The data doesn't lie: the value of user-generated content is unmatched for brands today.
From boosting ad performance to building massive customer trust, UGC is at the core of top brands' marketing campaigns for good reason.
Below are 17 fresh user-generated content statistics that explain why. These marketing stats are up-to-date, with primary sources and citations from the past two years (2024 or 2023).
Skip to Section 👇UGC Product Discovery Statistics |
It’s no surprise anymore that before making a purchase, consumers head to TikTok or Instagram for product reviews. After all, social proof is a powerful driver in the buyer’s journey.
UGC clearly builds consumer confidence. Recent surveys and research back up the impact of content "in the wild" in helping shoppers find the products and brands they're looking for.
1. 70% of Gen Z (and 68% of millennials) say UGC videos help them discover new products and services.
2. 40% of consumers claim they're more likely to purchase a product after watching a creator review it in a video.
Source: eMarketer/Deloitte
3. Social media and word-of-mouth are the top two sources of inspiration for consumers purchasing new products as of 2024.
4. 1-in-4 adult consumers prefer searching for products via UGC on social media over traditional marketing channels.
It's no secret that consumers at large trust real people over brand-generated content and traditional ads. However, note that UGC with high engagement can reach relevant customers in their social feeds at any point during the buyer's journey (including the discovery phase).
These stats make one thing clear: UGC is a driving force behind modern purchasing decisions.
More and more brands are repurposing UGC across their marketing funnels. This includes customer reviews, photos and videos via TikTok Spark Ads and Instagram Partnership Ads.
Whether it’s product reviews or UGC photos and videos, repurposing user-generated content in paid promotions goes hand in hand with higher performance.
These UGC statistics prove that content from real customers results in more impactful ads:
5. Instagram ad campaigns combining UGC ads with BAU (business-as-usual) ads have a 99% higher chance of outperforming non-creator ads alone, earning 53% higher click-through rates and 19% lower cost per action.
6. TikTok Spark Ads featuring user-generated content outperform non-creator ads with a 30% higher completion rate, 142% more engagement and 43% more conversions.
7. E-commerce brands that feature UGC on their websites see a 22% boost in average order value.
8. Adding reviews to product pages can lift conversions by up to 136%. Meanwhile, featuring visual UGC (such as customer photos) can increase time spent on-site by 90%.
9. 69% of marketers say ratings and reviews are crucial to increasing conversion rates.
Brands that use UGC in ads see higher click-through rates, increased average order value and more time spent on their sites. Granted you have usage rights, every piece of creator content is a potential opportunity to win customers in both paid and organic posts (see below).
Authenticity builds trust. And you can't get much more authentic than raw user-generated content.
Among the biggest benefits of user-generated content is the ability to establish credibility and trust at a glance. These statistics drive home why.
10. 90% of consumers claim that customer ratings and reviews influence their buying decisions (while 73% of buyers are specifically swayed by customer photos and videos).
11. 85% of consumers find user-generated content more trustworthy than brand-created photos or videos.
12. 46% of shoppers are more likely to trust a brand if a creator they follow has reviewed their product(s).
13. 64% of Gen Z (and 57% of Millennials) are more likely to purchase a product after watching a review from a content creator or influencer they follow.
Consumers feel confident buying products when they see positive results and enthusiasm from actual customers. This includes posts from authentic UGC creators and influencers.
As consumers and social algorithms evolve, it's critical for marketers to be up-to-date on the latest trends when it comes to how to promote user-generated content.
New formats. Fresh types of UGC. Different creators and audiences.
These last user-generated content statistics specifically highlight the rise of UGC videos and ads as brands prioritize to engage customers and stay top-of-mind.
14. 85% of consumers rely on seeing UGC videos before they trust a product or brand enough to make a purchase.
15. According to Statusphere platform data, the number of brands citing "repurposable UGC" as an influencer campaign goal rose by 80% from 2023 to 2024.
16. 26% of consumers say that UGC is the most engaging content in their social feeds.
17. 90% of e-commerce brands struggle to create standout images and videos, with 87% finding it challenging to maintain a steady flow of fresh content.
This last statistic hints at a major challenge facing most brands. That is, keeping up with the demands of getting UGC long-term for ongoing promotions.
By consistently having creators post about your brand and products, you can establish an ongoing UGC content engine to fuel your marketing campaigns.
From organic posts to ads, brands are making user-generated content the backbone of their marketing strategies and these statistics highlight why that's not going to change any time soon.
Still, it's clear that brands at large struggle when it comes to not only getting high volumes of influencer content but also getting rights to repurpose it elsewhere.
That’s where Statusphere comes in.
Our 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 can 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 May 2019. It was last updated September 20, 2024.