How to Create UGC Content for Brands

Your best marketing content isn't created by your team, it's being made right now by your happiest customers. This guide breaks down exactly how to create a User-Generated Content strategy that encourages your audience to become your most enthusiastic advocates. We'll cover everything from building a repeatable system for gathering content to using it ethically and effectively to grow your brand.

What is UGC and Why Your Brand Needs It

User-Generated Content (UGC) is any form of content - text, videos, images, reviews - created by individuals rather than brands. Instead of a slick, polished ad, it's a real person showing off how they use your product, wearing your clothes, or visiting your cafe. Think of it as digital word-of-mouth that builds a level of trust professional marketing just can't buy.

But why does it work so well?

• Authenticity and Trust: People trust other people far more than they trust brands. A glowing review or unboxing video from a peer feels genuine because it is. This is social proof in its purest form, showing potential customers that real people love what you do.
• Higher Engagement: Social media algorithms reward content that sparks conversation and connection. UGC is inherently personal and relational, which means it often performs better than branded posts, leading to more likes, comments, and shares.
• Cost-Effective Content: Let's be honest, creating high-quality content is a lot of work. UGC provides a steady stream of authentic visuals and testimonials without the heavy lifting of a professional photoshoot. In many cases, it's completely free aside from the time it takes to manage it.

First, Build Your UGC Strategy

Jumping in and just asking for photos might get you some content, but for sustained success, you need a plan. A solid strategy ensures the UGC you collect supports your business goals. Take a few minutes to think through these steps before you launch anything.

1. Set Clear Goals

What do you actually want to achieve with UGC? Getting specific will guide your entire approach. Are you trying to:

• Increase brand awareness? Your goal might be to maximize shares and reach.
• Boost sales for a specific product? You'll want content that features that product in use, which you can place on product pages.
• Build a stronger community? Your focus might be on prompting conversations and interactions.

A brand launching a new sneaker, for example, might have a goal of collecting 50 photos of customers styling the shoe to use on their e-commerce site. A local coffee shop might want 20 Instagram Stories tags per week to show how busy and loved their location is. Define what success looks like for you.

2. Know What Content You Want (And Where)

Next, get specific about the type of content you want. Static images are great for your grid, while lo-fi videos and Reels often get better reach. The platform you choose also heavily influences the content style. A professional portfolio shot for LinkedIn is totally different from a casual "day in the life" TikTok video.

Think about where your audience hangs out. If they’re on Instagram, a campaign centered around Reels and aesthetic photography makes sense. If they are professionals on LinkedIn, asking for testimonials or stories of career success tied to your product is a better fit. Don't ask your audience to create content on a platform they don't naturally use.

5 Actionable Ways to Get Awesome UGC

Once you have a strategy, it's time for the fun part: encouraging your community to create. Here are five simple but effective methods to start sourcing incredible content from your audience.

1. Spark Action with a Giveaway or Contest

A contest is one of the fastest ways to get the ball rolling. It gives people a direct incentive to participate and follow your specific instructions. The formula is simple: ask for a certain type of content in exchange for a chance to win a prize.

How to Do It:

• Choose an appealing prize. The prize should be related to your brand. A lifetime supply of your product, a huge gift card, or an exclusive experience works better than generic prizes like an iPad.
• Create a unique hashtag. This helps you track all the entries. Make it short, memorable, and easy to spell. For a plant company, something like #MyPlantPalace is more fun and specific than #PlantContest2024.
• Set clear rules. Tell people exactly what you want to see. Should they post an image or a video? Do they need to tag your account and use the hashtag? Make the instructions impossible to misunderstand.

For example, outerwear brand The North Face’s #NeverStopExploring campaign encourages users to share photos of their adventures. The motivation isn't a single prize but the chance to be featured on their massive social channels - a form of recognition that feels just as valuable to their adventurous audience.

2. Make Your Branded Hashtag a Habit

You don’t always need a contest. Sometimes, all you need is a simple, go-to hashtag that becomes synonymous with your brand. The goal is to create a living gallery of customer experiences that people can browse anytime.

