User-Generated Content: Complete Guide + Examples That Work

User-generated content (UGC) is content created by real people (customers or paid partners) that showcases a brand’s products or services. Learn how to use UGC to increase credibility, brand awareness, and conversions.

Audiences today crave connection and authenticity.

Now, potential customers seek experiences from real people before making a purchase — and brands are taking note.

User-generated content, or UGC, is any type of content created by consumers rather than the brand itself.

From unboxing videos on social media channels to five-star reviews on Google, brands that share user-generated content are more likely to earn trust and conversions.

So how can you add UGC to your marketing strategy? Our team of experts outlines their top tips to get started.

What is user-generated content?

User-generated content is any content — such as videos, photos, reviews, or social media content — created by consumers about a brand’s product or service.

Creators can be real-life customers or paid partners who are given a product or access to services in exchange for their content.

Brands can share this content on their website, social media pages, email, and other marketing platforms. And because it’s created by real people rather than the brand, the content is considered more authentic and trustworthy by audiences.

User-generated content is created by consumers rather than the brand itself. (Image: Artem Varnitsin/Adobe)

Types of user-generated content

Any form of content created by a consumer that highlights a brand and its product or service is considered user-generated content. However, here are some specific types of UGC:

1. Written content: Such as customer reviews, blog posts, and discussions in forums like Reddit and Quora.

2. Images: Such as photos of a product shared through social media posts, attached to reviews, or as a part of a brand’s promotional contest.

3. Video content: Unboxing, product in-use, or video testimonials can be shared on YouTube, blogs, or social platforms — like Instagram Reels and Stories.

4. Podcasts: Podcasters can speak about experiences with a product or service.

Who creates UGC?

User-generated content is created by consumers rather than the brand itself, and it typically comes from two main sources:

1. Real customers and brand advocates: People who used a product or service and shared their experience through reviews, photos, or videos on any content platform. Brands can re-share authentic, word-of-mouth-style content on their social channels and website (with permission when necessary).

2. Paid creators: UGC creators are people who are compensated to produce authentic, user-style content that promotes a brand’s product or service. Unlike traditional influencer marketing posts, brands fully own this content and can publish it directly across marketing channels such as social media, websites, and email.

Benefits of user-generated content

UGC benefits brands by increasing trust and authenticity at a lower cost than traditional marketing.

Key benefits include:

• Increased trust and credibility: Real customer experiences make brands feel more authentic and relatable to their target audience.
• Higher engagement: People love to see others share their experiences with a brand and its products.
• Cost-effectiveness: Customers create content that brands can repurpose for free, while UGC platforms make it easy to source affordable, brand-owned assets.
• Social proof: UGC demonstrates product value through real results and testimonials, which helps potential customers feel more confident to purchase.
• Improved SEO: Sites that include UGC see 20% more repeat visits and longer session durations, which directly improves SEO.
• Enhances other digital marketing campaigns: UGC-based ads get 4x higher click-through rates and a 50% drop in cost-per-click. It also strengthens content marketing strategies by adding authentic, customer-driven perspectives that expand reach and build trust.
• Boosts conversions and sales: Brands using UGC see a 29% higher conversion rate than those that don’t.

How to get user-generated content for your brand

To get UGC for your brand, you can:

1. Ask customers directly: Invite customers to share their experiences, photos, or reviews of your products and services on social media or review platforms.
2. Run a contest or giveaway: Encourage customer participation through social media by offering prizes for posts featuring your product or brand hashtag.
3. Make it easy to share content: Simplify sharing through forms, branded hashtag campaigns, or dedicated landing pages.
4. Partner with (the right) influencers: Collaborate with creators who align with your brand and can inspire their communities to share content as well.
5. Use UGC platforms: Leverage specialized platforms to source or hire creators who can produce authentic, user-style content at scale.

Top 7 UGC best practices

You’ve gathered some amazing user-generated content from your customers — now what?

Here’s how to put your UGC content to good use while protecting your brand’s integrity.

1. Showcase UGC across multiple channels

Feature UGC on your website, product pages, emails, social channels, and ads. Consider embedding social media widgets to highlight Instagram posts, TikToks, or reviews shared by real customers.

