User-generated content(UGC)
Content and brand
Content and brand
User-generated content is content made by users or customers rather than the brand: reviews, photos, videos, unboxings and comments.
Its strength is credibility. People trust other customers' judgement more than a brand message, and that carries through on product pages, in ads and in social feeds. On TikTok and Instagram, footage that feels like real users often outperforms polished studio work.
Note the distinction with paid 'UGC-style' content: videos a creator makes on assignment in the same casual style. That is advertising material and must be recognisable as such — in the Netherlands the Advertising Code for Social Media and Influencer Marketing applies.
Practically: ask permission before reusing customer imagery, make sharing easy (a hashtag, a request after delivery), and place the best examples on the pages where people hesitate.
Tip
Always ask permission before reusing reviews or customer photos. That way you avoid trouble and actually reinforce the trust you're using UGC for.
Related terms
- Social proofSocial proof is the effect where people base choices partly on what others do: reviews, customer logos, user counts and cases.
- Influencer marketingInfluencer marketing means working with creators who already have a relevant audience, so your brand appears in their context instead of in an ad.
- ReelsReels are the short vertical videos on Instagram and Facebook, distributed mainly by interest rather than by who follows you.
- Meta AdsMeta Ads is Meta's advertising platform for Facebook, Instagram, Messenger and the Audience Network, managed in Ads Manager.