For brands today, user-generated content is more valuable than ever. We explain what UGC is and examples of how brands use it in their marketing.
User-generated content (UGC) has totally taken over marketing for consumer brands.
And hey, that's a good thing!
Because when customers authentically promote brands via UGC, it's a win-win for both parties.
Especially given how much shoppers today rely on raw content and reviews from fellow consumers before they feel comfortable making a purchase.
In this post, we break down everything you need to know about user-generated content. We'll cover what it is, why it's make-or-break for brands and strategies to get more UGC yourself!
Commonly, user-generated content (UGC) refers to promotional content created by everyday customers on behalf of brands. This content includes everything from written reviews on your website to social posts like TikTok videos, Instagram Stories and more.
The concept here is simple: UGC is content originally made by creators or consumers. For consumer brands, UGC is also referred to as consumer-generated content (or simply “customer content”).
Brands repurpose and republish UGC because it performs well in promotions due to its authenticity. Since brands can’t “create” UGC by definition, they get it from customers creators and influencers.
Brands are spoiled for choice when it comes to the types of UGC to publish and promote.
Below is a quick breakdown of some of the most common types of user-generated content that brands use in their marketing strategies.
Visual content like photos and videos are some of the most popular types of user-generated content for brands. Through unpolished and authentic UGC photos, consumers can get a better idea of what a product truly looks like in action.
Meanwhile, short-form UGC videos via TikTok and Instagram Reels are a brilliant way for brands to bring products to life. Popular formats for video content include unboxings, before-and-after videos and customer testimonials.
Through creative editing and playful formats, creators can highlight the benefits of any given product in a way that’s natural and not “salesy” at all with visual UGC.
Written product reviews and testimonials are the most “classic” form of user-generated content that brands have relied on for decades. Peek any given retail or ecommerce site and chances are you’ll see star ratings and customer feedback front and center.
Given that nearly 100% of all consumers read some form of written review prior to making a purchase, the importance of having authentic reviews can’t be overstated.
Remember: user-generated content refers to any type of content created by consumers on behalf of brands. This includes off-the-cuff comments and social mentions about a brand or its products.
Look at the comments of any brand or creator’s video and you can see firsthand how real consumers feel about a product. This unfiltered feedback is like gold for brands to confirm that their products are the real deal and that customers are truly satisfied.
You can check out our full post breaking down more examples of user-generated content for a better idea of what UGC formats might make the most sense for your brand.
You don’t have to look hard to find brands promoting user-generated content.
Beyond what we've seen firsthand working with thousands of influencers, recent research confirms just how powerful UGC is for marketers for trust, boosting share-of-voice and driving conversions.
Below are some of the key benefits of user-generated content and why UGC has become a cornerstone of so many brands’ marketing campaigns.
Compared to branded content, UGC is viewed by consumers as more authentic and trustworthy. Especially when the content is raw and not overly produced or edited.
Brands can often get in their own way when it comes to hyping up products and their benefits. Contrast this with customers and creators know exactly how to speak the language of your target audience without any sort of marketing spin
Consider that UGC plays a crucial role in helping brands boost visibility across multiple channels. This includes both the TikTok and Instagram algorithms, not to mention Google search.
This visibility translates to more ranking for social media keywords and opportunities to outrank your competitors. The more UGC gets posted about your brand, the greater your share of voice.
As cited in our updated list of UGC stats, the connection between customer content and increased conversions is crystal clear. For example, ad campaigns on both TikTok and Instagram are noted to outperform non-creator ads in regard to watch times and engagement. Brands also cite higher average order values when UGC is in their marketing mix.
Piggybacking on the points above, consumers today want to see real content versus staged commercials before they feel comfortable making a purchase. UGC can help potential customers image your product in their hands, especially when the creators posting content closely resemble your target audience.
So, how do brands get UGC in the first place?
Like we said earlier, brands can’t technically create user-generated content themselves.
While some brands make UGC-style content with in-house creators that look like real customers, that’s not the same as actually sourcing content from customers and creators.
