USER-GENERATED CONTENT AS A TOOL FOR BUILDING BRAND TRUST

This article examines User-Generated Content (UGC) as a tool for building brand trust, analyzing relationships between key factors of UGC effectiveness and their impact on trust formation. The study identifies mechanisms of transforming positive user content perception into brand trust and purchase intentions, emphasizing subjective norms, information quality, and source credibility. Special focus is given to social proof as a psychological driver of UGC influence across demographics. The research also addresses declining trust in online reviews and outlines strategies for ensuring authenticity and transparency.

Results show that brands engaging openly with reviews and maintaining transparent communication gain advantages in trust and loyalty. The practical value lies in defining approaches to integrate UGC into marketing strategies through transparency, diversity of opinions, and authenticity, enabling companies to strengthen positions in a dynamic digital environment.