UGC Marketing

If you’ve spent any time scrolling through TikTok or Instagram, you’ve probably seen videos that look like influencer content. However, what about ‘UGC’? The content we’re talking about today is the content that feels more ‘authentic’. It’s less polished and feels more trustworthy. That’s UGC (or User-Generated Content), and it’s quickly becoming one of the most powerful marketing tools out there.

Whether it’s a customer showing how they use a product, a review on YouTube, or a short video filmed by a UGC creator, this type of content taps into something traditional ads can’t easily replicate: real human trust. 

For marketing managers and their teams, especially those juggling multiple channels and limited budgets, UGC marketing is attractive. It’s a smart, cost-effective way to build credibility, engagement, and conversions… Without needing to hire a ‘celebrity’ influencer. Plus, 93% of marketers leveraging user-generated content claim that it performs notably better than traditional branded content too.

In this article, we break down exactly what UGC is and how it works. And, with 67% of retailers intending to increase their investment in UGC marketing in the upcoming year, we’ll also explore why your brand should be using it.

What Is UGC?

UGC stands for User-Generated Content. That means any type of content created by real people, not your brand’s marketing team.

It can include:

• Photos or videos customers share using your product/service
  
• Reviews or testimonials
  
• “Unboxing” videos
  
• “Day in the life” clips featuring your service
  
• Blog posts or social mentions created by users

What makes UGC special is its authenticity. According to data via Social Media Today, 86% of people say authenticity is important when deciding what brands they like and support. That’s because consumers trust other people more than they trust brands. In fact, around 40% of shoppers say that UGC is “extremely” or “very” important when making a purchase decision.

Instead of your brand talking about itself, UGC lets your customers (or UGC creators who feel like customers) do the talking for you.

What Is the Difference Between UGC & Influencer Marketing?

The difference between UGC & influencer marketing is relatability and reach. 

• Influencer marketing
  Influencer marketing is all about reach; collaborating with someone who has a pre-built audience.
• UGC marketing
  On the other hand, UGC marketing is about relatability; using content that looks and feels organic. UGC is often made by people who don’t have a big following at all.

Here’s the key differences in more detail:

UGC	Influencer Marketing
Created by customers or freelance creators	Created by influencers with established followings
Feels organic and genuine	Feels aspirational or promotional
Often used as paid ad content by brands	Often shared on the influencer’s own channels
More affordable, scalable, and evergreen	Typically more expensive, with limited usage rights

What Is a UGC Influencer?

A UGC influencer (or, sometimes called a ‘UGC creator’) is someone who specialises in creating content for brands rather than promoting it to their own audience.

These creators make videos, testimonials, and photos that look like genuine customer content but are produced intentionally for a brand’s use in ads, social media, or websites.

They’re not famous and that’s very much the point. They feel like your ideal customer and not a celebrity endorsement.

For example:

• A skincare brand might hire a UGC creator to film a “morning routine” using their products.
  
• A coffee company might commission a short “how I make my latte at home” video.

The result feels authentic, conversational and native to the platform.

UGC Video Meaning

When people talk about “UGC videos”, they’re referring to short, social-style videos filmed in a real-world, relatable way.

They often feature:

• Real people showing or reviewing a product
  
• Conversational tones (no scripts or heavy editing)
  
• Natural lighting and settings (kitchens, bedrooms, offices)

Alongside Instagram and TikTok, YouTube is becoming renowned for its user generated content, particularly its ‘haul’ videos and ‘unboxing’ videos. ‘Hauls’ are where a creator receives/buys lots of items from one brand, tries all of them and records their instant experience of the products. ‘Unboxing’ videos are when a creator receives an item packaged by a brand and records the unboxing of the item, reviewing the experience of receiving the product. 

The idea is to replicate the feel of a genuine customer sharing their experience because that’s what audiences (particularly Gen Z) engage with. 43% of 14 to 24 year olds have said that they feel more loyal towards brands that they shop based on YouTube creator recommendations.

UGC videos are now being used far beyond social media too. Brands embed them on landing pages, in email campaigns and even in paid ad funnels.

For example, a fitness brand might take a single UGC video of a customer reviewing their leggings and repurpose it as:

• A testimonial clip for their homepage
  
• A short ad for Instagram Reels
  
• A case study snippet for a newsletter

UGC video is, put simply, strategic organic marketing. And it keeps working for you again and again…

UGC Examples

Here are some real-life UGC examples that show the power of this authentic marketing tactic in action:

Glossier

The makeup and skincare giant (valued at nearly $2 billion in Summer 2025) built its cult following by sharing customer selfies instead of brand-shot campaigns. It’s also well known for its ‘Top 5’ Instagram Stories highlight. Every week, Glossier shares 5 of the “best” UGC posts it’s been tagged in on its story and then makes that story a ‘highlight’. This means it can be watched whenever on its profile by its users. And, its UGC strategy works. Now, 70% of the brand’s online sales and traffic come from “peer-to-peer” (so, UGC) referrals.

Gymshark

The UK fitness brand (valued at roughly $1.45 billion in 2024) was built on user generated content. When the brand started, CEO Ben Francis watched a lot of YouTube videos about fitness and exercise. Then, he sent the creators of his favourite content free Gymshark apparel to show appreciation for their videos. If they liked it, the creators would then wear the clothes in their next videos, promoting the brand to Gymshark’s ideal target audience. Now, the brand regularly features videos and photographs from everyday gym-goers and athletes using their products. They’ve never needed to hire “models”.

