What is UGC?

UGC stands for “user-generated content” and has been prevalent on social media platforms for as long as the internet has existed in formats such as Yelp or other product reviews. However, UGC on Instagram or TikTok is quite different. Social media UGC is content which is created by the community around a brand, rather than a brand itself.

Since UGC is typically made by non-marketing professional consumers, UGC’s homemade look is instantly recognizable. This creates a contrast of professional product photography taken in studios with phone shots by consumers. However, UGC is not synonymous with low-effort or low quality content! UGC often follows the aesthetic trends of its platforms to be visually pleasing.

In 2023, UGC is considered to be the most trustworthy form of social media content for products and services, with high conversion rates. UGC offers consumers authenticity and is perceived to give a point-of-view unaffiliated with the brand. While UGC is not limited to social media, UGC performs extremely well on visual media platforms such as Instagram and TikTok. In fact, 80% of consumers prefer UGC over stock photography on social media.

How can you incorporate UGC?

UGC can be created from testimonials and reviews, spanning from static posts to video livestreams. Some can be as simple as a written review, while other UGC may arise from consumers discussing products through TikTok stitches. As such, turning a comment or direct message into a post is a way of incorporating UGC. Another option is to repost videos or images captured of a product.

However, if there is not enough authentic UGC for a brand to source from, it is possible to generate and stage UGC. Some social media creators dedicate themselves to replicating UGC-style content for brands, working on a gifted or paid basis, and will label themselves as UGC creators. Alternatively, working with affiliates or influencers with more naturalistic content can also create UGC. With UGC, creators with a large follower count are not always necessary since smaller creators can also have connected fan bases and good quality content.

In-house content creation or by marketing professionals (that’s us!) can also imitate the look and feel of UGC for a brand’s social media page to appeal to consumers. This is not exactly the same as paid or staged UGC, but UGC-style content has higher chances of being pushed by the algorithm and creates a more  intimate connection with the brand’s socials.

The Limits of UGC

UGC is not a substitute for professional visual content. While UGC helps significantly with social media presence, you want to convert social media engagement into sales or another action. This will take place off-site from Instagram or TikTok and so the website your consumers land on should be professional.

Additionally, staged UGC needs to be paired with other social media strategies to effectively develop an engaged consumerbase. Otherwise, excessive paid and staged content will be seen as untrustworthy.

UGC is extremely useful for social media but harnessing it for one’s brand requires balanced strategies of organic growth and interaction with planned content. If this still seems complicated, reach out to us to learn more! 

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