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February 4th, 2025

Katja Orel

UGC Ads: Tips For Successful Campaigns

UGC advertising boosts trust by up to 2.4 times, increases sales, and helps put your brand on the map.

Unlike traditional ads, here’s why user-generated content ads are a trend you can't miss out on in 2025:

People don’t just see your product—they see stories they trust.

Want to learn how to make UGC ads that work for you?

This guide discusses the five elements of a successful UGC strategy and the top UGC ads tips to start.

What Are UGC Ads?

UGC ads are real, relatable content made by actual users.

They aren’t polished corporate campaigns—they’re authentic stories your audience trusts. That makes user-generated content ads the digital word-of-mouth.

That can be testimonials, product demos, short how-to videos or reels, or reviews

So why do you want real people to use and showcase your product in genuine ways?

Marketers agree that up to 91% of shoppers report feeling bombarded by too much advertising on various forums.

UGC campaigns are designed to help you avoid this exact problem.

Benefits of UGC Ads

UGC ads are your best move for building trust, driving engagement, and connecting with your audience.

Here’s how user-generated content ads deliver these big claims we just made:

By choosing user-generated content ads, you’re prioritizing authenticity and connection.

Read more UGC statistics on sales, marketing, consumer prescription and more.

What Makes an Effective UGC Ad?

So the gold standard of UGC ads, feel natural, relatable, and just…work. But what makes them click with your audience?

We're about to break into the five core principles of UGC that deliver all that, and more.

(Hint: It has very little to do with luck.)

1. Authenticity is everything.

Your audience can spot fake content from a mile away.

The best user-generated content ads feel like they come straight from real users.

That means less scripted perfection, and more dog barking in the background style ads that resonate.

How to do that? By Highlighting genuine emotions and moments that your audience can relate to.

2. Relevance with the Audience

A great UGC ad speaks directly to your audience’s needs and values.

Do you know who your audience is? If not, start there:

  • Tailor your content to specific demographics.
  • Gen Z loves fast-paced UGC TikTok ads with trending sounds.
  • Millennials? They prefer heartfelt, emotional ads featuring family or personal moments.

When you deliver ads that feel personal, they’ll perform better. Audience-targeted ads can increase conversions by 30%.

3. Emotional Connection

Want people to remember your ad? Make them feel something—anything.

Emotion is one of the strongest tools in marketing, and UGC advertising is no different.

Let’s take the example of sneaker ads.

Now, let's take a product ad that doesn’t just show results but tells the story of someone reclaiming their confidence through the same pair of sneakers.

Which would you buy from?

4. Attention-Grabbing Storytelling

Did you know that our current attention span now averages below a goldfish’s attention span?

That’s why every successful UGC ad needs a story.

And it has to start strong—within the first three seconds.

Make sure to hook your audience good and right:

  • Use creators who can tell quick, captivating stories.
  • A “problem-solution” approach always works: show the struggle, provide the solution, and end with a CTA.

Did you also know that story-based UGC creatives increase engagement by 22%

5. Alignment with Brand Values

Ads tied to brand values see 23% higher customer loyalty.

Your UGC ads need to reflect your brand’s core values:

  • If your product is eco-friendly, highlight its sustainability. If you focus on affordability, showcase how budget-friendly it is.
  • Collaborate with creators whose values align with your brand.
  • Highlight your product’s unique benefits—whether that’s quality, convenience, or ethics.

That’s it, folks! All the ingredients you need to create high-quality UGC that delivers measurable results.

But how exactly? We've got you covered there too.

Read on and learn the exact steps to make UGC advertising work for you.

How to Create Successful UGC Ads in 7 Steps

Want your UGC ads to stand out and actually deliver? The two Cs of a great ad is careful planning and clear execution.

Follow these seven steps, and you’ll be creating scroll-stopping user-generated content ads in no time.

1. Define Your Target Audience

Do you know who you are talking to? Knowing your audience isn’t optional—it’s essential.

Start by asking yourself:

  • What’s their age group?
  • What are their interests or hobbies?
  • What challenges or pain points can your product solve?

If you don’t know these details, your ads won’t connect. UGC advertising works best when it feels like a direct conversation with your audience.

Not sure where to start?

Here’s a handy checklist:

  1. Identity demographics
  2. Understand what inspires them, and how they spend their time—and money.
  3. Pinpoint their pain points regarding your product/service.
  4. Draft up the best UGC content strategy using this information.
  5. Use real creators that reflect your audience.

Tools like Google Analytics or Meta Audience Insights can help you learn more about your audience.

2. Set Clear Objectives

Setting clear, quantifiable goals helps you better create, track, and adjust your UGC strategy. It can be broken down into two parts:

Step 1: What’s the purpose of your UGC ads?

Are you trying to:

  • Drive website traffic?
  • Increase sales or sign-ups?
  • Boost engagement on social media?

Step 2: Define specific goals to make it easier to measure success.

For example:

  • “Increase website visits by 25% within 30 days.”
  • “Boost Instagram engagement by 15% this quarter.”

