In short: UGC (user-generated content) is content that looks as if a real customer made it: vertical, relatable, without an ad look. Brands mainly use UGC videos as ads on TikTok, Instagram and Meta, because there they feel like a recommendation rather than advertising.
UGC: meaning
Originally, user-generated content meant anything users publish themselves: reviews, photos, unboxing videos, comments. In marketing, the term has shifted. When brands talk about UGC today, they usually mean videos by UGC creators: people who produce content in the style of real users on behalf of a brand. The brand receives the videos including usage rights and runs them on its own channels or as ads.
The difference from influencer marketing: with UGC, what counts is not the creator’s reach but the video itself. It runs on the brand’s channels, not on the creator’s profile.
Why UGC works
- It fits the feed. Vertical, phone look, a person talking straight to camera – that is what people watch on TikTok and Instagram anyway.
- It feels like a recommendation. A person shares their experience with a product. That builds a kind of trust classic advertising struggles to reach.
- It can be tested. One shoot delivers several openings and variants. The numbers quickly show which angle works.
The most important UGC formats
| Format | What happens | Works well for |
|---|---|---|
| Talking head | A person speaks straight to camera: problem, solution, result. | Apps, SaaS, products that need explaining |
| Testimonial | A first-hand review after using the product for a while. | Supplements, beauty, health |
| Unboxing | The product is unpacked and tried for the first time. | E-commerce, fashion, gadgets |
| Tutorial | Showing step by step how something works. | Beauty, software, kitchen |
| Faceless | Hands, product and voice-over, no face. | Product focus, fast variants |
| Couple | Two people in dialogue or everyday life. | Travel, dating apps, household |
| Location | Shot on site, often with drone footage and photos. | Hotels, restaurants, travel |
Where UGC videos run
Most UGC videos are used as ads: on Meta (Facebook and Instagram), TikTok and YouTube Shorts. They also appear in organic posts, on product pages, on Pinterest and in newsletters. Ads can also run through the creator’s profile – Meta calls this whitelisting, TikTok calls it Spark Ads.
How a good UGC video is structured
- Hook: the first one to three seconds decide whether someone keeps scrolling. A question, a surprising image, a clearly named problem.
- Story: problem, experience, solution – specific and credible instead of ad speak.
- Call to action: one clear next step, such as watch, try or order.
How well the opening works is shown by the hook rate.
When UGC makes sense for brands
UGC pays off especially when you run ads regularly and constantly need new creatives, when your product needs explanation or trust, or when you advertise in several languages and markets. If you only need an image film now and then, a classic production is often the better fit.
We have produced 2,000+ UGC videos for more than 300 brands. You’ll find examples by industry in our cases and how we produce UGC videos on our UGC videos & ads page.
FAQ
What does UGC mean?
User-generated content: content that looks as if a real user created it. In marketing, it usually means videos by UGC creators, made on behalf of a brand.
What is the difference between UGC and influencer marketing?
With influencer marketing, you pay for reach on the creator’s profile. With UGC, you get the video and the usage rights and run it on your own channels or as an ad.
Who owns the rights to UGC videos?
The brand receives the agreed usage rights. What, where and how long a video may be used is agreed per project.