There’s a new content creator on the block, and it’s not an agency. It’s you. Social Native has found a way to monetize the millions of photos and videos that consumers, like you and I, upload to various social networks every day. In an era of user generated content (UGC), consumers are more interested in seeing something that their friends post rather than a branded ad, which is why brands are challenged with coming up with native ads that look like original content. However, Social Native has opened a new door to connect authentic consumer content with the brands themselves. Why hasn’t anyone thought of this sooner?

Normally, many brands hire agencies to design campaigns specifically for their social advertising purposes, which can cost millions of dollars. But now, Social Native can offer brands fresh, authentic content for a fraction of the cost. The key is working with consumers across the globe who already share a passion for these brands. Social Native’s new technology finds these fans and shares their content (whether it be photos or videos alike) with a brand, and if the brand likes the content, they pay Social Native for it. In turn, Social Native pays a portion of that revenue to the creator. As Social Native puts it, this content is made by consumers, for consumers. It’s a win-win-win for everyone.

With their new platform, Social Native can match a brand with relevant creators across all continents. Their algorithm finds consumers who express their love of a brand in an authentic way, but that still suits the needs of the brand. These creators are “activated” (or enlisted) once Social Native determines that they already create a massive amount of quality assets. Then they continue to work with these creators as the brands request additional content. Now, for a consumer that is not normally being paid for their brand passion, this is a huge opportunity for them to connect with the brand directly while making money.   

I mean, think about – have you ever taken a picture of a product with their logo smack dab in the middle of the shot for your friends to see, or maybe even just because it looks cool? Well, for whatever the reason, there’s lots of consumers out there doing this on a continual basis and with a great eye for color and framing content. Can you imagine being paid for taking an awesome photo of your brother drinking a coke? Ok, it’s not quite that easy, but what I really want to get across is that normal people like you and me are getting paid for their passion. These aren’t professionals working in agencies.

These creators are not judged on the number of their followers, but purely on the value of their content. According to Social Native, by having UGC in their campaigns, brands can increase their conversion rates by upwards of 80%. This cost efficiency allows brands to gather more authentic, engaging content for their money, and in this day in age, the more the better in order to keep up with the growing demand of content consumption. Social media is bustling with visual content more than ever, so it’s important for brands to continue producing it.  

Honestly, I think this is brilliant. There’s already so much authentic content out there, and for Social Native to capitalize on it, opens up endless possibilities for brands interested in the future of marketing. The era of the agency is over. 

For more information on Social Native, check out Venture Beat’s article, here. 

Flickr / Photo by Ben Seidelman.