Ultimate UGC Marketing Guide in 2026 : Insights from 18 Experts

By Jules CarmauxAugust 15, 2024Marketing tips

What is UGC Marketing?

UGC (User-Generated Content) is any content created by users or customers, not the brand itself. It comes from two sources:

1️⃣ Users or loyal customers who share content about your brand.

2️⃣ Creators you pay to produce content.

💡 Fact: While some call the latter Influencer Generated Content (IGC), we’ll refer to both as UGC here.

Why is UGC so attractive to brands?

Because it’s easy and cost-effective to scale both sources, generating substantial value for your business.

UGC marketing can be reused across your social media, website, and ads, offering authentic engagement at a lower cost.

As social media expert, Fiona Bradley emphasizes, understanding the dual nature of UGC is crucial for effectively leveraging it in your marketing strategy:

UGC not only adds credibility to your brand but also fosters a sense of community and helps potential buyers to build trust.

Plus, no one will watch an ad that *actually* looks like an ad…

Types of UGC

It’s also important to understand that they are different types of user generated content.

…And to know which type of UGC will be the right fit for your brand. This works for TikTok UGCs or Instagram UGCs.

First, note that UGC marketing can be either paid or organic.

Organic UGC is when users willingly share their experience with your product (similar to word of mouth).

In contrast, paid UGC involves partnering with creators and influencers.

Here are the main UGC formats:

👉 Photos and Videos
This is one of the most common types of UGC. On platforms like Instagram and Pinterest, users often share their photos while mentioning brands.

On video-centric platforms like YouTube, it is common for creators to showcase products in haul videos or vlogs. Because it’s easy and cost-effective to scale both sources, generating substantial value for your business.

👉 Reviews and Testimonials

Positive reviews can be re-shared by your brand and used as social proof. Don’t underestimate this type of UGC marketing, as it adds credibility to your brand. Remember, people trust people.

👉 Social Media Posts

Anything posted on social media can become UGC for your brand. If it’s a tweet, don’t hesitate to interact with it. If you see a story mentioning your brand, re-share it on your page to increase visibility.

👉 Blog Posts

People can also mention or review your product in their blogs. Keep an eye on bloggers, as their content can become a valuable source of UGC for you.

Why UGC Marketing is Crucial for Brands in 2024?

We have now covered what is UGC Marketing. Now let’s look at why it’s key to implement for your brand.

Answer? The shift towards authenticity in consumer behavior has made UGC indispensable.

Brands that integrate UGC into their marketing strategies are seeing higher engagement rates and stronger customer loyalty.

Look at Marc Jacobs for ex.

Recently, they have used the creator Nara Smith for a UGC content to reuse on their TikTok and ads.

The result? +15M Views!! (169% more eng. than their avg. views)

@marcjacobs The Tote Bag, made from scratch by @Nara Smith ♬ original sound, marcjacobs

UGC is probably the biggest opportunity in marketing this year.

As Arlinda Bytyci (Influencer Marketing Specialist) highlights, Content creators and influencers are the best tools to make UGC impactful:

Don’t miss out on one of the biggest social media trends. Influencers are more than just influencers; they are content creators.

There are plenty of UGC creators on TikTok and other social media platforms. Brands should take the opportunity to work with those creators to create unique, authentic, relatable and social-first content.

My advice: look at Marc Jacobs or Loewe to master the art of trendy UGC.

4 Steps Guide to Starting with UGC Marketing

Let’s uncover what key experts in the industry are advising to launch a successful UGC marketing strategy:

1️⃣ Identify the Right Platforms

Your first step in UGC marketing is to identify where your audience is most active.

Looking at our recent survey on Linkedin, for many brands, this means focusing on platforms like TikTok and Instagram.

💡 Survey Insights: UGC Marketing is considered more effective for TikTok (56%) and Instagram (37%):

As Gbenga Sogbaike (Creator Marketing Expert) explains, understanding where your audience spends their time is crucial to the success of your UGC strategy:

Many brands make the mistake of limiting their usage of UGC to just social media.

