UGC Video Tips That Will Transform Your Content Strategy

User-generated content (UGC) videos have become one of the most popular (and effective) tools in modern marketing. 

According to UGC statistics, 87% of brands already use UGC because of its authenticity, and 93% of customers find UGC helpful in making purchase decisions. 

Why? Because they bring a level of authenticity and relatability that traditional brand-created content often lacks. When done right, UGC videos can drive engagement, build trust, and, ultimately, grow your business. 

Whether you’re new to UGC or looking to fine-tune your approach, this guide will walk you through actionable tips to develop a successful UGC video strategy that aligns with your brand goals.

Step 1: Develop a user-generated content strategy

Define your goals

To build an effective UGC video strategy, start by setting clear and measurable goals. It’s crucial to think about what you want to achieve. 

Ask yourself:

• What do you want to achieve? (e.g., brand awareness, engagement, or sales growth)
• How will UGC align with your overall marketing strategy? For instance, if expanding market reach is your priority, UGC can support that by targeting new audience segments.
• What metrics will define success? (e.g., shares, conversions, or traffic growth)

These are important questions because they shape your overall strategy.

Identify your target audience

Understanding your audience is critical for creating content that resonates. If you just aim for everyone, your content won’t be as relevant. Instead, take the following steps to identify your target audience:

1. Determine demographics: Pin down who they are. Consider age, location, interests, and behaviors.
2. Analyze preferences: What kind of content do they enjoy? Are they more into lively, short clips or detailed, in-depth videos? This information will help you shape your content style.
3. Create buyer personas: Use detailed profiles to envision your ideal audience members. This helps guide content creation that speaks to your audience’s interests.

Once you’ve identified your target demographic, make sure to check how often their preferences align with your content goals. 

Choose the right platforms

With your content goals and target audiences set, it’s time to choose the right platform(s). Each has unique strengths for video content that can amplify your UGC strategy.

1. Review platform demographics: Make sure the platform caters to your target audience. For instance, younger users tend to favor TikTok, while professionals might lean towards LinkedIn or Facebook.
2. Understand content formats: Platforms like Instagram encourage short, engaging visuals. YouTube, however, thrives on longer, more detailed videos.
3. Leverage platform features: Different features, such as live streaming or interactive polls, can optimize your audience’s engagement with UGC. Pick a platform that highlights your type of content best.

According to recent UGC trends, TikTok UGC outperforms Facebook ads by 32%. This means choosing TikTok over Facebook may drive more engagement if those numbers hold true for your audience.

By following these steps for developing a UGC strategy, you set the foundation for impactful and engaging user-generated video content. Getting these basics right streamlines further strategic efforts like strengthening user participation and effectively integrating UGC into broader marketing campaigns.

Step 2: Effective UGC video techniques

Encourage authentic content creation.

Consumers trust UGC content over branded content because of its authenticity. So, if you want to encourage your audience to create user-generated content, here are two key points to keep in mind:

• Create guidelines, not scripts: Provide content guidelines, not rigid scripts, to allow creators to share genuine stories. Then, users understand the broad themes or messages yet feel free to express them in their own tone, and the result is more organic. 
• Be a source of inspiration: Share examples of diverse, high-quality UGC to inspire contributors. These examples act as a starting point and offer a framework for users seeking inspiration to contribute. By doing this, you make users feel a part of something shared and linked to your brand narrative.

Facilitate user participation

To entice users to contribute content about your brand, make it fun and rewarding for members of your community.

• Launch contests or challenges

This strategy provides clear rules and deadlines, motivating participants to actively engage with your brand. Clearly communicate the criteria for participation and ensure the themes connect with your brand ethos. The act of creating content becomes more of a communal event, fostering a sense of connectedness and competition.

• Offer rewards or recognition

Incentivize participation by offering rewards or recognition. Use prizes, discounts, or experiences as tangible incentives. Acknowledge particularly innovative contributions publicly, or feature them on your platforms. This not only motivates others to contribute but also strengthens your community’s bond with your brand.

Curate and share UGC

Once you’ve seen users start to contribute more UGC, set up a system to manage your submissions and re-share with proper credit.

1. Systemize submissions: Use UGC tools to manage and filter incoming UGC efficiently. This ensures you keep track of submissions and filter those that align with your brand’s goals. Having an accessible and dependable system is vital for managing the influx of UGC.
2. Sharing UGC with proper credit: This not only respects the contributors but also encourages further participation. Mention the contributor’s name or handle and, perhaps, provide a personal thank you or story behind the content. It helps promote a community feel and encourages more user involvement, knowing their contributions are valued.

Effectively implementing these UGC video techniques can transform your content strategy. By encouraging authentic contributions, facilitating robust user participation, and efficiently curating shared content, you not only enhance your brand’s image but also lay the foundation for sustained growth and engagement.

Step 3: Leveraging UGC for brand growth

Integrate UGC in marketing campaigns

UGC can feel personal and relatable—and that’s what makes it so effective. Use it strategically across different marketing channels to amplify your impact:

1. Social ads: Add UGC to Instagram or TikTok ads to showcase real experiences. It’s relatable, credible, and resonates with target audiences. Consider videos or photos showing real-life product use.
2. Email marketing: Feature UGC videos in your emails and newsletter to build trust. Customer videos, photos, or stories provide authenticity that branded content can’t replicate.
3. Product pages: Display user reviews, videos, and photos on product pages to boost conversions. Platforms like Instant make it easy to create engaging product pages with UGC elements that drive sales.

By showcasing positive user-generated stories across your platforms, your audience will gradually see more and more customers engaging with your brand, and their trust/interest will grow.

Advanced tips for enhancing your UGC campaigns

Try different video lengths and styles

Keep your UGC fresh and engaging by varying formats:

• Short clips: Perfect for platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels.
• Longer stories: Great for YouTube audiences who enjoy deeper narratives.
• Creative edits: Add captions, animations, or transitions to highlight user content while keeping it visually appealing.

Cross-promote your UGC in other content formats

UGC doesn’t have to stay in video form. Expand its reach by repurposing it into other content:

• Turn user videos into blog posts or case studies.
• Share UGC snippets in podcasts or email campaigns.
• Create infographics or visual posts featuring key quotes or testimonials.

This cross-format approach ensures your UGC gets maximum exposure across all audience touchpoints.

Respond to UGC promptly and personally

You should respond to any incoming UGC submissions promptly and personally. Timely interaction fosters a stronger connection with your audience:

• Respond quickly: Acknowledge UGC submissions with likes, comments, or personal messages. This engagement often becomes an interactive feedback loop.
• Feature regular contributors: Spotlight frequent UGC creators with monthly features or special mentions.

Recognizing contributors builds loyalty and motivates others to join in, turning customers into brand advocates. 

Conclusion

User-generated content isn’t just another trend—it’s a shift in how brands connect with their audiences. By integrating these UGC video tips, you can elevate your content strategy, foster authenticity, and inspire a community of engaged customers.

Focus on creating opportunities for your audience to share their voices, reward their contributions, and showcase their stories. Remember, the most impactful content comes from real people sharing real experiences.

Start building your UGC strategy today—because your brand’s best stories are waiting to be told by your audience.

About the author: 

Rebecca Anderson is the Click To Buy podcast host and Content Marketing Manager at Instant Page Builder. She aims to empower eCommerce brands to drive growth and create memorable customer experiences through creating better customer experiences.