Having measurable objectives helps you stay on track and get the most from your campaign.

3. Select the Right Platform

Your UGC ads need to be where your audience hangs out.

Different platforms call for different approaches, so tailoring your content is key.

Here’s how to make user-generated content ads work across platforms:

  • TikTok: Quick, fun, and trend-driven content. Think product hacks, demos, or challenges. Keep it authentic—TikTok users love real moments, not polished ads.
  • Instagram: Aesthetics are everything when it comes to best-performing Instagram ads. Use reels and engaging short videos or carousel posts to tell your story. Stories also work great for quick polls or behind-the-scenes peeks.
  • Facebook: Focus on detailed storytelling. Testimonials or problem-solving video ads do well here. Use captions to highlight key points for skimmers.
  • YouTube: Perfect for long-form content like tutorials, unique use cases, or your products and unboxings. Authenticity and useful information matter most here.

Tailoring your UGC ads isn't just about showing them to the right people.

The best UGC content fits the platform perfectly, grabbing attention where it matters most.

4. Create a Detailed Content Brief

If you want UGC ads that hit the mark, you need a crystal-clear brief and inspired UGC creators.

So what is a UGC creator exactly? It's someone who produces content like videos, photos, or posts on social media platforms to promote your brand or product.

But… your UGC creatives aren’t mind readers—give them the roadmap to success.

Here’s what to include:

  • Tone and style: Decide if your ad should feel fun, casual, professional, or polished. Be specific about your brand’s vibe to keep things consistent.
  • Key talking points: Highlight what matters most about your product. Is it eco-friendly? Does it save time? Share the benefits you want the audience to know.
  • Format requirements: Do you need a TikTok, Instagram Reel, or carousel post? Mention the ideal length, orientation (vertical or horizontal), and specific visual elements.

Let’s say you’re promoting a skincare line.

Your brief might ask creators to:

  • Show close-ups of the product in use.
  • Emphasize texture or ingredients.
  • Include a clear before-and-after.

The goal? Make viewers picture themselves using it.

When your brief is clear, creators produce high-quality UGC that aligns with your campaign goals.

Need help structuring your ideas?

This UGC brief template is a lifesaver. It’s your blueprint for creating user-generated content ads that truly deliver.

5. A/B Test Your Ads

Even the best UGC ads can be improved by implementing some proven UGC best practices. That’s where A/B testing comes in.

Think of it as your chance to refine and perfect your content based on real results.

Here’s how it works:

Run two or more versions of your ad, changing just one element at a time. This way, you’ll know exactly what’s working and what isn’t.

Don't know what to test for?

Here are the common culprits to start with:

  • Headlines: Experiment with different tones and wording. Does “Shop now for flawless skin” perform better than “Get glowing skin today—click here”?
  • Visuals: Try different styles, colors, or layouts to see what grabs attention.
  • CTAs (call-to-actions): Play around with language, like “Learn more” versus “Get Your Deal now.”
  • Video lengths: Test a snappy 15-second clip against a more detailed 30-second version.

You could do one ad that focuses on quick workout demos. Design a second, slightly longer one that emphasizes long-term results.

By analyzing engagement, click-through rates, and conversions, you’ll see what resonates most.

Use tools like Google Optimize or Meta Ads Manager to streamline your testing process.

A/B testing helps you fix flaws in your user-generated content ads before it hits the shelves.

6. Monitor Performance and Tweak as Needed

Launching UGC ads is only half the battle. The real magic happens when you monitor performance and adjust as needed.

Tracking the right metrics will help you understand what’s working and where to improve.

Focus on:

  • Click-through rates (CTR): Are people clicking on your ad? If not, consider reworking your headline or visuals to grab attention faster.
  • Conversions: How many viewers are taking the desired action, like making a purchase or signing up? Low conversions may mean your call-to-action (CTA) needs tweaking.
  • Engagement: Are people liking, commenting, or sharing your ad? If not, your content might not feel relatable or authentic enough.

Let’s say your engagement is low.

You could experiment with these quick fixes:

  • Brighter visuals.
  • Different angle/story/feature.
  • Swap in a different creator.
  • Test a new format like TikTok instead of Instagram Reels.

Small changes can lead to big results.

Again, use tools like Google Ads Manager for detailed insights or Meta Ads Manager for social ad analytics.

Stay flexible, track often, and let your data guide your next move.

7. Scale What Works

When you find a formula that clicks, don’t stop there—double down hard.

Scaling your successful UGC ads is the smartest way to maximize results while saving time and money. Build on what’s already driving traffic, engagement, and conversions.

Here’s how you can avoid reinventing the video ads wheel:

  • Collaborate with high-performing creators: If a TikTok creator’s video is crushing it, bring them back for a new campaign. The audience already trusts them, and their style clearly resonates.
  • Turn top-performing ads into templates: Use your most successful user-generated content ad as a blueprint. Copy its tone, structure, and key visuals while adapting the details for new campaigns.
  • Expand to new platforms: If your Instagram ad worked well, repurpose it for TikTok or Facebook. Adjust the format and specifications to match the platform’s audience and style.
  • Boost your budget strategically: Increase ad spend for the best-performing content. Whether on Instagram, TikTok, or YouTube, putting your dollars behind proven success is a no-brainer.

