What is User-Generated Content?
Learn about user-generated content and what sets it apart from other types of content. I'll show you how it works, types, and how to create it yourself.
Struggling to engage your audience and build trust in a crowded digital space?
You’re not alone—many brands face declining engagement and skepticism from potential customers, making it harder to stand out.
User-generated content (UGC) can transform your strategy. By showcasing real people’s experiences with your brand, you can boost credibility, foster community, and skyrocket engagement.
In this post, we’ll explore what UGC is, why it works, and how you can use it to drive growth.
- User-generated content is unpaid, authentic content made by consumers for brands.
- UGC builds trust, engagement, and credibility by showing real-world product experiences.
- Common UGC types include social media posts, reviews, testimonials, and forum discussions.
- Successful UGC requires authenticity, clear goals, and engaging campaigns with relevant incentives.
What is User-Generated Content?
User-generated content refers to digital content created by consumers, influencers, or even other brands to promote a company’s products or services.
Unlike branded content, which is directly sponsored and produced by a company, UGC is created independently.
For example, an influencer sharing a candid photo of themselves enjoying a Pepsi qualifies as UGC, while a Pepsi-sponsored ad with a “Sponsored” tag does not.
UGC’s purpose is to engage audiences and attract new traffic, making it a powerful marketing tool.
Benefits of User-Generated Content
User-generated content offers benefits for both creators and brands.
For creators, posting UGC helps grow their online following and increases their chances of receiving free products or partnerships with brands.
For brands, UGC showcases products in real-world use, helping to validate product claims, drive interaction, and build trust with potential customers.
Social media amplifies these effects, with hashtags like #productreview boasting billions of views. Reviews and testimonials, a key form of UGC, heavily influence purchase decisions.
Common Types of User-Generated Content
User-generated content comes in various forms, but the most common types include social media content, reviews and testimonials, forum discussions, and case studies.
- Social Media Content: Influencers often share unboxings, product tests, or video overviews, building trust among their followers.
- Reviews and Testimonials: These provide social proof, helping businesses grow their reputation and assisting consumers in making informed decisions.
- Forum Content: Platforms like Reddit and Quora enable users to discuss products, share experiences, and answer questions.
- Case Studies: These delve into real-world applications of services or products, offering deeper insights and validation.
Each type of UGC impacts industries differently, so brands should choose those that align best with their goals.
Examples of User-Generated Content
User-generated content can be seen across social media, often sparked by user enthusiasm or brand-led campaigns.
We've listed 20+ examples of user-generated content in a separate post, but among those, here are our favorites:
Here are three standout examples:
Apple’s #ShotOniPhone
This campaign invited iPhone 13 users to share photos taken on their devices.
With over 26 million Instagram posts using the hashtag, it showcased the phone’s camera quality and built community engagement.
National Geographic’s #WanderlustContest
Launched in 2015, this contest highlighted stunning amateur photography, blending Nat Geo’s signature style with user creativity.
Calvin Klein’s #MyCalvins
This campaign encouraged users to post their Calvin Klein looks on Instagram, with standout posts featured on the brand’s official account, blending nostalgia with modern UGC.
How Do I Get User-Generated Content?
Getting user-generated content is simpler than it seems and involves turning consumers into enthusiastic brand advocates. Here’s how:
- Choose the Right Platforms: Focus on platforms like TikTok, Instagram, or YouTube, based on your audience and goals.
- Engage with Existing Users: Find customers already enjoying your product, and amplify their content by sharing posts, stitching videos, or giving shoutouts.
- Develop a Campaign Strategy: Create initiatives, such as hashtag challenges or contests, to encourage participation and increase engagement.
Steps to Collect UGC:
- Select your platform.
- Audit existing content.
- Identify trends.
- Develop a strategy.
- Reach out to users.
Patience and consistency are key, especially for newer brands.
1. Choose Your Platform
The first step in gaining quality UGC is choosing the right platform.
Short-form social content is typically best for UGC because the hashtags that accompany it are a valuable feature.
However, it’s not as simple as simply picking TikTok over Instagram and being done.
Demographics across social platforms vary wildly, so you’ll need to find out where your base is.
2. Audit Existing Content
Next, take a look at your brand’s current footprint. Your footprint includes all mentions, ads, and posts about your product or brand.
This audit will give you a feel for who knows about your product and which demographics you need to tap.
As you perform your audit, take note of who seems most interested in your brand and build from there.
3. Identify Trends
When looking for user-generated content, you need to ensure you have your finger on the pulse of social media.
Social media trends include hashtags, vernacular, and user activity, and they come and go weekly.
You need to know what those trends are and how to ride each into the next.
4. Develop a Campaign Strategy
Your campaign strategy will take form once you’ve identified trends and your online presence.
A good digital strategy will include influencer outreach, a solid social media presence, and often a giveaway or contest.
5. Make Contact
The final step to gathering user-generated content is to make contact with creators. There are a few ways you can do this.
The simplest is to reach out via email or direct message to discuss some type of collaboration. However, some brands or companies will send users a free product in exchange for an honest review.
Best Practices for User-Generated Content
Keep the following best practices in mind as you gather user-generated content for your marketing plan.
Adhering to best practices is an easy way to ensure your plans are effective and, most importantly, not annoying to your base.
1. Be Authentic
A crucial part of your social media presence involves authenticity.
Most consumers are more likely to trust a content creator’s review than one provided by a brand.
For that reason, UGC is crucial to ensuring consumer acceptance.
2. Be Trustworthy
In the real world, people ask people they know for recommendations.
However, approximately 80% of users now consult UGC when purchasing decisions.
Encouraging user-generated content and backing it up in practice will go a long way in proving yourself trustworthy.
3. Have Attainable Goals
Your UGC goals might vary a bit from your standard business goals, but they must be attainable.
Some common goals relating to user-generated content would be to increase engagement, collaborate with influencers, or launch a UGC-fueled contest.
4. Be Entertaining
Social media is often about short quips and quick responses.
As a brand, you need to perfect the brief, witty response.
The perfect example is Xbox UK’s response to a teen who built the entire universe in Minecraft.
Xbox Tweeted the user-generated content with a witty sentence, then let users explore the product.
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