What It Is
UGC is when your customers or fans do your marketing for you.
User-generated content is anything your audience creates—social posts, reviews, photos, videos—rather than your brand. It’s raw, unpolished, and real.
Why It Works
UGC flips the script. Your people tell your story.
Unfiltered Perspectives: When customers, staff, or fans share their experiences, it feels authentic. Not like a slick ad. That rawness builds trust, especially in a crisis when folks side-eye corporate spin.
Social Proof in Action: Seeing others use and enjoy a product validates the brand’s claims. It reduces the perceived risk of trying something new.
“People Like Me”: UGC helps audiences see themselves in the content. They think, “If someone like me uses this, maybe I should too.”
The Machine of UGC
You can’t force it, but you can build the system that generates it.
- Make it easy - Give people a reason and a way to share (hashtags, contests, shoutouts)
- Spotlight contributors - Repost their content, give credit, make them feel seen
- Remove friction - Don’t make people jump through hoops to share
The best UGC systems run on recognition, not rewards.
Examples That Click
The PR Crisis Save: A welfare firm was tanking—trust gone. Caseworkers and volunteers posted unfiltered stories on social. Those posts rebuilt trust faster than any corporate statement could.
Read the full story
Starbucks’ Cup Names: Ever post a pic of your Starbucks cup with your name on it? That’s UGC—fans marketing the brand for free, making it feel personal.
GoPro’s Reels: GoPro users share epic surf or ski clips. The brand reposts, turning customers into ambassadors—no studio required.
Why It’s Cool
UGC is word-of-mouth on steroids.
It’s more trusted because it’s not you talking—it’s your people. It’s from somebody they can relate to. Somebody their size. Plus, it’s a budget-saver that scales fast.
Just don’t fake it. Authenticity is the whole game.