Your hashtag should be something you can promote everywhere: in your social bio, on your packaging, in your email newsletters, and even in physical store locations. Some of the most iconic brands have mastered this. Fenty Beauty uses #FentyFace to collect thousands of makeup looks from their customers, and homeware brand Parachute uses #MyParachuteHome to showcase beautiful, user-decorated spaces.

Tips for a Great Branded Hashtag:

• Keep it simple and on-brand. Avoid complex words or brand names that are easily misspelled.
• Promote it consistently. Don't just mention it once. Make it a core part of your social media identity.
• Engage with it. Regularly comment on and share posts using your hashtag to show people you’re paying attention. That positive reinforcement encourages more people to use it.

3. Prompt Your Audience with Questions and Cues

Sometimes your audience is happy to share, they just need an idea. Directly asking for what you want is an underrated tactic. You can make it fun by turning it into a weekly series or a creative prompt.

Examples of prompts:

• A pet food brand: "Show us your pup's favorite nap spot! 🐶💤 #PawsAndRelax"
• A fitness apparel company: "What was your proudest moment at the gym this week? Show us the move! 💪 #GymWin"
• A SaaS company: "Share a screenshot of your favorite ____ dashboard and tell us how it helps you stay organized. 💻"

These prompts give people a low-stakes, simple way to join the conversation. They don't have to think too hard, they just have to respond to your cue.

4. Find and Feature Organic Mentions

This is the easiest UGC to get because it already exists. People are likely already posting about your brand without being asked. Your job is just to find them. Spend a few minutes each day searching for:

• Tagged photos and videos: Check your tagged posts tab on Instagram and TikTok.
• Location tags: If you have a physical location, monitor who’s tagging it.
• Keywords and name variations: Search for your brand name (including common misspellings) to find posts where you weren’t tagged.

When you find a great piece of content, the next step is absolutely essential: always ask for permission to repost it. A quick DM or a comment is all it takes. Say something like, "Wow, we love this photo! Would you mind if we shared it on our feed? We'll be sure to give you full credit!" Most people will be thrilled to say yes.

5. Partner with Creators (On Their Terms)

Collaborating with influencers or content creators is a great way to get high-quality promotional content framed as authentic UGC. The key is to avoid being overly prescriptive. Instead of giving them a rigid script, give them a loose brief and creative freedom. You’re paying for their creative eye and their trusted relationship with their audience - let them use it.

Ask them to create a Reel showing how your product fits into their daily routine or an honest "first impressions" video. The content they produce is technically sponsored, but it retains the authentic feel of UGC that an audience trusts because it’s told in the creator's voice.

How to Use UGC the Right Way: Dos and Don'ts

Now that you have a library of great content, how do you use it without alienating the very community that created it? Follow these simple rules of etiquette.

✅ DO: Always Give Credit

This is non-negotiable. Clearly tag the original creator's handle in the first line of your caption and in the photo or video itself. It’s respectful, and encourages others to share in the hopes of being featured, too.

❌ DON'T: Repost without Context

Never just repost a user's photo with a generic caption like "Great shot!". Add your own brand's voice. Pull out a detail you loved about their photo, connect it to a product benefit, or ask your audience a question about it. For example, "We love how @[username] styled our classic tee for a perfect weekend look. How would you wear it?"

✅ DO: Repurpose UGC Across Multiple Channels

Your social feed is just the beginning. The most successful brands use UGC everywhere to build social proof.

• Embed it on your e-commerce product pages.
• Feature it in your email marketing campaigns.
• Turn it into high-performing social ads.
• Use it on your website's homepage.

❌ DON'T: Be a Ghost

Thank the creator publicly after you’ve shared their content. And don't forget everyone else who participated in your campaign or used your hashtag. A simple "like" or positive comment on their posts goes a long way toward making your community feel seen and valued.

Final Thoughts

Creating UGC is about more than just filling your content calendar - it’s about building a brand that people feel a part of. By setting clear goals, providing simple ways to participate, and celebrating every piece of content that comes in, you can turn your audience from passive followers into your greatest storytellers.

Once you gather all this great content, the challenge is keeping it organized and scheduled without spending hours in spreadsheets. To help with that, we built Postbase with a visual content calendar that makes it incredibly simple to plan everything you post. You can see all your scheduled UGC, draft your captions, and get a clear view of your strategy on one screen, so your channels always look fresh and authentic.