9 User-Generated Content Examples To Inspire Your Campaigns

User-generated content (UGC) features photos and videos from real people sharing their experiences with a brand or product. These endorsements stand out as authentic and unbiased, making UGC a more trusted form of marketing than traditional advertising methods.

Read on for real user-generated content examples that show why this tactic is so powerful.

What’s UGC Marketing?

UGC marketing refers to brands promoting content created by fans or influencers. Loyal customers may choose to make these posts on their own to show support for their favorite companies. However, businesses can also create social media challenges or run contests to encourage people to highlight a product.

Companies often reshare these posts on their social media channels, but they may also use UGC on their websites or in a more traditional advertising medium like a TV ad. 

Types of User-Generated Content

Anyone can create UGC, from enthusiastic shoppers to social media stars with their own UGC portfolios. Below are a few examples of UGC people produce.

Social Media Posts

Social media content is one of the primary sources of UGC. Here are some examples:

• Daily life updates — Simple actions, such as tagging a lunch spot on Facebook or posting pictures of a new manicure on Instagram, act as forms of UCG. These uploads endorse companies that are part of people’s regular routines.
• “Outfit of the day” posts — In this trend, people explain where they got each item of clothing they’re wearing for the day, giving fashion brands visibility.
• Product reviews — Some creators make unboxing videos or tutorials with new items and tag the associated brands. These posts may simply support the uploader’s favorite items, or influencers might be hoping for a future sponsorship deal. 
• Memes and GIFs — People can share a funny take on a company’s TV ad or make relatable jokes featuring a specific product.

Testimonials

Sites like Yelp and Amazon have extensive testimonial sections where shoppers can share their opinions on their purchases. Additionally, most online stores offer a review section built into the website itself. New customers then rely heavily on these comments, gravitating toward products with more stars and higher praise. 

Blog Posts

Blog posts are one of the original forms of UCG, and the most authoritative bloggers can sway large numbers of readers with their posts. The most common forms of blog-based UGC include reviews, recommendations, and how-tos, often in list format.

Encouraging User-Generated Content

Brands that take the initiative to request UGC have greater success with their marketing efforts. Ways to do this include:

• Hashtag campaigns — A brand creates custom hashtags related to their products and encourages customers to use them. This tactic might lead to the hashtag trending on social media. Many platforms feature these popular tags prominently, so even people who don’t normally interact with the company might come across the phrase, increasing brand awareness.
• Contests — A brand offers prizes in a competition designed to promote its products or services. Doritos, for example, famously ran a contest for fan-created ads that would run during the Super Bowl. This strategy generated far more publicity and enthusiasm than if they had simply run their own commercial.
• Challenges — A brand challenges people to use their products in specific, creative ways. For instance, GoPro’s Snow Challenge encourages outdoor enthusiasts to share photos and videos shot with the portable camera. In exchange, the brand offers select winners a range of prizes, such as gear and money.

9 Best User-Generated Content Examples

Here are nine creative examples of user-generated content that have helped leading brands strengthen connections with existing and new customers.

1. Starbucks

Starbucks actively encourages UGC. For instance, they’ve run competitions asking customers to decorate their Starbucks cups and share photos online. The brand even supports users who share photos of misspelled names on their lattes. All of this social activity builds community relationships and shows how many people enjoy Starbucks coffee.

2. Dove

Dove has leaned heavily into authenticity for many years with their Real Beauty campaign. They’ve promoted positivity with their #SpeakBeautiful hashtag, even inspiring essays and poetry. This inclusive movement was early to welcome UCG from everyone, not only those conforming to certain beauty standards, making Dove’s products seem more accessible to all consumers.

3. GoPro

GoPro is in a unique position when it comes to UGC, since helping users create exciting video footage is the brand’s mission. These cameras have recorded everything from skydiving to a child’s first steps — and then the child’s first run down the ski slopes. 

The company regularly runs contests seeking videos that highlight unique ways of using their products, often with generous prizes for the winners. With this encouragement from the brand, GoPro is able to source a majority of its marketing content from UGC.

4. Airbnb

UGC has largely driven Airbnb’s success in social media. Travelers post beautiful pictures of the places they’ve been and stayed, and then (with permission) Airbnb reposts this content to their own social channels. This process gives the company an endless supply of gorgeous content that encourages people to travel and stay in Airbnbs.

5. Jones Soda

Jones Soda has developed a loyal following of users through a site gallery where UCG actually becomes the product. People submit their photos to the Jones Soda site, and the company showcases the images in a gallery. Other users vote on their favorites, and Jones prints the winners on limited-run soda bottles. Since customers became part of the production process, they’re more invested in the brand, and this loyalty leads to increased sales.

6. Coca-Cola

Coca-Cola’s “Share a Coke” campaign is a famous example of UGC. The company created personalized Coke bottles with names and messages, encouraging consumers to share them with friends. People posted about this on social media using the #ShareACoke hashtag, which Coca-Cola reposted on their own accounts. 

While simple, this tactic created a compounding sales effect — people bought Coke as gifts, receivers shared pictures on social media, and this UGC encouraged other shoppers to purchase soda for their friends.

7. IKEA

IKEA’s marketing strategy relies heavily on UGC. Their #IKEAatHome initiative encourages customers to share pictures of IKEA products in their homes. After surveying website visitors and social media followers, IKEA has found that these images boost sales more than traditional product photos.

8. Lululemon

Lululemon takes a slightly different approach to UGC. They hired a group of brand ambassadors to generate interest in the company and tag social posts with #TheSweatLife. The campaign’s success is undeniable, with plenty of non-ambassadors now contributing to the hashtag.

9. Nike

Nike’s famous “Just Do It” slogan has taken on new life with the hashtag #JustDoIt. Millions of inspirational Instagram posts use the tag, sharing content about peoples’ fitness journeys and personal successes. These uploads reinforce the brand's role in consumers’ successes, forming strong emotional bonds with new and existing customers.

Enhance UGC Marketing With Captions

For brands and content creators looking to add value to their UGC marketing efforts, Captions offers numerous tools to streamline content production.

Our AI Video Editor edits your raw footage by adding custom B-roll, sound effects, and transitions to your videos. You can also use Captions’ Promo Video Maker to share information about your products or the Video Ad Maker for branded commercials.

Whatever your advertising needs, use Captions to generate videos at scale.