One of the key features in the rise of social media has been user-generated content (UGC). It’s exactly as it sounds: real people using apps like Instagram and TikTok to post their own content, such as text, videos, and images. This can include personal blogs, reviews of local businesses, or product unboxings, among others. UGC’s growth has opened new advertising opportunities that brands have been exploring without large-scale campaign costs.
Why Has UGC Become So Big in Advertising?
Part of the reason advertisers use UGC is that the user can be anyone; they don’t need to be a celebrity or someone extremely famous. This gives UGC a more homemade, less polished appearance—a rawness that is widely embraced. Content, like a video, created by a regular person instead of a highly scripted visual campaign, feels more relatable and personal.
UGC also helps a brand integrate better into people’s social media feeds. Online, people frequently encounter ads; a SurveyMonkey poll reports that 74% of social media users say they see too many ads. Since UGC is created by individuals rather than companies, a product or brand featured in a UGC post will be viewed by social media algorithms as just another post, because it is.
Examples of UGC in Action
Coca-Cola’s “Share a Coke” campaign is one of the most successful forms of UGC. This campaign features the iconic Coke bottles, cans, and glasses without the typical branding. Instead of the logo, there’s someone’s name, along with the phrase “Share a Coke with…” People who found packaging with their name or received it as a gift were encouraged to share their finds on social media through pictures on Instagram or other photo-sharing apps. The result was over a billion online impressions, establishing Coke as a brand centered on social connections.
Another example is Apple’s “Shot on iPhone” campaign. It encouraged iPhone users to share on social media pictures or videos they took with their Apple devices, under the tagline “Shot on iPhone.” The content could range from a series of photographs to homemade videos, with the overall aim of showcasing the iPhone’s camera and recording capabilities. As a result, Apple experienced a 24% increase in phone sales.
Benefits of UGC
For brands, there are many advantages to using UGC campaigns. For starters, it’s highly cost-effective. Since the content is created directly by users, there’s no need to fund expensive or elaborate large-scale visual productions. UGC also helps build and sustain trust between consumers and brands because content from real users feels more genuine than traditional ads.
UGC further boosts overall brand visibility in multiple ways. Photos and videos can promote interaction among users and be shared organically hundreds of times, increasing visibility and brand awareness. People on social media can see users enjoying a product—such as a Coca-Cola with their name on it or praising an iPhone’s camera—and may want to participate themselves. All of this demonstrates why UGC can be such an effective marketing strategy.
Reach Out to Us
If you’re looking for a fresh approach for your next campaign, give us a shout.
