Summary
- User-generated content is the content created by consumers and shared online about your brand which acts as a strong social proof.
- UGC comes in many forms (photos, reviews, blog posts, etc.) and helps grow fan communities, and gain costumers.
- Learn how to leverage UGC from some of the best brands like: Harvard University, United Nations Foundation, and Rose Bowl.
User-generated content, also known as UGC, is the digital world’s version of word-of-mouth. It means when real people (not brands or PR campaigns) talk about a product or service online through photos, videos, reviews, etc. Think of it like a mosaic made of countless authentic stories; together, they form a picture of trust and social proof that no ad campaign or marketing strategy can match.
In this guide, we’ll explore exactly what UGC means, why it matters, and how brands can use it to build connections with their audiences.
UGC Meaning: What is UGC Content?
User-generated content, or UGC for short, is all the content users create and share online about your brand. User-generated content ranges from a movie review on Reddit or a product review on Amazon to a service testimonial on social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram.
In 2025, UGC matters. Data shows that 79% of consumers believe it influences purchase decisions, and 74% use social media to read popular reviews before buying a product.
Here’s a good example of user-generated content: a user sharing a video review of a product.
Types of User-Generated Content
UGC comes in many formats, broadly categorised as organic and paid. Organic content is, as the name suggests, real and honest. Consumers who’ve used your product share real-time reviews online as well as offline. Paid UGC, on the other hand, involves reaching out to content creators and asking them to share an opinion or review of your product.
The most common types of user-generated content are:
- Photos
- Videos
- Reviews and testimonials
- Social media posts
- Content blogs
Let’s break down each type of organic UGC to better understand what might work for your business.
Photos
Product photos are the most common form of UGC. Customers click photos of products and services, and share them as part of their review. Most of the lifestyle products, like clothing and apparel, involve visual reviews in the form of photos.
Videos
YouTube and social media videos (Reels, TikTok, etc.) serve as visual storytellers for a product. From unboxing clips to “how-to-use” tutorials, consumers often share product video reviews online. Research shows that short-form UGC videos achieve 70% higher engagement rates than brand-created videos.
Reviews and testimonials
Online reviews are like the digital version of a friend’s recommendation. This type of UGC functions as a social proof for your products and services. Brands often embed customer testimonials on their websites. It helps build brand credibility among new users and boost conversions.
Social media posts
Every time your brand is mentioned, tagged, or used as a hashtag across social media channels, it creates a resounding effect in the digital space. Social media posts are among the most popular ways to build social proof and brand equity.
Content blogs
Bloggers often share product reviews on their personal blogs. A good example of this type of UGC is when a blogger shares honest thoughts about a book. Their words spark curiosity and inspire others to read them as well. In fact, 56% of people have bought something online after reading about it on a blog, and detailed reviews greatly increase the chance of someone purchasing a product.
Paid User-Generated Content
Sometimes, when a brand is new or is a small business, it can be challenging to find an audience to generate organic UGC. This is where paid content creators come in.
Unlike influencers, UGC creators pitch your product organically by using it and sharing honest opinions. The only difference being- you’d have paid them to use your products.
Key Benefits of User Generated Content
There are multiple reasons why you see UGC in digital marketing plans. The key benefits of UGC are:
- Build brand awareness
- Drive traffic to your website
- Increase sales
- Create an online community
- Get feedback and insights
- Cost-effective marketing
Build brand awareness, engagement, and reach
UGC is like an echo chamber of praise across social media platforms, expanding your brand's reach without the paid ads. When customers share their experiences, their shared network and followers on social media are exposed to your brand.
Example: Romantik Hotels doesn't just wait for mentions; they actively encourage customers to tag their photos and videos with #romantikhotels and #exploreromantik. This turns every guest into a miniature media channel. Want a masterclass? Flockler explored how giants like Holiday Club Resorts use this strategy to thrive.
Pro tip: Leverage a social media aggregator like Flockler to start gathering authentic brand mentions from Instagram and other social channels and displaying UGC on your website.
Drive traffic to your website
UGC doesn't just raise awareness, it's also a direct route to traffic and sales for your business.
When you encourage customers to mention or tag your accounts in their posts, the leap from a friend's recommendation to your profile is instantaneous. While some platforms (like Instagram posts) require a clever bio or Story link, most social media channels let you use direct links in the caption.
For many businesses, Google Reviews are an essential traffic source, and it’s easy to add a Google Reviews widget to your website, too. Positive reviews visible in Google’s search results make it so much more likely for you to get a visit online and offline.
Increase sales through social proof
Think of UGC as the most powerful sales collateral you can have. When a customer is on the fence, a peer recommendation is what tips the scales toward purchase.
Users are most likely to trust peer recommendations over sponsored ads. Secondly, UGC marketing shows a product in its natural habitat. It demystifies sizing, shows context, and proves utility.
For example, Worktop Express has mastered this by showcasing "Our Customers' Creations" right on their homepage. Visitors click an image of a beautiful kitchen, and they're instantly connected to the matching product.
Create a fan community
When customers tag your brand, they instantly create a public, shared space. Their friends comment, ask questions, and join the discussion. This shared experience encourages others to chime in the next time they use your product.
Multiply this across every platform, and you’ve moved beyond a collection of customers to an actual fan community buzzing about your brand. If you keep this up, UGC becomes a self-sustaining marketing vehicle that never runs out of fuel.
The #GoProAwards is a great use case for user-generated content. By asking customers and influencers to upload footage of their active, incredible lives, they've built a continuous submission engine. The best content is featured across their channels, rewarding the community and constantly fueling the next wave of submissions. Learn more about how GoPro makes the most of user-generated content.