Spotify

Spotify Wrapped is a genius piece of UGC. At the end of each year, Spotify collates what each individual user has listened to over the year and breaks it down into interesting data for them; most listened to song, artist, type of music etc. This is then made into branded shareable content that the user can put on their social media channels. Every year, this generates a buzz about the brand, freely promotes it, and induces FOMO in users who aren’t on the music streaming platform yet. It’s such a genius piece of marketing that publications now even write articles to warn people to tailor their listening habits in advance so they’re ‘cool’ enough to share!

And it’s not just for lifestyle brands. B2B companies use UGC too. Think client testimonials, employee advocacy videos or user success stories that bring a brand to life. LinkedIn influencers now exist too!

Related Read: A Marketer’s Guide to Creating More Shareable Content

What Are the Risks of UGC?

Like any marketing approach, UGC comes with considerations:

• Copyright & permissions
  Always ensure you have written permission to reuse content.
  
• Quality control
  Not all user content will match your brand aesthetic. So, choose who you partner with carefully.
  
• Brand consistency
  Create a simple UGC brief or visual guideline to keep everything aligned.
  
• Legal compliance
  Be cautious with product claims or medical references made by users.

Handled well, UGC should feel spontaneous whilst still being safe and on-brand.

Is UGC Content SEO Friendly?

Yes. And, increasingly so.

Embedding UGC videos or reviews on your site can:

• Improve dwell time (users stay longer to watch)
  
• Add keyword-rich, natural language for search engines
  
• Generate backlinks if creators share your pages

Google also values authentic, experience-based content under its EEAT guidelines (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness). UGC ticks those boxes perfectly because it showcases real people using your product.

KIJO Pro Tip: Optimise UGC by adding descriptive filenames, alt text, and schema markup for reviews or videos.

Related Read: How to Write Alt Text: A Marketer’s Guide to Accessibility and SEO

How Do I Start Working with UGC Marketing?

If you’re new to UGC marketing, the good news is you don’t need a huge budget or a big team to get started (as demonstrated by Gymshark!). What you do need is a clear strategy for finding the right people, creating the right content, and keeping everything on-brand.

Here’s how to begin:

1. Identify what kind of UGC fits your brand

Ask yourself: what do your customers already share? Product reviews, testimonials, photos, unboxing videos? Start by encouraging and amplifying those natural behaviours.

If you’re a service-based business, think beyond visuals. Focus on customer stories, client interviews, or day-in-the-life content from your team. These can all be powerful forms of UGC.

2. Create a UGC Marketing brief

Even “authentic” content needs a little direction. A simple UGC marketing brief should include:

• What the goal is (awareness, conversion, retention)
  
• The tone or style (relaxed, confident, friendly, luxury)
  
• Key talking points or do’s and don’ts
  
• Where the content will be used (ads, email, website, social)

However, you don’t want to script your creators! Just be sure to give them enough guidance to align with your brand’s voice and visuals.

3. Find and collaborate with UGC creators

You can source creators through:

• UGC platforms
  There are dedicated platforms to source UGC such as Collabstr.
  
• Freelancer networks
  Platforms like Upwork, Fiverr, or even LinkedIn.
  
• Social media
  eCommerce marketers claim that Instagram generates the most engaging visual UGC for their customers (28%). This is followed by Facebook (23%) and TikTok (19%).
  
• Your own customers
  This is often the most authentic option! Plus, 77% of consumers are open to submitting UGC to receive a reward…

When choosing a UGC creator, look for people who genuinely match your audience’s lifestyle or values. The goal isn’t perfection; it’s believability.

KIJO Pro Tip: Remember, someone’s follower count doesn’t matter in UGC because you’re sharing the content, not them. You’re not hiring influencers; you’re commissioning storytellers who will humanise your brand. When scouting for UGC creators, focus on:

• Natural on-camera presence
  Do they speak clearly and authentically?
  
• Creative style
  Does their tone fit your brand’s audience?
  
• Technical basics
  Good lighting, sound, and framing.
  
• Relatability
  Do they feel like your customer?

4. Repurpose your UGC content

Don’t stop at one post. A single UGC video can become:

• A paid ad
  
• A homepage testimonial
  
• A short cut for Reels, YouTube Shorts or TikTok
  
• A visual for your newsletter

You can build a mini content ecosystem around each great piece of UGC to get the maximum mileage out of it, and reap an even higher ROI! According to 85% of marketers and their teams, visual user-generated content is thought of as a more cost-effective option than traditional professional photography or influencer content too.

Related Read: How To Repurpose Content

5. Monitor, test, and refine

Once your UGC goes live, track its performance. Analyse the clicks, engagement and conversions. Then, identify what works and double down. UGC isn’t one-size-fits-all; it’s a process of learning what resonates most with your audience.

Final Thoughts on UGC Marketing

UGC is a great way of embracing the way people genuinely experience your brand and amplifying it. For marketers and their teams, it’s an opportunity to blend credibility, creativity, and community in a way that feels genuine and real. And, it works:

• UGC in email marketing increases click-through rates by 78%
• 55% of shoppers hesitate to buy a product without user-generated content 
• 82% of consumers say that they would be more likely to make a purchase from a brand that uses UGC in their marketing

If you’d like help integrating UGC marketing into your wider content strategy, or guidance on finding and briefing the right UGC creators, the KIJO team can help you craft and commission content that connects on every level. Contact us today to make your content go further!

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