Getting user-generated content isn’t a one-size-fits-all affair. Typically, the process involves a combination of programs and regularly incentivizing your audience to publish UGC on your behalf.
All of that said, let's dig into some key strategies for getting UGC!
The closest thing a brand can do to “create” user-generated content is run consistent collaborations with influencers and UGC creators. These types of partnerships work because they leverage the trust and authenticity that creators have built with their audiences.
When a creator genuinely loves and endorses a product, their followers are more likely to trust the recommendation. This results in higher engagement and conversion rates.
Even if a post is technically sponsored content, it can still earn incredibly high engagement and reach when your products are in the hands of the right creators.
Check out this example of a TikTok UGC ad driving massive engagement with a UGC creator. This highlights why user-generated content ads are becoming more and more common among brands:
Brand ambassador and affiliate programs are another proven way to drive consistent UGC. These programs help brands build a steady stream of authentic content while creating a sense of long-term loyalty and community.
Brands such as Sand Cloud highlight how you can run a successful ambassador and affiliate program at the same time to get more UGC. Between the two communities, members are rewarded with free products, discounts and even cash incentives. With countless posts tagged under #sandcloud branded hashtag on Instagram, this strategy has clearly paid off.
The goal here is to incentivize customers to share your products with their networks in exchange for rewards. This strategy not only generates UGC but also drives direct sales by leveraging the reach of your customers’ personal networks.
Product sampling campaigns are a practical way to get UGC from both new and potential customers.
Brands like Ole Henriksen regularly do product gifting to generate UGC, encouraging customers to post and share their skincare products in action. Done right, this strategy approach not only gets their products into the hands of potential customers but also builds a sense of community.
By sending out free products to relevant creators, you can encourage recipients to share their experiences on social media via photos and photos. When these creators start tagging your brand, they’re ultimately contributing to your UGC library.
Creating a branded hashtag and encouraging customers to promote it in their posts is a simple yet effective way to gather UGC. Hashtag campaigns invite users to share their experiences in a way that's easy for brands to track and amplify through social listening.
For example, Crumbl Cookies uses the hashtags #CrumblReview and #CrumblCookie to encourage customers to share weekly reviews of their cookies on TikTok. Earning 300,000+ posts, these reactions and taste tests have raised massive awareness for the brand's latest drops.
As a result, Crumbl has created a community of loyal fans who eagerly participate in the campaign. This includes both everyday customers and dedicated content creators.
UGC isn’t just about relationship-building and brand loyalty.
By incorporating UGC at various stages of the marketing funnel, brands improve engagement, drive conversions and get meaningful results.
Let's take a closer look at how UGC functions at different stages of your funnel to increase performance and ROI.
At the top of the funnel, your primary goal is to generate brand awareness. UGC plays a key role in signaling that your product is relevant and worth the attention of potential customers.
Again, reposting UGC on social media platforms can greatly extend a brand’s reach. Authentic posts from real customers stand out in a sea of polished, brand-generated content. UGC videos in particular are powerful for encouraging viewers to stop, engage and explore your products further.
In the consideration phase, potential customers are weighing their product options. They want reassurance that they’re making the right choice. For social shoppers, user-generated content can provide social proof that nudges them to make a decision.
For example, featuring user reviews and customer images on product pages can confirm that shoppers are making the right choice. Consumers trust other customers' experiences, and showcasing this feedback can eliminate any lingering doubts.
The consideration phase is also a place where UGC comes in clutch for social search. Consider that review-related searches are among the most popular on TikTok as brands are shopping for potential products.
And if positive reviews for your brand dominate the search results, that’s a great sign for shoppers.
At the final stages of the funnel, your goal is to convert consideration into action.
And yet again, UGC is a key driver in delivering results here.
For example, brands can use UGC in retargeting ads to remind customers of products they’ve shown interest in. Seeing a relatable testimonial or real-world use case in an ad can make all the difference.
Top brands frequently use customer photos in their retargeting ads, showcasing how the products look on real people. This explains why conversion and engagement rates on UGC ads are higher than on non-creator ads.