2. Repurpose content

Repurpose UGC for various channels and content campaigns. For example, turn testimonials or case studies into video snippets for social media marketing.

3. Use UGC for insights and inspiration

Use user-generated content to improve product development and branding to convert more new customers.

Pay attention to what customers highlight (or critique) to understand their preferences better, improve your offerings, and inspire new products.

4. Always get permission

Thanks to social media, consumer-generated content is virtually everywhere. So it’s easy for brands to find it, repost it on their social channels, or swipe it for their marketing efforts.

However, it’s important to first obtain explicit rights to use UGC content by getting written permission from the content creator.

Over 93% of UGC creators believed brands needed to ask for permission before sharing their work — yet nearly half of UGC creators had their content used without their permission in 2024.

Not getting permission could lead to legal issues, public backlash, and a damaged brand reputation.

5. Give proper credit

Give credit and recognition to UGC creators or risk them asking you to remove it (or worse, send their legal team after you). A staggering 34% of UGC creators claim they were not credited when brands used their content in 2024.

6. Curate carefully and stay on-brand

Moderate and curate UGC to align with brand values to ensure authenticity (consumers will spot inauthentic content a mile away).

7. Follow legal and ethical guidelines

Navigate legal considerations like usage rights and contest rules to avoid conflicts.

Respecting creators — paid or not — keeps your brand credible and trustworthy.

Examples of user-generated content

What does user-generated content look like in the real world? Here are some examples — from ecommerce to the tech industry.

Stitch Fix

(Image: Instagram screenshot)

Stitch Fix invites customers to share photos of themselves wearing their “Fix” outfits by tagging the brand and using its branded hashtag #StitchFixStyle, reposting these images on its official Instagram account.

In addition to authentic customer photos and videos, Stitch Fix shares UGC content from creators that is posted directly by the brand.

Incorporating UGC content allows prospective customers to see how the curated items look in everyday wardrobes.

GoPro

(Image: GoPro screenshot)

GoPro is perhaps the most celebrated brand when it comes to exceptional user-generated content.

The rugged, portable camera is designed to capture adventurous moments from surfing to skydiving — and these incredible images are highlighted in the brand’s marketing campaigns and website.

Starbucks

(Image: Instagram screenshot)

The biggest coffee brand in business excels at encouraging user-generated content through branded hashtags and featuring customer photos on its social media pages.

Social media users continue to share content enthusiastically — from seasonal excitement (PSL SZN) to merchandise drops.

Automotive industry example

Brian Kratt, founder and CEO of Plumb Development, Inc., built a “Bragging Rights” campaign for an automotive client.

“The campaign encouraged new car owners to capture and share their purchase excitement by posting a photo with their new vehicle using a platform we developed,” shares Kratt.

The campaign offered incentives like discounts on future services and saw a 25% increase in visits and follow-up purchases during the campaign period.

Direct feedback showed a notable improvement in customer satisfaction and brand loyalty.

Tech industry example

Gary Gilkison, principal analyst at Riverbase Cloud, launched a “Tech Solution Challenge.” This encouraged users to share innovative ways they used the company’s products.

“We encouraged participants to share their stories on social media, tagging our brand and using a specific hashtag we created for the campaign,” Gilkinson explains.

The initiative led to a 55% boost in engagement and a 25% increase in website traffic, driven by authentic, story-based UGC that showcased real-world value and strengthened community trust.

“We incentivized participation by offering significant discounts and the chance for winners to be featured in our promotional campaigns,” continues Gilkison.

“Analyzing these outcomes, the key factor was the authenticity and relatability of the content,” explains Gilkison.

(Image: Adobe Stock)

The takeaway

Building a UGC campaign involves motivating customers to share their experiences through reviews, social media platforms, and forums.

It also involves partnering with creators who specialize in creating a UGC strategy and producing authentic, high-quality content that connects with your audience.

When done right, UGC content builds trust more than traditional advertising at a lower cost — helping customers make purchasing decisions faster.

If you’re not already using user-generated content or don’t know where to start, connect with the team at HawkSEM.

We can help you strategize and implement a UGC marketing strategy that attracts and converts your target customers.

This post has been updated and was originally published in February 2022.