From customer reviews and client testimonials to social media influencer videos and brand ambassador blog posts, user-generated content has become a remarkably powerful tool to help small businesses reach their customer base in new and authentic ways.
But along with that power there is also the potential for user-generated content to go disastrously wrong if executed poorly. It can be difficult to understand exactly what UGC is and if and when you should use it in your content marketing strategy.
That’s why we gathered several digital marketing experts from our community to get their thoughts on user-generated content and how it can fit into a small business marketing strategy. They shared their insights on what UGC is, how small businesses can best use it, and some of the potential pitfalls to avoid when using user-generated content.
What is user-generated content?
In the context of digital marketing, user-generated content[1] is generally any content about your product, brand, or company that is created by a customer or client. This can include just about anything from images and videos posted to various social media platforms (like an Instagram feed), to reviews that are posted on product pages or eCommerce sites.
Some of the most common examples of UGC right now include YouTube and TikTok reviews or unboxings, and testimonials posted to users’ social media accounts. But these are all really just a new way of harnessing one of the oldest and most valuable types of marketing: word of mouth.
There are numerous layers and additions that can make UGC even more robust, including branded hashtags, giveaways, and more. But overall, the central feature of user-generated content is that it highlights real people sharing their experience with products, services, or brands. From Apple to Calvin Klein, Starbucks, Coca-Cola, and many more, organizations from the Fortune 500 to the shop down the street are finding tremendous value and impact from various types of UGC.[2]
How does UGC fit into an SMB marketing strategy?
User-generated content is often tied very closely to social media, but that doesn’t mean that it should only be relegated to social media channels. In fact, UGC can be taken and adapted to nearly every facet of your company’s marketing campaigns in order to build trust, reach potential customers, and even drive improved conversion rates.
As you would expect, user-generated content can (and should) become a key component of your overall content marketing efforts. While all content types will have varying levels of engagement and success, incorporating user-generated content as a valuable component of your marketing campaigns can be a cost-effective way to drive brand awareness, customer satisfaction, and ultimately the customers’ purchasing decisions.
In terms of how to fit UGC into your overall marketing strategy, the options are wide open. The key is to approach UGC in the same way you approach all of your other digital marketing efforts–strategically, and with a plan. The content that works for your company website is not the same content that will work on TikTok, for instance. So apply the same strategic thinking to your UGC efforts and you will be able to utilize it in a focused, goal-oriented way.
Should SMBs use UGC in their marketing strategy?
On the question of whether small businesses should use UGC in their marketing efforts, all of our experts were in agreement: Absolutely! The potential value, return on investment, and other benefits[3] make the use of UGC worthwhile in everyone’s eyes, as long as you approach it with the same scrutiny and realism as your other marketing campaigns and components.
“From our agency’s experience, UGC isn’t just another content format—it’s a bridge that connects brands to their community. And for SMBs, it’s an opportunity to harness the power of community-driven narratives. While traditional branded content is vital, UGC brings genuine stories and experiences, grounding the brand in real-world interactions. In essence, UGC amplifies trust, fosters community, and provides rich insights, making it indispensable for a robust marketing strategy.” –Muhammad Younus, Founder & CEO of Agency Partner Interactive
These thoughts were echoed by many of our panelists, all of whom agreed that there is terrific value and real incentives available to businesses that take the time to source, curate, and promote user-generated content.
“User-generated content holds immense potential for SMBs. It provides them with a wealth of authentic content and helps them understand their audience better. By analyzing the content created by their users, SMBs can gain insights into their preferences, needs, and expectations.” —Stephen Herz, President, Moonstone Interactive, Inc
Examples of UGC in SMB marketing
Examples of user-generated content abound, but our panel of experts had a few specific ideas that floated to the top of the list for small businesses. And they extend well beyond your company’s social media channels, allowing you to get even more value and impact from a user-generated content campaign.
“As an SEO writer, I use UGC in order to create unique case studies, blog posts, how-to articles, etc. SEO is extremely competitive, and when you are trying to rank for competitive key terms, having uniquely structured content is one of the best ways to give your website’s content a fighting chance. UGC content allows me to blend technical SEO practices with an authentic user experience of the product/service. It’s a great way to appeal to both search engine algorithms and the audiences who will read it.” –Sara Lynch, SEO Content Writer at ProfileTree
The best user-generated content examples are those that create a strong, authentic connection between the product or service, the customer, and the brand. Product reviews, customer testimonials, and customer photos and selfies are just a few common types of UGC that help to make these connections, because they place the brand and the product or service in a real-life scenario.
“UGC can be powerful in brand awareness and connecting existing customers when a brand’s identity and culture is part of its unique value. For example, an outdoor equipment store leveraging UGC content about how customers use their equipment for various outdoor adventures. It combines brand awareness, product awareness, and ideas for adventures that their target audience is likely already consuming or searching for. The brand becomes more than outdoor equipment, it becomes part of a lifestyle.” –Jaime Theler, Director of Creative Services at Big Leap
There are also terrific examples of UGC that create or utilize social proof[4]. In other words, the user-generated content causes others to jump in and create their own content as well due to the popularity of the campaign, content, or product.
“The Twix ‘Left Twix’ and ‘Right Twix’ campaign took a bold approach with its leverage of UGC through a fictional rivalry between the left and right sides of a Twix bar. Consumers took to social media to express how much ‘better’ their side of the candy bar was, which encouraged people to pick up a bar and test their theories. While they used bold PR to create excitement for the brand, the company reverted back to typical PR approaches such as press releases, advertisements, and digital content curation when focusing on particular audiences to target their interests.” –Robin Dimond, CEO and Founder of Fifth & Cor
What are the biggest benefits of UGC for small businesses?
