In our increasingly networked world, user-generated content (UGC) is one of the most effective tools for brands to connect with consumers. But, it also comes with some risk.
Toxic UGC, such as explicit videos or spam, can spread quickly and ruin a brand’s reputation. Moderation is the key to preventing this damage.
Reactive moderation
In a digital world where users expect immediate interaction, reactive moderation gives the members of an online community a chance to flag and report content before it’s even posted. This allows moderators to respond in real-time and avoid stifling conversations.
Reactive moderation is a good choice when you want to ensure that your online community is safe from toxic UGC that might not be caught until it’s published in a public forum. It also gives your community the opportunity to report content that they deem inappropriate or unsuitable, which can greatly reduce the workload of your moderators.
The downside of reactive moderation is that it takes longer than other modes of moderation. This means that your community will not see all of the harmful content before it’s reported, which can slow down interactions and lead to a sluggish online experience. Reactive moderation can be used in combination with other moderation methods to ensure the safety of your community.
Post moderation
UGC is a great way to drive traffic to your website and boost your brand image. However, toxic user-generated content can destroy your reputation if it is not moderated.
There are many ways to moderate UGC and one of the most effective is by implementing a multi-layered moderation process. This includes a combination of automated tools and manual reviews by qualified staff.
Reactive moderation allows users to report any content that they deem offensive, triggering an alert with the website’s moderators or administrators to review. It’s a good option for communities where users have demonstrated a high level of responsibility and are able to manage themselves.
This approach also helps to protect users from a plethora of scammers and spammers. It’s important to be able to detect and remove links to illegal or offensive sites that might appear in audience contributions.
Automated moderation
In the age of social media, user-generated content is a major source of brand engagement. Whether it’s a photo of a customer wearing your product, a text review or a livestream of their experience at a party, authentic UGC is important to your reputation and can help boost sales.
But there are some risks involved, especially if you don’t have a solid moderation process in place. Fake or toxic UGC can damage your brand and your audience’s trust in it.
Automated content moderation systems use algorithms to flag inappropriate content, either automatically or manually. This is an inexpensive and quick method to prevent users from submitting content that may be offensive or harmful to others.
The problem is that these automated systems often ignore context and intent when evaluating UGC content, resulting in both false positives (flagging things that shouldn’t be flagged) and false negatives (allowing inappropriate content through). To combat these issues, many businesses turn to human moderation teams.
Human moderation
User-generated content (UGC) is a great way for brands to promote their products, services, and brand identity. However, it also poses risks that can damage a brand’s reputation and impact user experience.
For this reason, any business using UGC needs to have a robust moderation process in place. This can take the form of an automated tool that pre-screens all UGC before it reaches users, saving time and resources for human moderation teams.
In addition to being a good way to keep user-generated content on brand, it can be a crucial step in ensuring that your online community is safe from spammers and trolls. The most effective method of UGC moderation involves a mix of human moderation and automation.
Whether you’re running an ecommerce site or a social media platform, user-generated content can build or destroy your brand. It can be a PR nightmare, or it can give your business a competitive advantage.