Before many people talk to sales, they read threads. “Anyone used X?” on Reddit. A twenty-minute YouTube walkthrough. A Quora answer from someone who claims to have tried five tools.
Large language models trained on the web inherit that habit. They often trust community language more than polished brochure copy. That is why UGC forum authority is now part of marketing, not just brand social.
What we mean by UGC here
We mean user-generated content in public places buyers already search: Reddit, YouTube, Quora, and niche forums in your industry. Not comments you fake. Not bot upvotes. Real participation within each platform’s rules.
What good looks like
- A founder or product lead who shows up in the right subreddit when someone asks for advice, without paste-in pitches.
- YouTube videos that show the product honestly, with transcripts that search and models can read.
- Quora or Stack Exchange answers that solve the question first and mention your tool only when it fits.
- Customers who voluntarily share outcomes (with permission) because you made it easy, not because you paid for astroturf.
What to avoid
Bulk posting, undisclosed affiliates, and “SEO Reddit” services create moderation bans and teach models to down-weight your brand. Short-term spikes are not worth long-term silence in AI answers.
Connect UGC to GEO and AEO
Forum mentions feed GEO (what models believe about you). They also give AEO products external URLs to cite. Pair forum work with clear pages on your site so citations have somewhere authoritative to land.
Zomdel helps teams plan UGC and forum programs alongside GEO and AEO. If you are not sure where your buyers talk online, send us your category and we will map a short list of places worth your time.