How To Create User Generated Content (UGC)

User-generated content (UGC) has become one of the most powerful forms of marketing in today’s digital space. Instead of brands doing all the talking, UGC allows real people; customers, fans, or community members to share authentic stories, reviews, and experiences. This shift has changed how businesses build trust online, making content created by everyday users just as impactful, if not more, than polished brand campaigns.

To create User-Generated content, the process starts with encouraging your audience to participate. This could mean running hashtag campaigns, asking customers to share photos or videos with your product, creating challenges on platforms like TikTok, or simply resharing positive reviews and testimonials. By giving people simple, fun ways to contribute and making sure they feel acknowledged when they do, you build a steady flow of content created for you by your audience.

This article will walk you through the practical steps of creating and curating UGC, why it’s important for building brand credibility, and how to make the most of it without losing your brand voice. Whether you are a small business owner, a marketer, or a creator, learning to harness UGC can help you strengthen relationships with your community and amplify your reach organically.

How Does User-Generated Content (UGC) Help Brands Grow Trust And Sales?

User-generated content (UGC) thrives because it’s authentic. Instead of hearing from a brand that a product is amazing, people see real customers using and loving it. That social proof builds trust.

Benefits of User-generated content (UGC) for brands:

• Authenticity: Consumers believe “real people” over ads.
• Engagement: Fans love when brands repost their content.
• Cost savings: Customers create free, high-quality content.
• Conversions: According to Shopify, UGC can increase conversion rates by up to 29% on product pages.
• Community building: It turns your customers into ambassadors. In Nigeria, many buyers hesitate to shop online due to fraud fears. Seeing UGC from real Nigerians using your product reduces skepticism and drives action.

How Do You Encourage Customers To Create User-generated content (UGC) For Your Brand?

Getting your customers to create User-generated content (UGC) for you is not as hard as it seems, it is about making it fun, rewarding, and easy to participate. Here are some effective strategies:

1. Run Contests and Challenges: Launch a themed contest or challenge where users submit photos, videos, or reviews for a chance to win prizes. For example, a fitness brand might run a “30-day transformation challenge” while a food brand could do a “best recipe with our product” contest. The excitement of rewards motivates participation.
2. Feature Customer Stories: People love recognition. Share your customers’ experiences just like GTBank often does with customer success stories. When customers see their stories featured, it not only makes them feel valued but also builds stronger loyalty and inspires others to share theirs too.
3. Create Branded Hashtags: A simple, catchy hashtag makes it easy for fans to join in and for you to track submissions. Think of campaigns like #ShotOniPhone, a single hashtag can turn into a global library of authentic content.
4. Ask Directly: Sometimes, all it takes is asking. Encourage your followers to post their experiences or feedback, and remind them that their input matters. A clear call-to-action like, “Tag us in your story for a chance to be featured,” can go a long way.
   

How Should You Collect, Organize, And Get Permission For User-Generated Content (UGC)?

Collecting User-generated content (UGC) does not end with reposting, it requires a system to ensure fairness, legality, and consistency:

• Collection: Use branded hashtags, campaign landing pages, or submission forms to gather content in one place. Tools like Hootsuite or Sprout Social can also help monitor mentions and tags.
  
• Organization: Create a folder or content bank (Google Drive, Notion, or Airtable) where all UGC is stored with details like creator name, platform, and date. Tagging content by theme (e.g., testimonials, lifestyle shots, tutorials) makes it easy to retrieve later.
  
• Permission: Always get consent before reposting. A quick DM, “We would love to feature your post, do we have your permission?” shows respect and keeps you compliant with copyright laws. Some brands even add permission requests directly into contest terms and conditions.
  

How Can You Repurpose User-generated content (UGC) Across Different Platforms and Campaigns?

The beauty of User-generated content (UGC) is that one piece can live many lives. According to Hubspot, here is how to repurpose it effectively:

• Instagram: Share UGC in your feed, Stories, or Reels. Highlight customer shoutouts in a “community” highlight.
  
• Twitter (X): Retweet or screenshot customer posts, then add your own commentary to spark conversations.
  
