Authentic content refers to social media posts, videos, or reviews created by real people—customers, creators, or employees – that feel genuine, unscripted, and trustworthy. In social listening, brands use tools to identify this type of content because it resonates more with audiences and drives stronger engagement.
What makes content “authentic”?
Authentic content is typically:
- Created without heavy brand scripting or direction
- Emotionally honest or experience-based
- Shared by real users, not just paid influencers
- Highly relatable and aligned with real-life usage of the product
It can come from UGC discovery, organic social media mentions, or even from smaller creators surfaced through influencer discovery.
Why is authentic content valuable?
Modern consumers crave transparency. They’re more likely to trust:
- A review from a fellow customer is more than a polished ad
- A behind-the-scenes video from a team member rather than a branded campaign
- A story post with real feedback over influencer promos with no context
Authentic content feeds directly into your social proof strategy and supports better conversions across social commerce and paid campaigns.
How does social listening help discover authentic content?
Using social listening platforms like EmbedSocial, brands can:
- Track hashtags and mentions for unsponsored UGC
- Use sentiment analysis to filter content with genuine emotion
- Analyze content engagement using social media content analytics
- Identify repeat customers or fans who are organically sharing product experiences
- Create feeds of authentic content by campaign, product, or region
Where to use authentic content
- Product pages (to increase trust)
- Paid ads (to improve relevance and click-through)
- Social media galleries
- Emails or influencer roundups
- Shoppable UGC widgets