As mentioned before, there are some terrific benefits to the use of user-generated content. Content creation in general can be expensive (photography, hiring video crews, etc.), but user-generated content is both effective and affordable.
“UGC plays a significant role in boosting user engagement for SMBs. When customers help make content for a brand, they feel like it’s theirs and become loyal to it. This connection can increase engagement on social media. User-generated content can also be instrumental in driving conversions and sales for SMBs. When people see others recommend a product or service, they trust the brand more and are likelier to buy it.” —Stephen Herz, President, Moonstone Interactive, Inc
The top benefit for many of our panelists, though, was the authenticity of UGC.
“Customers today value authenticity during their buying journey, and content created by the company will inevitably be biased. UGC, however, is a genuine reflection of a brand’s products, values, and services, and is something that will resonate a lot more with buyers today, especially the upcoming Gen-Z demographic.” –Ryan Stone, Creative Director at Lambda Films
That authenticity is not just about a real person and their real use of the product or interaction with the brand, though. It’s also very much about the fact that a user is not tied to the company in any way, so they can offer an unbiased take on their experience.
“UGC is gold for all small businesses because it represents validation from someone who is not invested in the outcome. When a potential client talks to the business directly, you hope the information gained is true. Reading or watching a review or testimonial from other people is more trusted!” –Dotty Scott, Website Designer at Premium Websites
Finally, while there is some time required for the content creation process in terms of a UGC campaign, the results generally occur much more quickly.
“We have seen near-instant improvement in paid social ad performance with brands leveraging UGC as ads. First, they help produce higher click-through rates, meaning that you receive more clicks to your website and higher potential revenue at the same digital marketing spend. They also are a lot more engaging than traditional ads which creates more interest around your business.” –Jonathan Gosper, Partner & COO at Evestar
What are the biggest potential downsides of UGC for small businesses?
Of course, no marketing strategy is without its downsides, and there can be some concerns with user-generated content as a strategy or component of your marketing efforts.
“It’s essential to ensure the content aligns with the brand and has proper permissions for use. Buyers are becoming more wary of online reviews due to the increase of fake reviews found across many platforms. The best use of UGC is asking real customers to show, review, use, or describe your products. This gives buyers an honest look at your products or services and gives them more confidence in their buying decisions.” –Domenique Comparetto, Head of Content Strategy at Altered State Productions
Beyond concerns about the authenticity of your UGC, another thing to keep in mind is that utilizing user-generated content really requires active participation on your part. You have to keep an eye on everything and communicate clearly in order to make UGC work for your business rather than be a detriment.
“I’ve found that UGC often sparks fresh ideas for our own content. It’s a loop of inspiration! But there’s a caveat: if you’re not able to engage with users regularly, do not engage the UGC strategy. You need to moderate UGC to watch for inappropriate content or content that doesn’t support your brand. You absolutely need a strategy behind it to get customers to contribute quality content consistently. And it takes a lot of resources to repurpose UGC across marketing channels.” –Ivan Vislavskiy, CEO of Comrade Digital Marketing Agency
Tips for SMBs learning how to use UGC in their marketing strategy
Ultimately, the goal of any business is to increase sales and drive more business, and user-generated content can absolutely be a part of that equation. But there are numerous other benefits to using UGC as a key piece of your marketing efforts, including increasing trust in your brand, driving more reach for your campaigns affordably, improving customer loyalty and retention, and much more.
“Encourage UGC with recognition, incentives, and value, creating a community around your brand, making it easy for customers to create and share content, and providing tools and resources for content creation. Create a holistic, enjoyable UX.” —Stephen Herz, President, Moonstone Interactive, Inc
In order to make the most of your UGC, though, our panelists offered a few pieces of advice, including the importance of knowing your audience.
“Our top piece of advice for clients is to LEARN YOUR AUDIENCE. Be aware of what they love about your business, how they are finding you, and what their top uses for your products and/or services are. Begin to practice anticipating their needs. This way, when it’s time to launch your campaign, you have your audience in the palm of your hand.” –Reshauna Striggles, Lead Strategist at Msnewsworthy
And while there was a great deal of worthwhile advice about specific implementation steps, perhaps one of the best tips for small businesses when it comes to user-generated content is to welcome all the responses–good and bad.
“Realize that all responses have value. Even if it’s a bad review, it can be a learning experience and something you can use to get better. Just don’t get caught up in every piece of feedback. Not all of them are something you should pay attention to.” –Hayden Rue, SEO Specialist at Clear Door SEO
Going beyond testimonials and influencer marketing
The landscape for user-generated content and its marketing applications is constantly growing, and there are certainly more ways to make UGC a part of your social media content, paid ad campaigns, and more. While our panel of experts provided some outstanding advice here, there is still a tremendous amount of guidance and expertise that couldn’t fit into this article.
Never fear, though; dozens of highly reviewed digital marketing and content marketing experts are part of the UpCity network, and stand ready to help you implement and improve your marketing through focused and effective user-generated content campaigns.
Sources
- What is User-Generated Content? And Why is it Important?, Hootsuite
- 11 Real-World Examples of Successful User-Generated Content Campaigns, U.S. Chamber of Commerce
- The Small Business Guide to User-Generated Content Marketing, Microsoft 365
- Social Proof, Sprout Social