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Monday, July 21, 2025

Why Trust and Authenticity Make UGC a Game-Changer for Modern Brands

Daniils Bogdanovs

In today's crowded digital landscape, consumers are exposed to thousands of ads every day. As a result, trust in traditional brand messaging is steadily declining. Instead, people are turning to content created by other consumers—real voices with real experiences. This is where User-Generated Content (UGC) shines.

UGC includes anything created by real users: product reviews, unboxings, TikTok clips, Instagram stories, YouTube testimonials, and more. It feels authentic, relatable, and most importantly—trustworthy. And the numbers back it up.

1. UGC Is Seen as More Authentic

  • 60% of consumers say UGC is the most authentic form of content.

  • People are 2.4× more likely to view UGC as authentic compared to brand-created content.

  • 86% of consumers say authenticity is key when deciding what brands they like and support

2. UGC Drives Purchase Decisions

  • 90% of consumers say UGC influences their purchasing decisions more than promotional emails or search engine results

  • 77% of shoppers are more likely to buy a product if they see it shared by real customers

  • 40% of consumers won’t even consider purchasing if there are no UGC photos or videos available.

3. UGC Boosts Engagement

  • Social posts featuring UGC have 28% higher engagement than standard brand posts.

  • Video-based UGC earns up to 10× more engagement than traditional brand video ads.

  • Ads that incorporate UGC see 4× higher click-through rates (CTR) and up to 50% lower cost-per-click (CPC).

4. UGC Is Cost-Effective and Scalable

  • Campaigns that use UGC deliver 20% higher ROI than traditional branded campaigns.

  • Adding UGC galleries to a website can increase time on page by 140–308%.

  • For every $1 spent on UGC platforms or creator partnerships, businesses see an average of $4+ in return.

5. UGC Builds Long-Term Brand Trust

  • 84% of consumers say they trust a brand more if it features UGC in its marketing.

  • In Europe, 74% of shoppers rate UGC as more trustworthy than brand-generated content.

  • 93% of marketers agree that UGC is key for building authentic relationships with their audience.

How to Effectively Leverage UGC

  1. Mix UGC with brand content A hybrid strategy often leads to higher engagement and better results.

  2. Use diverse content formats Include photos, videos, and stories from real customers across platforms.

  3. Integrate UGC into ads UGC-enhanced ads perform better across all major advertising channels.

  4. Encourage content creation Launch hashtag campaigns, contests, or rewards to inspire your customers to share.

  5. Showcase UGC across channels Feature customer content on websites, emails, landing pages, and product pages.

Final Thoughts

In a world where consumers are more skeptical than ever, trust and authenticity have become essential assets. UGC offers brands a proven way to build credibility, increase engagement, reduce advertising costs, and ultimately drive more sales. It’s not just content—it’s social proof that converts.

Let me know if you'd like this adapted for a landing page, pitch deck, or ad copy.

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