User Generated Content

User generated content covers all content created and published not by a brand itself but by its users. This includes reviews, comments, photos, videos, testimonials and posts on social networks. Such content feels more credible than classic brand communication because it comes from the real experience of real people, not from commissioned production.

Typical formats

Product reviews in shops, testimonials on review platforms, customer photos on social networks, unboxing videos and honest reports in blogs are the most common formats. Brand hashtags on TikTok or Instagram, under which users collect their own posts, also fall into this category. Some brands build entire campaigns around it by proposing a clearly defined format and rewarding contributions.

Legal and quality aspects

When using user generated content for your own advertising, the creator's consent is mandatory because copyright sits with the author. Personality rights of depicted persons must also be respected. Quality varies strongly with user generated content, so curation pays off to show only content that fits the brand and represents the product fairly, without tipping over into polished self promotion.

In everyday marketing

User generated content works especially well in social ads, on product detail pages and as trust elements on landing pages. User reviews with name, date and photo lift conversion significantly more than generic stock photos. Anyone building the channel should ask for testimonials after an order and give users clear, simple ways to publish, for example through short forms or a pre prepared hashtag.