Whereas for you to get maximum benefits from UGC, you need to Incorporate it across your different platforms including your website, email campaigns, and even in physical stores or packaging.

This maximizes the impact and provides social proof across various customer touch-points.

But Gbenga also warns that usage rights are necessary for any platforms:

Just don’t forget to obtain proper permissions and usage rights before using the UGC.

2️⃣ Encourage UGC Creation

Customers, fans, followers: they will be your FIRST source to generate UGC at scale.

Encourage your customers to create content by offering incentives, creating challenges, or simply asking them to share their experiences with your products.

As explained by Top Influencer Marketing Voice on Linkedin, Vanessa Franz authentic reviews are key to UGC Marketing success:

Leverage your existing customer base by actively searching for and curating tagged videos where users genuinely express their love for your product.

Reach out to these customers to obtain permission for using their content, as their honest and authentic reviews can provide powerful, relatable endorsements for your brand.

But believe it or not, not all brands are doing this.

Influencer marketing manager Taruna Vinaykiya highlights a general miss from brands:

Many brands miss the opportunity to interact with content posted by their customers.

This lack of engagement can discourage customers from sharing more about your brand and can give the impression that the brand doesn’t value their input.

Taruna also explains that the best UGC comes from genuine excitement and engagement with your brand:

Actively engaging with your community, by liking, sharing, and commenting on user generated content, can transform customers into enthusiastic brand advocates.

This not only increases the content’s visibility but also demonstrates that the brand appreciates its customers’ contributions, thereby strengthening the community bond.

But you have to create that community bond and make it clear and easy for your followers to create content…

It’s essential to clearly communicate how you want customers to create content for your brand.

This includes providing basic information like which hashtags to use, channels to tag, and other relevant details.

This makes the process straightforward and rewarding with encouraging more customer involvement.

Once you’ve collected UGC, it’s important to curate the best UGC Marketing content.

Why? Not all UGC will perform well, so it’s essential to carefully select the content that best aligns with your brand and resonates with your audience.

According to UGC Marketing expert, Sebastian Hørberg, it’s not just about curating but also about analyzing which UGC works best:

I’m pretty sure that 80% of your revenue comes from 20% of your creatives.

Winning in the UGC game is all about analyzing which UGC creatives that work exceptionally well & then doubling down on that, and continuously analyzing, improving, analyzing, and improving, again & again.

This is what separates the wheat from the chaff and is the “secret” the top 0.1% eCommerce doesn’t want to share because it’s so extremely powerful!

In fact, your first UGC content might fail, so here’s a strategic tip from a UGC creator, Danna Richards:

Don’t expect for 1 UGC video to perform next level stats straight off the bat. Always ask your creator for a trial round at a reduced fee with 3 hooks.

Then after running the ad and analysing performance of multiple creators you’ll be able to see what type of UGC video works best.

Slow and steady definitely wins the race here.

Once you’ve curated and analyzed the best content, it’s about sharing it strategically.

But where?

They are really 5 ways to share UGC in 2024:

👉 Repost on Social Media

👉 Add UGC to your website

👉 Integrate UGC in your email marketing

👉 Use in Ads

👉 Go offline

According to our recent survey conducted on Linkedin and opinion from multiple experts, the majority (57%) of brands use UGC marketing as content for social media:

0% of survey respondents reported using UGC on their websites. Surprising? 🤔 Perhaps.

But many brands are still cautious about integrating UGC marketing on their sites.

However, recent studies show that user generated content on product pages can increase conversions by 24%.

Brands like Zara are even A/B testing UGC on product pages, a tactic worth considering!

Definitely something to consider!

And with many Shopify plugins available, integrating UGC on your website has never been easier.

Now, let’s look into why 29% of brands primarily use UGC in ads.

This is where UGC becomes super valuable.

4️⃣ Integrate UGC in Ads

Integrating UGC into your ads can be a game-changer.

💡 Did you know? Brand ads incorporating UGC on TikTok perform 22% better than branded content alone.

It illustrates the power of authentic, creator-driven content.