• TikTok: Turn customer clips into short-form videos with trending sounds or duets. Challenges also work especially well here.
  
• Facebook: Post customer reviews, testimonials, and photos in groups or on your page. Facebook ads also perform better with authentic UGC-style visuals.
  
• Email Marketing: Add UGC in newsletters; like a “fan of the week” feature or customer spotlight. It adds social proof and makes emails more relatable.
  
• Ads: Repurpose UGC as part of your paid campaigns. Audiences tend to trust real people more than polished brand creatives, which can increase click-through and conversions.
  

Why Should You Track Performance And Measure Return On Investment (ROI) On User-generated content (UGC) Campaigns?

User-generated content is powerful, but to truly maximize its value, you need to measure how it impacts your brand. Tracking performance ensures you’re not just collecting content for aesthetics, but actually driving business results.

• Understand What Works: Not every type of UGC will resonate with your audience. By tracking metrics like engagement rates, reach, and shares, you can identify which customer stories, formats, or platforms deliver the best results—and double down on them.
• Prove ROI to Stakeholders: Whether you’re a business owner or a marketing manager, showing the return on investment (ROI) is critical. For example, comparing conversion rates on ads using UGC versus branded creatives helps prove the value of community-driven campaigns.
• Build Stronger Campaigns Over Time: Insights from past UGC campaigns help refine future ones. You’ll know whether contests drive more content than hashtags, or if video testimonials outperform photos. Tracking turns experiments into systems.
• Strengthen Customer Relationships: Measuring also means keeping tabs on how UGC impacts customer loyalty and retention. When you see repeat contributions from fans, it’s a signal that your community is not just engaged but emotionally invested in your brand.
  

Ultimately, tracking performance makes User-generated content (UGC) more than a feel good initiative, it turns it into a measurable growth strategy that supports sales, visibility, and long-term brand credibility.

How Can Owlet Help You Manage And Scale Your User-generated content (UGC) Strategy?

User-generated content (UGC) can get overwhelming without the right tools. That’s where Owlet Online comes in with the following:

• AI-powered prompts: Generate captions and campaigns that invite UGC.
• Scheduling & reposting: Share customer UGC at the right time for maximum visibility.
• Performance tracking: Owlet centralizes analytics, letting you compare UGC engagement vs. ads.
• Content library: Store the best customer content for future use.
• Growth support: Pair UGC with Owlet’s growth services to give authentic posts a wider push.

Think of Owlet as your User-generated content (UGC) manager + strategist in one. It saves time, amplifies your community’s voice, and makes sure your brand looks consistent across platforms.

Step-By-Step Guide To Launching Your First User-Generated Content (UGC) Campaign

Here is a step by step guide to launching your first User-generated content (UGC): 

• Define your goals: Is it engagement, sales, or awareness?
• Pick a theme: e.g., “How do you use our product daily?”
• Create a branded hashtag: Something catchy and unique.
• Promote the campaign: Share across your channels, email list, and ads.
• Engage with participants: Like, comment, and reshare UGC.
• Reward creators: Discounts, shoutouts, or giveaways.
• Measure success: Compare results with your initial KPIs.
• Repurpose content: Use best-performing UGC in ads, website, or email.

Conclusion

User-generated content (UGC) is one of the most powerful growth levers for brands today. It’s authentic, cost-effective, and builds a loyal community around your business. From contests and hashtags to testimonials and case studies, UGC can fuel your ads, social media strategy, and even customer trust in ways polished campaigns can’t. Brands like Flutterwave and GTBank prove its power in the Nigerian context.

And with tools like Owlet, you do not have to juggle User-generated content (UGC) manually. Owlet helps you encourage, organize, repost, and track UGC which makes it easier to transform everyday customers into brand ambassadors. For a deeper look at how AI can elevate your efforts, check out Owlet’s article on how The Owlet uses AI to help you reach and engage your target audience. 

So if you are a social media manager, ad manager, creator, or business owner, it is time to ask yourself; How can I turn my audience into my content creators? The answer; Start small, invite your customers in, and let Owlet help you scale.