Get feedback and insights
UGC isn't just a front-end sales tool; it's a powerful backend development resource. Gathering real-world feedback from your community is often an underestimated benefit.
If planned strategically, you can pose questions directly to your community for advice, address pain points publicly, and even deliver on feature requests in real-time. For inspiration, search for #buildinpublic on X (formerly Twitter) to see how entrepreneurs like Andrew Gazdecki use this technique in their favor.
Examples of UGC Content From Top 7 Brands
Let's dive into some of the best examples of User-Generated Content (UGC) and see how top brands in education, shopping, travel, and more are actually using it.
UGC in education: Harvard University
For higher education, UGC isn't a nice-to-have. It's also essential marketing. Colleges and universities use social media feeds everywhere, on their websites and even on digital screens across campus.
Harvard University is a good example. They run specific hashtag campaigns for big events like commencement and for their alumni pages. Using platforms like Flockler, they manage multiple campaigns for different events simultaneously without breaking the bank.
UGC in e-commerce: Sohome
E-commerce websites make the best use of social proof. Displaying UGC on their homepages and product pages is key because it does two things:
- It convinces the next visitor to stick around longer.
- It quickly sends them to the product page after they see the item used in a real-life setting.
Sohome, an online furniture store, has one of the best setups. Right on their homepage, they feature a ‘Shop the Look’ section using curated customer photos. Click a post, and a pop-up shows the full image plus the exact related product.
UGC in travel: Hapag-Lloyd Cruises
Where do most travel plans begin today? Probably on Instagram or TikTok. That's where people find authentic tips and stunning photos from other travelers (not just paid ads or glossy brochures). That's how UGC makes an impact in the travel industry.
Increasing the amount of user-created content is one of the key reasons why Hapag-Lloyd Cruises showcases the best UGC on its homepage. The Instagram grid encourages others to share their photos and videos, increasing the likelihood that website visitors will convert into customers.
UGC in music: Festival Republic
Go to any concert or music festival, and you’ll see phones everywhere. People capture and share those high-energy moments with their friends.
Bands, artists, and festivals love to show off this shared content. Festival Republic, the company behind many of the UK's biggest festivals, shows UGC on large digital screens at their events. They even use custom-designed slideshows for each festival to ensure fans use the correct event hashtag.
UGC in fundraising: United Nations Foundation
While charities still use traditional methods like calling or street fundraising, their long-term success now hinges on strong online visibility and reach. Smart UGC hashtag campaigns keep the charity in the news for potential donors.
The United Nations Foundation's #EqualEverywhere campaign is a brilliant example. They use social media to ask people to join the fight for an equal future and share the branded hashtag, turning personal posts into fuel for their fundraising goals.
UGC in city marketing: Sheffield City
Every city should have a distinctive, engaging hashtag. It's a phrase locals and tourists can use to talk about the city's events and services.
Once you have that content, you have to show it off, just like Sheffield City does. On their website, you can find a dedicated space for social media posts covering everything local, from music and exhibitions to restaurants and comedy.
UGC in sports: Rose Bowl
UGC and marketing go hand-in-hand in sports. Sports fans are incredibly enthusiastic, and the buzz for a branded hashtag starts long before the event itself.
The Rose Bowl Game, a huge annual college football match that dates back to 1902, displays UGC on its massive stadium screens. Families and friends post selfies showing their team pride, and that same content instantly reaches a worldwide audience via social media.
User-Generated Content: Best Practices
As a marketer or brand owner, displaying user-generated content on your website is wise because it shows real-life brand love and brings your users together like a community. Here are a few best practices on how to do it right:
Align your UGC with marketing goals
UGC is one of the most powerful ways to grab attention and market a product because of its authenticity. However, UGC is diverse; customers talk about everything from your products to your service.
This is why you must align UGC with a clear social media strategy. If you don't have a plan, you won't know which content to feature, when to share it, or where it belongs. A strategy gives you the focus to use UGC effectively and ensures the content you share actually supports your business goals.
Always credit the creators and take permission
To keep things legal and maintain trust with your community, you must always ask for permission before reposting or featuring any customer's UGC. Getting tagged doesn't mean you can use their content. Once you get the "yes," make sure you give clear credit to the original creator. This way, you acknowledge their contribution and also build goodwill, encouraging more creators to share content in the future.
Spotlight: Flockler’s Social Media Aggregator
Flockler helps you gather user-generated content and embed Instagram feeds and other social media channels on any website or digital service.
You can effortlessly collect UGC from multiple social media channels, moderate it, and display it on any digital platform. For more inspiration, see how to embed UGC on any website further down.
Why Flockler?
- Supports Instagram, TikTok, and 13+ platforms. No tech skills required.
- Super easy. It offers a simple drag-and-drop experience.
- Design to fit your brand: adjust colors and design with no code.
FAQs
What does UGC mean in social media?
UGC is short for User-Generated Content. On social media, it simply means any post, like a photo, video, review, or comment, that your customers or followers create about your brand. It’s authentic, unpaid, and trustworthy content, unlike the sponsored content created by your brand's marketing team.
How can I get user-generated content?
The easiest way to get UGC is to ask for it. Run a specific campaign that uses a unique branded hashtag and ask people to share their experiences. You can simply ask customers in your product instructions or email newsletters to tag you when they post about your brand.
What is UGC in TikTok?
UGC in TikTok usually focuses on short video content. This could be anything from a customer showing off a "haul" of your products to a quick tutorial on how they use your service, or even participating in a brand-specific trend.
