About UGC
UGC makes your brand more personal and more credible
Discover what UGC is, why it works and which common mistakes brands can avoid.
UGC in 60 seconds
UGC stands for User Generated Content: authentic content created from a user's perspective, rather than by the brand itself.
Why UGC works: it feels more personal and more relatable and builds trust with your audience. That's why it often works better than traditional advertising.
Different formats: UGC consists of videos and photos that brands can use for both organic content and paid advertising.
Why UGC works
People are exposed to countless ads every day. That is exactly why content that feels personal, relatable and credible often performs better. UGC shows your brand from a human perspective and helps you build trust with your audience faster.
In short: consumers often trust recommendations from real people more than traditional brand communication. This creates more recognition, higher engagement and can contribute to more conversions.
IAB Creator Economy research (2023 - 2025)
Two large-scale IAB studies with Talk Shoppe (2,001 consumers and 400 advertisers, 2023) and Advertiser Perceptions (453 ad buyers, 2025) show that creator content consistently outperforms studio-produced advertising on trust, decision speed and brand loyalty.
1.43×
greater impact on brand loyalty from creator content ads than from studio-produced ads.
IAB × Talk Shoppe, 2023
70%
of consumers decide faster what to buy after a creator content ad (vs. 61% for studio ads).
IAB × Talk Shoppe, 2023
+26%
growth in US creator ad spend in 2025 to $37 billion, about 4× faster than the total media market.
IAB × Advertiser Perceptions, 2025
Avoid these common mistakes
Too slick and polished
If it feels too much like an ad, people scroll past. That's how you lose attention and watch time.
No strong hook
No strong hook = no attention. If you're not interesting enough and don't grab attention right away, people scroll past.
Sticking to just one format
The best results come from A/B testing. Try multiple hooks, variations and concepts to discover what works.
No clear CTA
You can have perfect visuals, but without a clear CTA the viewer doesn't know the next step and often nothing happens.
Using UGC without a strategy
A UGC video is only effective when it's used well. The right strategy, target audience and channel determine the result it delivers.
Giving the creator too little room
The power of UGC lies precisely in the personal and natural way of telling the story.
Let's work together!
Want to collaborate, have questions or want to brainstorm about the possibilities? Feel free to get in touch!