@glossier Futuredew is an oil-serum hybrid that gives a subtle, light-reflecting finish and it's universally flattering. Some of our favorite ways to use it: _As the last step of your skincare routine (after SPF) _Mixed with Stretch Fluid Foundation for a luminous finish to your base _On the high points of your face as a highlight _Mixed with Cloud Paint for a sheer wash of color on your cheeks #glossier #futuredew #dewyskin ♬ Love Therapy, Glow City

As UGC marketing expert, Sarah Fütterer insightfully notes, you’ll get success if you are prepared and organized:

UGC is an essential key to your advertising. It’s a powerful tool that must be used correctly.

Preparation is essential: create a detailed briefing for your UGC creators.

UGC offers an excellent opportunity to create authentic and trustworthy advertising.

With the right preparation and a close look at your community’s feedback, you can optimally leverage UGC to achieve your marketing goals.

But to get powerful results on your ads, you must first create content that will resonate with your audience:

The most important aspect is to identify which USPs (Unique Selling Points) of your product are most important to your customers.

It’s about WHAT MATTERS TO YOUR CUSTOMERS, NOT YOU!

UGC is a “people game” the creators should reflect your target audience as closely as possible.

Game Changer Tip: Analyze the feedback, reviews, and comments from your community. These topics actively engage your community.
This helps you create relevant and compelling content that truly resonates with your target audience.

To make performing ads, you need to test, test and learn. This means that you need a bank of user-generated content.

Creative Strategist & UGC Creator Alaina Ejaz shares her ultimate tips on how to achieve that below. It’s called UGC creators.

Alaina suggests that brands should consider investing in UGC content creators as a cost-effective alternative to traditional influencers:

If I was a DTC brand in 2024 just starting out, my core focus for a successful UGC strategy will be focussing on building a bank of raw footage.

Creators typically charge more for raw footage, but the initial investment saves money in the long run; within 6 months you will be in a position where you can rely on this raw footage to build unlimited ad concepts as well as mashups for massive social proof.

Especially when used in conjunction with AI tools like ElevenLabs (for voiceovers) and ChatGPT (for script ideation if you don’t have an in house creatives strategist), this will set you up for ad creative success!

Now that we’ve covered the essential steps to start with UGC marketing,how about getting real results with user-generated content?

I’ve spoken to several key experts in the field, including UGC creators, influencers, agency owners, DTC brand experts, and more.

They revealed to me the secret tactics to generate results with UGC.

To truly win with UGC marketing, you’ll need to follow some key best practices that can set your campaigns apart from the competition.

Here’s how to ensure your UGC campaigns are not just good, but exceptional.

6 Secret Tactics to Win with UGC Marketing

Let’s uncover what key experts in the industry are advising to launch a successful UGC campaign strategy, along with all the ins and outs and top secrets that agencies usually keep to themselves.

This is your chance to gain insights that can set your brand apart.

We’ll cover:

📌 Authenticity

📌 How to find the right UGC creators

📌 Setting up clear guidelines

📌 Need for creativity freedom

📌 Benefits of a challenge

📌 Legal issues!

📌 Authenticity is Key

Authenticity is the cornerstone of UGC’s power.

The content you share must be genuine and truly reflect your brand’s values. Authentic UGC resonates more with audiences because it’s real, unfiltered, and relatable.

As UGC Agency Owner Ellison Scarborough advises:

My top tip is to genuinely engage with your audience.

Encourage your customers to share their stories and experiences with your products.

Authenticity is key; people connect more with real, unfiltered content. By fostering a community where your customers feel valued and heard, you not only boost your brand’s credibility but also create organic, relatable content that can drive your marketing efforts forward.

📌 Identify the Right Creators

The success of UGC often hinges on finding the right creators. These are the individuals who genuinely resonate with your brand and can create content that feels authentic.

As UGC marketing + Influencer specialist Chloe Lawson points out:

Finding the right creators is essential to producing authentic UGC content.

A great way to source UGC creators is to take a look through brand mentions or your tags on social media,

OR even through an influencer marketing platform (like Click Analytic)!

