User-generated content (UGC) is today one of the fastest-growing media forms. From homemade videos done for popular channels such as YouTube, blog postings, or customer-supplied reviews and ratings, users are participating, developing, writing, and publishing – thus playing a huge part in the content-creation process. Today, this is happening to a far greater extent than almost anyone could have imagined a few years ago.

Web 2.0 – beyond the standard brochure on web – is dominated by the consumer or end user. With only a browser and an internet connection, anyone can publish content. They have the power to speak out, whether it's reviewing a product or service or developing their own brands with less capital than was required before. User-generated content has taken off in the past few years. Initially seen on websites as discussion boards, it has transformed to entire websites based on user-generated content, from social networking and blogging to video sharing.

The consumer has an opinion and a voice in the online world, and they are using it. User reviews are common on larger websites now and are having an impact on other consumers' purchasing decisions.Most of the fastest-growing sites on the internet now are based on user-generated content. UGC has become part of our everyday lives. From communications to entertainment, comments and reviews, e-commerce, today's consumers are taking control of creation, distribution and consumption of content across the digital genre.

Three main drivers are responsible for the huge increases in user generated content. Technology drivers such as increased broadband, capacities to store and process information, lower costs and better, cheaper access to the lates technologies is a key facor. Economical drivers go hand in hand with tech. A vast amount of tools, publishing software, editing facilities, channels etc are available at lower costs. As well brands have poured in funds into managing and helping consumers create and drive user generated content. And finally, social drivers such as the explosion of social media, the demographic shifts to younger audiences and the willingness to engage in conversations online are also responsible.

At Fortune Promoseven, working within the parameters of social media and UGC, we often harness the power of user generated content to drive across brand messages for our clients' brands. UGC is a powerful tool, but it needs to be harnesed and managed properly, within the boundaries of what's good and acceptabe for a brand's image. How much and how often is usally a key question.Talk to us today about how we can energize your brands play in social media and how to utilize the power of consumer voice.