User-Generated Content (UGC): Definition and How to Use It
User-generated content (UGC) is content about your brand made by the people who use it, not by you. Reviews, social posts, unboxing videos, screenshots, community answers and case-study quotes all count. UGC works because buyers trust other customers more than they trust brands. It answers the question every prospect has: “Did this work for someone like me?”
Key takeaways
- UGC is social proof. It's most valuable near the decision: on landing pages, pricing pages and ads.
- Always get permission before reusing a customer's content, and credit them.
- Fake, bought or selectively suppressed reviews are now explicitly illegal in the US.
Why user-generated content works
People trust people. In Nielsen’s 2021 Trust in Advertising study, recommendations from people we know topped every channel.
- 88% of consumers trust recommendations from friends and family most, across 56 countries Nielsen Trust in Advertising Study, 2021
UGC is the closest thing at scale. It also helps performance: creator-style and customer videos often feel native in social feeds, so they can outperform polished brand ads. Test both rather than assume.
Types of user-generated content
| Type | Where it’s useful | B2B example |
|---|---|---|
| Reviews and ratings | Product pages, Google Business Profile, review sites | G2 or Clutch reviews |
| Testimonials | Landing and pricing pages | A client quote with name and role |
| Social posts and videos | Social proof, ads | A customer sharing a result on LinkedIn |
| Case study interviews | Sales decks, website | Challenge, approach, results in the client’s words |
| Community content | Help centers, forums | Users answering each other’s questions |
| Creator UGC | Paid ads | Paid creators filming honest product demos (disclosed) |
The rules changed in 2024
The US Federal Trade Commission’s final rule on fake reviews and testimonials, announced on August 14, 2024, bans creating or buying fake reviews (including AI-generated ones), paying for reviews that must express a particular sentiment, undisclosed insider reviews, company-run “independent” review sites, and suppressing negative reviews through threats. The FTC can seek civil penalties from knowing violators (FTC, 2024). Paid creator content must be disclosed as an ad.
Myth vs fact
- MythOffering a discount for a five-star review is fine if the customer really liked the product.
- FactIncentives tied to a particular sentiment are banned under the FTC rule. You can ask for honest reviews, and you can offer an incentive for any review, positive or negative, with disclosure.
An example from our work
Ask for honest reviews and make it easy: a direct link, sent right after a good outcome, with no strings attached. I'd rather a client have twelve genuine reviews with a couple of mixed ones than fifty perfect ones nobody believes. Buyers read the critical reviews closely, and a calm, helpful reply to them builds more trust than another five-star rating.
How to collect and use UGC
A permission-first UGC process
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Ask at the right moment
Request a review or quote right after a win: a milestone hit, a project delivered, a renewal signed.
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Make it easy
Send a direct link to the review site, or offer a 10-minute call and write the quote for their approval.
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Get written permission
Confirm where you'll use their words, name, photo or logo, and for how long.
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Keep it verbatim
Don't edit meaning. Trim only with approval.
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Place it near decisions
Landing pages, pricing, checkout, sales decks and retargeting ads. Test placements as part of conversion rate optimization.
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Refresh and respond
Reply to reviews, including negative ones, and rotate in new content every quarter.
Happy customers who create content are often ready to refer others too. See referral marketing and social media marketing.
Frequently asked questions
What is an example of user-generated content?
A customer posting a LinkedIn update about results they got with your product, a five-star Google review, or a client video describing how your team helped them.
Do I need permission to use a customer's post?
Yes. Ask in writing before using someone's content in your marketing, and credit them. Platform terms don't give you the right to reuse their content in ads.
Is paid creator content still UGC?
It's often called UGC because of its style, but legally it's an endorsement. Paid creators must disclose the relationship, and you must not present it as unpaid.
How does UGC help conversion rates?
It reduces doubt at the decision point. Testing customer proof on landing and pricing pages often lifts conversion, but always measure it on your own pages.