PowerReviews’ 2024 report reveals growing consumer reliance on visual content to make online purchasing decisions
PowerReviews, a 1WorldSync company, has released its 2024 Role and Impact of User-Generated Visual Content on Shopper Behavior report featuring insights from nearly 16,000 US consumers. The report emphasizes the value consumers place on user-generated photos and videos, why consumers value this content and how its presence, or absence, on product detail pages impacts purchase behavior.
While brand and retailer-provided imagery is important, consumers specifically search for photos and videos taken by people who have purchased and used a product.
Consumers don’t just prefer user-generated visual content — it’s become a necessity. Nearly all said they look for other customer images and videos before committing to a purchase, at least some of the time. Sixty percent always search for visual UGC, up 10 percentage points from 2021 (50%) and 20 points from 2016 (40%).
Gen Z is leading the visual UGC charge. This generation is the most likely to seek out photos and videos shared by other consumers. Over 60% of Gen Z do so always, compared to 29% of Baby Boomers.
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Consumers seeking visual UGC want to:
- See what a product looks like in real life (89%).
- Get a better sense of size or sizing (72%).
- Gain a clearer understanding of product quality and performance (70%).
Consumers can make confident, informed purchasing decisions with these set expectations for a product. Additionally, the authenticity of user-generated visual content boosts shoppers’ trust in a brand or retailer.
“Consumer trust is unlocked not at the point of purchase but in the journey to it. Brands and retailers need to incorporate visual UGC on their product detail pages (PDPs),” said Steve Sivitter, CEO of 1WorldSync. “User-generated visual content isn’t just a trend; it’s a fundamental shift in how consumers make confident, informed purchase decisions. By embracing visual UGC and building trust with shoppers, brands and retailers boost sales and thrive in the age of the empowered shopper.”
Other key findings in the report include:
- User-generated visual content significantly impacts purchase intent: 91% of consumers say they’re more likely to buy a product with reviews featuring photos and videos along with text — a six percentage point increase from 2021 (85%) and 19-point increase from 2016 (72%).
- The absence of visual UGC stops a sale in its tracks: Nearly a quarter (23%) of shoppers won’t purchase a product if it lacks customer photos or videos. This percentage is even higher (36%) among Gen Z shoppers.
- Convenience is key: Shoppers don’t want to look hard for visual UGC. Most (84%) of consumers want to see user-generated photos and videos included on PDPs.
