at the edge of their consciousness that verbal messages can be faked, unlike visual evidence, where you cannot hide poor quality, weak functionality or poor design. Many companies specifically pay vloggers to make “what’s in my bag” videos. It will be very great if you manage to get at least one video with a response. To do this, you can even announce a competition and give away prizes among those who take part.
3. Competitive content.
By the way, about competitions. Very often, young and not so young resources invite the public to come up with a slogan, name or logo for a fee. To some this may seem too immodest. They say that copywriters and logo makers charge huge fees for similar projects, but here they offer similar work for a symbolic gift. However, there are those interested. I personally know a designer who cut his teeth by drawing free avatars for different communities.
4. Photos and videos.
This is not quite the same as reviews with photos. The latter is a purely utilitarian thing, the purpose of which is to demonstrate the functionality of the product as much as possible. Artistic photographs are designed to draw the viewer’s attention to the beauty of the subject. Look how many interesting pictures with cups from Starbucks are on Instagram. But this is how any brand can be presented, and yours is no exception.
5. The rest is creative.
This includes everything that is difficult to describe in one or two paragraphs. This can be absolutely any atypical content. What it will be like depends only on your imagination and the creative abilities of your audience. The most common example is events like “Why we love Xiaomi,” where people talk about the advantages of this smartphone model in short videos. You can come up with something radically new, different from others. Don't be afraid to experiment.