You’ll find creators already advocating for your brand. They’ve taken the time to create content, post, and tag your brand, showing genuine interest and engagement.

Leveraging this content can mean more authentic material for you while strengthening the relationship with the creator, making them feel like a valued part of the brand.

💡 Expert Advice: Consider using tools like Click Analytic to automate your search for UGC marketing creators. With platforms like these, you can post projects, let creators apply, and access a global database of over 10 million UGC creators worldwide. Try it for free here!

📌 Provide Clear Guidelines

Clear communication is vital when working with UGC creators. Without precise instructions, both parties can waste time and resources on content that doesn’t align with brand values or expectations.

Social Media marketing expert Olivia Crowley emphasizes this:

For brands just starting with UGC marketing, I’d say my top tip is the importance of providing clear instructions and guidelines to simplify the process for creators.

Without clear guidelines, both creators and brands can massively waste time and resources.

For instance, if you’re a beauty brand that values authenticity, instruct creators not to use face-altering apps or filters.

Similarly, if you’re an alcohol brand, make sure creators understand not to promote dangerous drinking in their content.

Clear guidelines are key to ensuring that the content aligns with your brand’s values and standards, and that you don’t get into hot water

📌 Allow Creativity Freedom

While guidelines are important, giving creators the freedom to express themselves is equally crucial.

Allowing creators to infuse their personality and creativity into the content often results in more engaging and authentic UGC.

As UGC content manager Madeleine Brandeby Ericsson suggests:

Don’t think of UGC as a huge and scary thing, but think about it as a conversation with a friend that is captured in a video.

And then you post it in your advertising: real, authentic, and interesting to watch.

Let the creators take care of the content, so that you can take care of your business and sales. It can be scary to let go like that, but it is worth it when the UGC creators know their job. They are updated on trends, content, and have experience.

The winning concept is to be creative and yourself, inspired by other brands, and let the creator show their personality.

📌 Create a Challenge

We discussed engaging your audience in UGC marketing extensively. But let’s also mention the best tactic for doing that: Challenges.

Engaging your audience through challenges is a fantastic way to generate a large amount of UGC.

By creating a branded hashtag challenge or offering incentives, you can encourage your customers to share their content while also boosting brand visibility.

Here’s how Linkedin Top Voice and social media specialist Karla McNeilage suggests you do it:

Create a hashtag challenge by encouraging your audience to post photos and videos under a branded hashtag.

This increases your brand awareness, builds your community, and makes it easier to find UGC.

I used this UGC strategy when I worked in-house for an e-com subscription box, and we generated 3K+ customer photos that we could share (with permission) across socials.

Remember: An incentive is a great way to encourage UGC and giving back builds brand loyalty.

For ex. If you’re an e-com business, offer a free gift in exchange for posting high-quality content that endorses your products

📌 Legal Considerations

Last but not least! It’s essential to be mindful of the legal aspects when using UGC.

Always secure the appropriate usage rights and be clear about how the content will be used to avoid any potential issues.

Tech founder & Influencer Marketing expert Paul Boulet advises:

Be sure to always secure the usage rights for content. It can be 1 month, 6 months, a year.

Negotiate it with the creator but make sure to own the rights per platform.

It’s critical!

By following these six secret tactics, you can ensure that your UGC campaigns not only resonate with your audience but also stand out in a crowded market.

Implement these insights from industry experts to turn UGC into a powerful, authentic marketing tool that drives results for your brand.

But bear with me, I have more guidance to provide. We’ll now look into:

-> UGC Marketing vs. Influencer Marketing

-> How a DTC entrepreneur reduced is CAQ by 60% using UGC marketing.

Ready? Let’s go 👇

UGC vs. Influencer Marketing: Key Differences

While UGC marketing and influencer marketing share similarities, they serve distinct purposes.

UGC is generally more cost-effective and can feel more authentic since it comes directly from your customers or content creators who produce content specifically for your brand.

Defining Influencer vs. Content Creator:

🌟 Influencer: An influencer is someone who has built a substantial following on social media and leverages this audience to promote products or services. Brands typically pay influencers for access to their audience, buying visibility and reach.

