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How Boomers Leverage User-Generated Visual Content Throughout the Purchase Journey

Boomers are spending a growing portion of their budgets online. Many are seeking out photos and videos from fellow customers prior to making a purchase. Here, we zero in on Boomers’ perceptions of user-generated visual content, why it matters, and how it’s shaping purchase behavior, based on survey responses from 1,202 Boomer consumers in the US.

Boomers’ Perceptions of User-Generated Visual Content

Brand- and retailer-provided visual content is important. But it’s no longer enough. A growing portion of Boomers specifically seke out visual content from other customers. 

How Often Boomers Seek out Visual Content From Other Customers
Always
29%
Regularly
41%
Occasionally
6%
Sometimes
23%
Never
1%
Of Millennials value photos from other customers above those from brands, retailers, or influencers.
0 %
Say a video from another customer is more valuable than one from a brand, retailer, or influencer.
0 %
Consider user-generated videos to be a necessary source of information when researching products to purchase.
0 %

Why a Growing Number of Boomers Seek out User-Generated Photos and Videos

There are myriad reasons why Boomers look for photos and videos from their fellow shoppers. But a few reasons rise to the top.

Top 3 Reasons Boomers Value User-Generated Visual Content
1. To see what the product looks like in real life
79%
2. To get a better sense of the size or sizing of the product
67%
3. To understand product quality/performance
57%

How User-Submitted Visual Content Shapes Boomers’ Shopping Behavior

The presence (or absence) of user-generated visual content has the power to impact Boomers’ purchase decisions.

Of Boomers are more likely to buy a product if there are reviews that incorporate photos and videos from customers, in addition to text.
0 %
Won’t buy a product if there is no user-generated visual content available for it.
0 %

When User-Generated Visual Content Matters Most to Boomers

User-generated visual content is an important tool for Boomers shopping for all types of products. However, there are a few categories for which user-generated photos and videos are particularly important for Boomers.

Top Categories for Which User-Generated Content Matters to Boomers
Clothing
74%
Electronics
65%
Appliances
63%
Home & Garden
53%
Shoes
52%
Health & Beauty
52%

Where Boomers Want to Find Visual Content from Other Shoppers

Boomers don’t want to look long and hard to find user-generated photos and videos. Instead, they want to easily find this content on product pages, throughout ecommerce websites, and incorporated into other marketing initiatives.

Where Boomers Seek out User-Generated Visual Content
Product pages on a website
75%
Product category or search pages (when comparing products and deciding which to click through to)
51%
Homepage of a website
41%
Social media posts
35%
Emails sent to you promoting product
23%

This research is taken from The Role and Impact of User-Generated Visual Content on Shopper Behavior, a survey completed by 15,870 US consumers during December 2023. 

Check out the survey hub for further insights.

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