11 Important Website Metrics You Should Track

How to Improve Your Social Marketing With User-Generated Content

Have your influencer campaigns stopped performing? Wondering how to find and amplify engaging user-generated content (UGC)?

In this article, you’ll discover the types of UGC that work for marketers right now.

How to Source UGC for Social Media Marketing Strategy

The best way to find UGC depends on the social platforms your customers typically use. Are they scattered across multiple social media platforms? If so, a third-party social media dashboard is the most efficient option for locating UGC across channels. Most automatically collect mentions and tags in a single tab so you can manage UGC easily.

However, you can always use native tools to spot UGC on an individual social media platform. For example, Meta Business Suite consolidates UGC from your linked Facebook and Instagram pages on the Mentions & Tags tab. In most other social media apps, you can find UGC by checking notifications and tags or by searching for your branded and campaign hashtags.

How to Organize UGC for Your Social Media Strategy

Below, we’ll cover strategies for sharing UGC. But before you get to that point, make sure to save and document the content. It’s typically best to save UGC both on- and off-platform so you can easily access the original content and share it with your team.

To save social media content natively, create a UGC swipe file for each platform. For example, you can use Twitter bookmarks and Instagram saves to keep content handy. With a social network like Facebook, you can create an organizational system that works for you and save UGC in its own dedicated folder.


To consolidate all UGC from across social media channels, create a simple database where you can track it. For example, Google Sheets and Airtable work well for building basic UGC lists. They can easily track the link to the original post, the creator’s handle, a screenshot of the original post, and any other helpful details.

You can also use your UGC database to brainstorm captions and other elements to add when you share the UGC. You may also want to add notes about when to include each post in your content calendar, as you may want to work it into a marketing campaign.

How to Get Permission to Share UGC In Your Social Media Marketing Efforts

Unless you use in-app sharing tools to repost UGC (see below), it’s crucial to get permission to publish UGC. After all, the content belongs to the original creator. Depending on the methods you use to source UGC, you can get permission before the creator submits the content or after you source it.

If you run a hashtag campaign or a UGC contest, it’s easiest to confirm permission before creators submit content. You can do that by clarifying the terms on your social profile or by linking out to a landing page that details how you’ll use the images or videos.

If you find UGC in your mentions or notifications, you’ll need to ask for permission directly. It’s often simplest to do that by commenting on the post or sending the customer a DM. Thank them for featuring your brand and ask for permission to post the content to your feed.

Types of UGC to Promote Now

Now you know how to source and organize fan- and customer-created content. Next, let’s explore the different types of UGC so you can find one that appeals to your target audience.
Lifestyle Content

As one of the most common types of UGC, lifestyle content may account for a large percentage of your brand’s tags and mentions. This kind of content shows your product or service in action and may include brief commentary from the creator. Lifestyle content is great for sharing since it’s usually positive and shows your brand in a real way.

In the Facebook post below, @counterculturecoffee shares two lifestyle posts that show the brand’s coffee in a natural home setting. The brand keeps the caption minimal, tagging the creator and using the name of the coffee to create a catchy call to action (CTA).

How-To Content

Are your products challenging to use or master? Do your customers get creative with how they use, make, or style your products? Customer-created how-to content can be just as effective as the videos and graphics your team makes in-house.

For example, how-to UGC might reveal simple hacks that help customers use your services more effectively. This kind of UGC might also show an advanced way to use your products, appealing to long-time customers. Although most how-to UGC is genuinely helpful, some might serve as an example of what not to do—which can be just as engaging.

Unboxing Videos

Does your brand have distinctive packaging that’s a point of pride for your team? Do you want new customers to get excited about opening one of your packages or inspire existing customers to make a repeat purchase? Unboxing videos are great for capturing the excitement of opening a new product.

In the Instagram story highlight below, @ftlofshop shares two unboxing reels from customers. Both show the care that goes into the packaging and capture the customers’ excitement. By keeping these shared reels in story highlights, the jewelry shop can continue to use them to inspire new customers.

Branded and Campaign Hashtags

If you want to make it as easy as possible for customers to tag your brand in UGC posts, create a branded hashtag. Make sure it’s unique so unrelated content won’t get mixed in with your customers’ UGC. Then list it in your social profiles so customers can easily find and use it.

To encourage customers to create content on more specific topics, create a hashtag campaign. Once again, make sure it’s unique to keep the hashtag feed clean. Then promote the hashtag campaign in organic or paid content, prompting customers to use it. Check the hashtag feed regularly to find campaign content and confirm permission before sharing.

Themed UGC Contests

Although unique hashtags often work well for running UGC campaigns and sourcing customer-created content, they aren’t your only option. With UGC contests, you can encourage customers to create and submit content that fits specific parameters. Then offer a compelling prize to improve participation.

It’s typically easiest to run UGC campaigns through external landing pages, even if the content comes from social media. With a separate landing page, you can outline the terms clearly and collect UGC efficiently without having to scroll through hashtag feeds. This method can also make it easier to select winners and award prizes.

Reviews and Testimonials

UGC doesn’t always have to be visual. Quotes from customer reviews or testimonials can also resonate with your followers. So can screen grabs of some of your funniest or most flattering customer mentions.

As an example, the @Jotform tweet below features a tweet from a happy customer. It’s short and to the point, succinctly sharing why the customer likes the online form builder and how they use it. In the caption, @Jotform adds a brief CTA prompting customers to share their own reasons for using the software.

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