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Any form of voluntary content that is created by your audience rather than your brand or employees is considered user-generated content (UGC). Using content created by users is an effective strategy to build trust, authenticity, and boost audience engagement because it acts as social proof.
People rely on others. According to a 2025 Consumer Research Report, 71% of people say that customer ratings, reviews, and UGC are ‘extremely’ or ‘very important’ in helping them decide to complete a purchase when shopping online.
There is one key difference between UGC and creator or influencer content: UGC is created organically by real customers and is unpaid. UGC is the opposite of this content, as it helps to foster genuine trust in your brand and encourages word of mouth promotion for the right reasons.
Companies like beauty giant REFY and beverage container brand Stanley have credited their cult status and brand growth to UGC.
UGC is a cost-effective strategy, as the content can be re-posted to your feed and Stories easily and serves as a great way to build credibility. In HubSpot’s 2025 State of Marketing, UGC was named one of the top three areas marketers plan on increasing their investment this year.
So how can you encourage consumers to create content for you and make the most of it across digital channels? In this blog, we will explore:
Contents
What are the most popular types of UGC?
UGC is any content your audience creates, from videos and social media posts to reviews, testimonials, and comments.
Here are some of the most popular forms of UGC:
Photos – Such as an Instagram photo of your product.
Videos – Like a TikTok video or Reel of someone using your product.
Stories—An example of this would be a Facebook story about a customer who dines at your restaurant. Blogs are written by people who express their views and opinions on your product. Reviews and testimonials from customers can be found on websites, Facebook, Trustpilot, Tripadvisor, Google, and TikTok Shop. Podcast – An individual features your product on their podcast.
Comments – A customer shares a comment under your post.
How do you find content which customers have created?
Social monitoring and listening are key parts of managing a strong digital presence. Tracking mentions, hashtags, comments, and location tags helps you stay informed about what people are saying about your brand.
However, keep in mind that customers may not always use a branded hashtag or tag your handle. That’s where broader social listening comes in. You can get a more complete picture of how people perceive your brand as well as any potential problems or opportunities by monitoring relevant keywords and phrases. Tools like Sprout Social, Hootsuite, and HubSpot, as well as native platform notifications, can support this process. They simplify alerts and make it simpler to manage and respond to large-scale events. How to control content quality and brand consistency Not all content shared about your brand will be on-brand or high quality. It’s important to assess whether user-generated content or influencer posts align with your standards before amplifying or engaging with them.
Think about it: Does the content reflect your brand’s tone and identity?
Does the written and visual content meet your usual high standards? Does it align with your brand’s values?
This quality control ensures that the content you engage with builds rather than weakens your brand and helps safeguard your reputation. How do you collect and share UGC?
UGC can be a powerful tool for increasing social media engagement and trust, but it must be properly managed.
1. Use the Right Platforms
Start by identifying where your audience is most active and sharing content about your brand. Not every piece of UGC will work on every platform, so think carefully about where the content fits best. For example, short-form video clips may work well on Instagram Reels or TikTok, while testimonial-style posts may perform better on LinkedIn or Facebook.
2. First, Request Permission
Before sharing UGC, always get written permission. Leave a message or a comment asking if you can share the content. Wait for a clear response before using the post. Take a screenshot of the content once it has been approved, or ask for the original file for better quality. Stories are an exception: if a user has tagged your brand, you can use the “Add to My Story” feature without asking for extra permission.
3. Credit the Creator
Tag the original creator in your caption or post wherever possible. This helps maintain transparency and gives proper recognition.
In Stories, tagging is optional, but it’s still good practice where possible.
4. Encourage UGC actively
Make it easy for your audience to share content related to your brand.
Encouraging UGC not only boosts content volume but also gives you authentic, relatable material to post. Invite your followers to tag your brand or use a branded hashtag and feature them regularly to build a community and trust.
Take a listen to our podcast titled “Why Community Matters More Than Followers,” which features “Kineta Kelsall,” the LinkedIn trainer and founder of “School of Social.”