🤳 Content Creators: A content creator focuses on producing high-quality, engaging content that aligns with brand messaging. Unlike influencers, their value lies in the quality of the content rather than the size of their audience. This content can be used across various platforms for organic and paid media.

When selecting content creators for UGC marketing, Leila Demircelik (UGC creators) suggests:

Create a pool of different UGC Creators.

This way, you can test different angles and personalities and gather more insights.

But you should make sure the creators fit your brand and target audience.

Karla McNeilage (social media expert) also adds an important perspective for new brands:

If you’re a new brand, you might not have a dedicated budget for a professional photographer or videographer.

You also might not yet have the budget to invest in influencer marketing, which can be expensive because influencers are directly promoting your product to an engaged community.

UGC content creators, on the other hand, are usually a more affordable option.

They take photos and videos using specific brand guidelines, so you can utilize them for both organic and paid content.

It’s a convenient, effective, and fairly hands-off way of building up a bank of authentic, share-worthy content.

Integrating UGC marketing into your social media strategy is a win-win.

Your audience will appreciate seeing more realistic and relatable content, and this soft-sell approach is more likely to convert community members into customers.

With UGC marketing, you’re not just buying audience visibility; you’re investing in content that resonates on a deeper level, building long term brand trust and engagement.

Now, let’s look at an AMAZING real life case study…

UGC Marketing Success Stories: How Brands Achieve Results with a 60% Drop in Costs

Ready to see the power of UGC marketing in action? These real-world examples and insights will motivate you to start integrating UGC into your strategy today.

Understand Your Why:

Starting with UGC marketing isn’t just about generating content; it’s about creating a meaningful connection with your audience. As marketing director Ella Clarke emphasizes:

Fully understand your why. UGC allows you to connect with the most important people in your business, and that is your audience.

When starting out with UGC, it’s ever so important to fine-tune your target audience, so you can choose the creators that represent this audience best.

They will end up being your advertisers, so they need to resonate with your audience as much as your business, products, and story do.

A Success Story with UGC:

Meet Raffael Schulz, a successful tech entrepreneur who scaled his business, Bridify(a personal assistant for your wedding dress search) by leveraging the power of UGC.

When Raffael first launched, he experimented with branded ads, but the results were underwhelming.

It wasn’t until he shifted his focus to UGC that everything changed.

First, we tried branded ads. Those performed not good at all.

Then we tried to run UGC campaigns.

At first, we thought something was wrong with the reporting because our cost per install dropped by 60%.

This drastic improvement demonstrated the unmatched potential of authentic, user-generated content.

So, how did Raffael achieve such impressive results? By embracing authenticity…

Don’t script UGC. Just tell creators about the product, but don’t give them any specifics.

You don’t say, ‘Oh, you got to say this.’ Because videos that you don’t expect often perform the best.

So what’s the takeaway of this success?

This story highlight how UGC marketing not only builds stronger connections with your audience but can also deliver significant cost savings and improved performance.

By embracing the authentic and unscripted nature of user generated content, brands can see substantial benefits that go beyond traditional marketing methods.

Now is the time to start leveraging UGC in your marketing strategy and experience these results for yourself!

My final thoughts

UGC marketing is more than just a trend,

it’s a powerful tool that can significantly enhance your brand’s authenticity, engagement, and overall performance.

By understanding your audience, selecting the right creators, and embracing the natural, unscripted nature of UGC, you can create content that resonates deeply with your customers.

As demonstrated by successful brands like Bridify, UGC can lead to impressive results, including significant cost savings and stronger connections with your audience.

👉 Now is the time to integrate these expert insights into your strategy, harness the full potential of UGC, and watch your brand thrive in 2024.

Ready to take the next step?

🎁 We would like to offer you a free access to our UGC marketplace and instantly connect with over 800 creators to start building authentic content today.

Interested? Book a quick call with our team here.

Written by

Jules Carmaux, Co-Founder & Content Lead

Co-Founder and Content Lead at Click Analytic, covering influencer marketing, audience analytics, and creator economy trends.

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