gene austin sxsw 2015 talk "can anyone really trust user-generated content?"

1

Can Anyone Really Trust

User Generated Content?Gene Austin — SXSW 2015

#nofakeCGC

@geneaustin_atx

#nofakeCGC

@geneaustin_atx

#nofakeCGC

@geneaustin_atx

#nofakeCGC

@geneaustin_atx

#nofakeCGC

@geneaustin_atx

It takes 20 years to build a

reputation – and 5 minutes

to ruin it. -Warren Buffet

#nofakeCGC

@geneaustin_atx

•What is Consumer Generated Content (CGC)?

•How has trust in CGC evolved?

•What are the big issues keeping us from a desired state?

•What are the best practices to ensure authenticity?

Today we’ll answer

#nofakeCGC

@geneaustin_atx

What exactly is CGC?

#nofakeCGC

@geneaustin_atx

Spheres of influence in 2005

Experts

Closest friends &

family

You

#nofakeCGC

@geneaustin_atx

#nofakeCGC

@geneaustin_atx

Strangers

Social groups

Closest friends &

family

You

Today

#nofakeCGC

@geneaustin_atx

#nofakeCGC

@geneaustin_atx

By 2018, 59% of all retail sales in the U.S. will be influenced by

web content, accounting for more than $2 trillion in sales.

Forrester Research, Inc., “US Cross-Channel Retail Sales Forecast: 2014 to 2018”Sucharita Mulpuru, Sept. 3, 2014

#nofakeCGC

@geneaustin_atx

You

Future state

Strangers

Social groups

Closest friends &

family

#nofakeCGC

@geneaustin_atx

#nofakeCGC

@geneaustin_atx

Erosion of credibility

Businesses motivated by short term

gains not long term relationships

Standards & technology

What is keeping us

from this future state?

#nofakeCGC

@geneaustin_atx

Myth: No one trusts reviews anymore.

#nofakeCGC

@geneaustin_atx

7 out of 10

— CNN

83 Millionfake profiles

20Millionfake accounts

— PR Week

— Bazaarvoice

#nofakeCGC

@geneaustin_atx

9 out of 1010-15%reviews fake

reviews are genuineTruth:People are actually getting savvier about CGC.

— Gartner, “"The Consequences of Fake Fans, 'Likes' and

Reviews on Social Networks”, 2012

#nofakeCGC

@geneaustin_atx

Myth: It is easy to identify fake content.

#nofakeCGC

@geneaustin_atx

Fraud in 2010

Wonderful

Great staff

Customer service

Friendly

Clean

Best hotels

Stay always

Location

Comfortable

#nofakeCGC

@geneaustin_atx

Fraud today

#nofakeCGC

@geneaustin_atx

Truth:Authenticity today is much more complicated.

#nofakeCGC

@geneaustin_atx

Myth: Bad reviews are bad for business.

#nofakeCGC

@geneaustin_atx

#nofakeCGC

@geneaustin_atx

#nofakeCGC

@geneaustin_atx

#nofakeCGC

@geneaustin_atx

Consumers who saw brands’ responses to product misuse, with guiding instructions, were more likely to buy the product and felt more positively about the product.

Increase in intent to purchase

Increase in product sentiment

Truth:A blend of sentiment in content is more credible!

186% 157%

#nofakeCGC

@geneaustin_atx

Erosion of credibility

Businesses motivated by short term

gains not long term relationships

Standards & technology

What is keeping us

from this future state?

#nofakeCGC

@geneaustin_atx

Forms of fakery

Content suppression (editing, altering, etc.)

Paying for contentMaligning or penalizing negative reviewers

Trolling behaviorContent classification (cherry-picking, prioritizing the display order)

#nofakeCGC

@geneaustin_atx

#nofakeCGC

@geneaustin_atx

Paying for content

#nofakeCGC

@geneaustin_atx

Altering content

We have all visited websites and seen perfectly written 4-5 star reviews on a particular product or service, and then visited a different site with much more “honest” reviews.

Mockup of coffee example

Actual

Edited

#nofakeCGC

@geneaustin_atx

Maligning or penalizing

negative reviewers

#nofakeCGC

@geneaustin_atx

Erosion of credibility

Businesses motivated by short term

gains not long term relationships

Standards & technology

What is keeping us

from this future state?

#nofakeCGC

@geneaustin_atx

#nofakeCGC

@geneaustin_atx

•

Combating fake content

#nofakeCGC

@geneaustin_atx

Confidential and Proprietary. © 2015 Bazaarvoice, Inc. 38

How businesses

can fight fraud

Authenticity policy including:

• Free from fraud and spam

• Free of edits, classification, alteration

• Transparent

Necessary technologies, processes, and people

Verified purchases

#nofakeCGC

@geneaustin_atx

Be aware! Look for:

•Badging (membership, verified purchase, incentivized)

•Assurances (i.e.: trust mark or published authenticity policy)

•How the brand responds to negative feedback

•A blend of volume and sentiment, combined with consideration of how established the brand is

Consumers: How to protect

yourselves from fraud

#nofakeCGC

@geneaustin_atx

Q&A