User-generated content (UGC)

User-generated content (UGC) are photos, social media posts, reviews and other forms of content that customers of a brand share publicly, identifying the brand. The most common type is pictures on social media or uploaded to a dedicated section on the site, showing the customers using the product. 

UGC is powerful because it is free and authentic, users decide how to depict the product. It adds more information for other potential buyers, other than what’s in the product description. People get to see various easy to style a fashion item, for example. Many brands regram Instagram posts they’re tagged in for a more natural connection with their audience. It’s also a common practice to hold competitions for UGC.