3 Types of User-Generated Content and How to Use Them

In all the articles we’ve written about UGC and its benefits, we’ve never discussed how to use different types of UGC.

We’re going to fix that today.

The truth is that there are several different types of user generated content, and some kinds are more effective in different settings–although we’re partial to paid ads if you want to see a clear ROI.

But before we get into that, let’s make sure we know what UGC is!

What is UGC?

UGC (or user-generated content) is one of the most effective types of content for social media marketing.

Why?

Because it’s actual customers sharing their experience with your products. People trust that–and for good reason.

We’ve talked a lot about what UGC is before on the blog, but it boils down to the fact that people trust people more than they trust your marketing department.

So, if you can get regular people talking about their great experience with your product, that’s your best chance at convincing new people to buy from you.

Types of user generated content

Now that we know what UGC is, let’s talk about the different types of user generated content. We’ll start with the most common and popular options and then work our way down to the more unusual ones.

Videos and photos

Videos and photos are some of the most popular types of user-generated content. And they are what they sound like–pictures or videos of people using a specific product or brand. (We have some UGC video examples here)

You can get these UGC videos and photos from your users (usually, you’ll have to run some sort of giveaway or contest) or from platforms like Clip, where we have thousands of home studio creators ready to make content for brands.

If you opt to get content from your customers, the problem will be quality. You can repost them to your Instagram or TikTok, but they might not be a great fit for ads.

That’s when using Clip is a good idea–to help you get the best-in-class UGC for all your marketing needs. Just ask our customers–that’s what we do best!

Here’s how to use user generated videos and photos:

• In paid ads. This is by FAR the best ROI–it can help you spread brand awareness and bring in new customers.
• On your organic social media profiles. The ROI is pretty small (especially at first), but if you have the videos already, it’s worth a shot!
• Your website and other pages. Use the best videos and photos on your product pages, resources, and other places on your website where potential customers might go. It’s a small change, so you might not see much ROI, but it increases your chances of converting customers.

Our top choice: Using them in ads. Meta and TikTok are great platforms to start, and depending on your target audience, SnapChat or LinkedIn could work too. Running ads can be tricky, but if you do it right, you’ll see more ROI from this option than the others combined.

Written testimonials

Many places (Google Reviews, TrustPilot, or Yotpo, for example) can help you collect reviews for your brand. If you sell products on Amazon or a similar site, you can also screenshot reviews there and use them as part of your content strategy.

By the way–testimonials don’t have to be written. You can also get video testimonials, which fall under the first category. Mixing up your mediums and seeing what audiences respond to is a great way to boost your marketing!

Here’s how to use UGC testimonials:

• In paid ads. Lots of brands see a huge ROI when they use reviews in ads–whether those are videos or photos. Some platforms, like Reviews.io, even have the option to turn testimonials into images that you can immediately use in ads.
• On your organic social media profiles. Showcase them on your Instagram or integrate them into a TikTok video to build your reputation.
• On your website. You’ll mostly want to use reviews on pricing and product pages to help you increase your chances of converting new customers.

Comments, posts, or audio files

Okay, we’re pushing this a bit–because once you talk about videos, photos, and written testimonials, you’ve exhausted the “normal” types of user generated content. And you could argue that comments and posts are another form of written review.

But we don’t want you to lose out on places you could look for UGC.

Or, consider this example: What if a customer goes on a podcast and mentions your brand and products and how much they love using them? This is a piece of UGC, but it’s in audio form.

So we’re including these here to remind you: Anything where your brand is mentioned in any way is a piece of UGC. Anything one of your customers creates that mentions your brand is UGC, and it’s good to be on the lookout for it.

How to use it:

• Paid ads, organic social media, and your website are also great fits for these types of user generated content! For example, what if you got a clip of that podcast recording and used it as the audio for a video showcasing your products? That’d be great!
• The main thing to remember is that you can use anything positive you see about your brand online. Get creative!

Where is UGC the most valuable?

We mentioned this above, but it’s worth repeating: Paid advertising is the BEST place to use UGC. It’s the only way you’ll get a trackable ROI. Sure, it’s not cheap–on top of what you spend to get the UGC, you’ll have to invest additional money in running ads. Running ads isn’t a walk in the park, either.

But this is where you’ll see the biggest bang for your buck: more customers and sales.

So if you don’t already know how to run ads, spend some time figuring it out. Use UGC as your ad creative, and watch the sales roll in (once you get the hang of it).

What do you do with UGC?

That just about covers it! How do you use UGC? Is there anything we missed? Let us know in the comments!