While UGC offers numerous benefits, brands need to be mindful of how they source and use it. Here are some best practices to keep in mind:
Always ask creators for permission before using their content in any sort of promotion. This not only respects their work but also helps build a stronger relationship with your community. Using content without permission can damage your brand’s reputation and trustworthiness. Not to mention land you in potential legal trouble.
Proper attribution is crucial. Tagging and crediting creators when reposting their content shows appreciation and encourages others to contribute. Only use UGC in ways that creators have agreed to. This includes organic posts and reshares on social media, too.
Ideally, you should use a platform that organizes all of your content with usage rights built-in so you don't have to conduct outreach and request permission manually.
Many brands use a combination of social listening tools, submission portals and UGC platforms to organize their posts. Having all of your content in one place makes it easier to curate and understand which pieces of content are worth promoting.
To ensure your UGC strategy is driving results, it's essential to measure the right metrics. Below are KPIs to track when evaluating the impact of your user-generated content across organic and paid campaigns alike.
Engagement rates of interactions (likes, comments, shares and views) are direct indicators of how well your UGC resonates with your audience. High engagement often translates to greater visibility and deeper connections with consumers.
Track how UGC influences your conversion rates by analyzing the journey from initial interactions to final purchases. In some cases, you can directly measure how these interactions lead to sales.
This can include monitoring UGC on product pages via heatmapping software or tracking direct conversions in UGC ads on Instagram or TikTok.
Measuring the reach and impressions of UGC helps gauge how many people are seeing your content. UGC campaigns often have broader organic reach compared to brand-generated content due to social shares, which can exponentially increase your visibility.
ROI assesses the financial impact of your UGC campaigns. When calculating UGC ROI, consider both direct revenue (ex: sales driven by UGC ads) and indirect benefits (ex: brand awareness, cost savings from content creation). Beyond social ad analytics, tools like Google Analytics and UTM tracking can help attribute sales and traffic to specific UGC campaigns.
While UGC offers a ton of benefits to brands, marketers at large still face challenges in effectively managing and leveraging it. To wrap things up, here are a few common obstacles related to user-generated content and tips for overcoming them:
Ensuring your content aligns with your brand's aesthetic and message is tricky when you’re not in control of what’s being posted. For content from influencers and UGC creators, this highlights the importance of clear creative guidelines for content submissions. This includes outlining what types of content are most popular with your audience and how to feature your products effectively.
Using UGC without proper permissions can lead to legal issues, including copyright claims or violations of platform rules. Additionally, brands and creators must comply with FTC disclosure guidelines when promoting content that was created as a result of a gifting campaign.
The solution here is straightforward: always obtain explicit permission from users before repurposing their content. When in doubt, use content rights management tools in your UGC platform or get permission manually if you're doing things DIY.
As your UGC strategy scales, managing and curating a large volume of content can become overwhelming. It’s important to have efficient processes in place to organize all of your content and the rights behind it. Doing so is easier said than done without a UGC platform to manage it all.
Brands are right to make UGC a cornerstone of their marketing strategies.
And the more user-generated content your brand can get, the better.
Still, the seemingly simple act of just sourcing user-generated content is easier said than done.
There's a lot of work that goes on behind the scenes in "creating" a piece of UGC for brands, let alone promoting it. That includes securing content permissions and simply downloading your UGC.
All of the back-and-forth involved can result in a ton of wasted time, especially if you need 100s of pieces of UGC to promote. That’s where Statusphere comes in.
Our UGC platform matches brands with vetted micro-influencers to get rights-ready UGC at scale. Permission and usage rights are built into our platform so you get UGC photos and videos faster. All ready to repurpose across your key channels including ads, product pages and beyond.
We’ve already generated 75,000+ pieces of rights-ready content for 400+ brands.
Want to see how our software works? Get in touch with one of our experts to learn how we can scale your UGC marketing efforts with guaranteed content from vetted creators.
This article was first published in August 2016. It was last updated October 3, 2024.
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