Scaling isn’t just about throwing more money into ads—it’s about being smart with your resources and doubling down on what works.

With the right approach, you’ll turn a good campaign into a great one—and drive even better results.

Successful UGC Campaign Examples

Great UGC adverts require careful planning, creativity, and execution.

Let’s look at some real-world examples of brands that nailed it with their user-generated content ads and what made their campaigns stand out.

Case Study: Else Nutrition

Else Nutrition, a plant-based baby formula brand, turned to Influee for scalable, affordable, and impactful UGC advertising. They needed content that resonated with health-conscious parents while staying within budget.

Here’s how they pulled it off:

Using Influee’s UGC platform, Else Nutrition sourced global creators to produce authentic, on-brand content.

Creators were given clear briefs, resulting in their videos highlighting the product’s unique benefits. These included being dairy-free and organic.

The process was fully streamlined—from creator recruitment to content collection. This made it fast and easy to execute campaigns.

The results?

  • 20% lower CPA compared to Else Nutrition’s other creatives.
  • Ads featuring Influee content had double the viewing time of high-budget agency videos.
  • With content starting at just €23 per video, Influee allowed Else Nutrition to produce cheap UGC ads without compromising quality.

This success story shows how thoughtful planning and the right tools can turn UGC-style content into a major win.

We've got more where that came from! Learn more about their strategy here.

Here are a few successful UGC advertising examples that made it big:

Starbucks

Their #RedCupContest campaign invited users to share creative photos of their holiday-themed Starbucks cups. Thousands of customers flooded social media with organic, visually stunning content. The campaign created a sense of community and became a social media phenomenon.

Airbnb

Instead of polished ads, Airbnb showcased authentic photos taken by real users. This relatable approach inspired trust and encouraged potential customers to imagine themselves experiencing unique stays.

Glossier

The “Skin First, Makeup Second” campaign leveraged customer selfies to promote inclusivity and natural beauty. By featuring diverse users, Glossier’s UGC adverts became some of the best-performing Instagram ads, boosting conversions and engagement.

Ready to be inspired? Check out these UGC campaigns.

The Bottom Line:

UGC advertising thrives on authenticity.

Encouraging customers to share their stories? Collaborating with creators to highlight your product’s benefits? High-quality UGC builds trust and drives engagement.

If you're not sure where to start, selecting the right UGC platform can make all the difference.

Influee’s resources, like UGC brief templates and creator networks, take the guesswork out of campaign planning. A reliable platform like Influee also streamlines contracts and ensures proper UGC usage rights for all content.

Here’s why Influee is your one-stop solution for UGC advertising:

  • Access to 80,000+ creators from over 23 countries.
  • Affordable content creation, with videos starting at just €23 per piece.
  • AI-powered tools like AI UGC generator that optimize your campaigns, saving time and resources.
  • Automated creator recruitment, contracts, and payments—all handled in one place.
  • The flexibility to scale campaigns effortlessly, whether you're running 10 or 100 ads a month.

Still on the fence?

Here’s what Influee can help you achieve:

  • Build trust with authentic testimonials and relatable content.
  • Boost conversions with ads that feel personal and genuine.
  • Increase engagement by showcasing real people using your product.
  • Simplify the process with ready-to-use tools like their AI-powered video editor.

Whether you're a small business or an established brand, Influee helps you tap into the full potential of UGC ads.

With Influee, your brand can thrive in an age where authenticity is everything.

Get started today and take your UGC strategy to the next level.

FAQ

How do brands get UGC for ads?

It’s easier than you think! Here are some ways brands collaborate for UGC:

  • Through UGC platforms like Influee or Aspire.
  • Run a contest and ask users to share their content.
  • Reach out to happy customers for testimonials or unboxing videos.
  • Use tools like an AI UGC generator to curate top-performing content.

What are the best types of UGC for ads?

The best user-generated content ads are relatable and real.

Here are some of the best UGC content formats:

  • Video testimonials with real customers sharing their experiences.
  • Product tutorials that solve a problem or teach something new.
  • Unboxing videos that highlight excitement and product quality.
  • Quick TikToks or Instagram Reels with trending sounds.

How effective is UGC marketing?

Extremely effective. Studies show that 79% of consumers trust UGC more than traditional ads. It also delivers 4x higher click-through rates. That makes UGC one of the most engaging ad strategies out there.

How to use UGC in ads?

Here are three ideas to get you started:

  • Repurpose UGC into TikToks, Reels, or Instagram Stories.
  • Use it in email campaigns for relatable and engaging content.
  • Highlight testimonials on your website to boost conversions.

Why use UGC in ads?

UGC advertising is affordable, relatable, and proven to increase engagement: