UGC, or User-Generated Content, is becoming increasingly important, placing customers in the spotlight as they connect their personal stories with a brand. Whether it’s by sharing a photo of a new product or posting a review, they create content that goes far beyond being a modern trend. According to AdWeek studies, 85% of users trust brands and products more because of UGC.¹ However, behind the façade of authenticity, there is often a filtered reality—and sometimes even misinformation.

 

UGC is growing rapidly—but why?

We’re sharing more and more of our lives online—and brands are well aware of it. Thanks to accessible technology, it’s easier than ever before, as proven by the 4.2 billion active social media users worldwide.¹ That’s why this form of advertising appears across all major platforms—Instagram, TikTok, Meta, X, and many others. User-generated content is also featured on the brands’ own profiles, where companies repost it to encourage their customers’ creativity—in effect, gaining free advertising. UGC is perceived positively for its authenticity and credibility, especially when compared to traditional advertising. According to a Gartner report, up to 84% of Millennials are influenced by UGC during their purchase decisions. These campaigns prompt engagement, and users naturally help spread the content further, bringing companies (at best) significant benefits. But, as with anything that seems too good to be true, it’s important to stay cautious and keep your eyes open.

The Dark Side of UGC

Even UGC isn’t immune to doubt. Despite its clear advantages, it’s important to acknowledge the darker side of this modern form of advertising. A key factor is the content creators themselves—their output can often be inconsistent or lack professionalism. Poor-quality content may misrepresent the brand and create the wrong impression, ultimately devaluing the brand in the eyes of consumers.

Brands face the risk that users will promote their products in subpar quality, with inappropriate messaging, or even with spelling and grammar mistakes. The greatest threat, however, comes from misleading or false information. With limited moderation capabilities, misinformation can harm a brand’s reputation—and according to research from MIT, false information is 70% more likely to be reshared than the truth. Fake reviews—whether overly positive or negative—undermine the credibility and authenticity that make UGC appealing in the first place. For many users, trust is more important than popularity. We can debate who should be held accountable for harmful content, but speculation alone won’t protect a brand’s reputation. Brands must maintain a healthy distance from disinformation and, through their own authenticity, champion the truth.

Successful UGC Campaigns

To better understand UGC in practice, we’ve prepared examples of both successful and failed campaigns that chose to harness the power of the crowd. So, what’s the formula for successfully sparked UGC? For years, we’ve seen a recurring set of campaigns that continue to receive positive feedback from across the globe.

One of the best examples of a successful UGC campaign is the GoPro Awards. This prestigious program rewards the best footage captured with GoPro cameras and encourages users to share their most exciting experiences by submitting photos and videos across various categories, with a chance to win cash prizes and other rewards. Each year, GoPro distributes up to 5 million dollars through this initiative. Through the campaign, GoPro not only promotes its brand and products but also fosters a strong community where users inspire one another and share their experiences. The high-quality user content is used in GoPro’s marketing materials and social media, significantly boosting the brand’s visibility and credibility. The most iconic contribution to this campaign is a video by Richard Leonard, shared on GoPro’s official channel, which quickly went viral worldwide.

Another standout example of UGC’s power is the BeReal app, which is built on users’ desire to share and view content that is authentic and rooted in everyday life, rather than perfectly curated studio photos. Once a day, at a random moment, the app prompts users to capture and share their current reality within two minutes—no filters, no post-production, just real life. In 2023, BeReal launched a unique campaign by projecting the best and funniest user photos from around the world onto massive billboards in New York’s Times Square. The campaign gave users the chance to be part of something bigger and celebrated the creativity and diversity of its global community. It successfully captured attention and strengthened both the BeReal brand and the sense of belonging among its users.

Unsuccessful UGC Campaigns

Now that we’ve mastered how to identify a successful UGC campaign, it’s time to learn from the mistakes of others by looking at companies that didn’t enjoy the same success—and instead sparked controversies that proved difficult to recover from.

One example of an unsuccessful UGC campaign is McDonald’s #McDStories. In 2012, the company launched an ambitious Twitter campaign aimed at encouraging customers to share positive stories and experiences related to McDonald’s. However, Twitter—already a risky platform due to its lack of content filtering—quickly turned the campaign upside down. What was meant to be a feel-good initiative spiraled into a PR disaster, as users flooded the hashtag with negative, sarcastic, and critical posts. Instead of sharing positive stories under the #McDStories hashtag, users began posting negative reviews. They complained about food quality and highlighted the brand’s darker sides. While the campaign did go viral, it completely backfired—rather than strengthening the brand, McDonald’s became the butt of online jokes. Their iconic clown mascot unintentionally became the perfect symbol of how the brand was perceived on Twitter—only this time, the clown turned into an entire circus. Despite efforts to quickly pull the campaign, the damage had already been done—and it was irreversible.

#McDStories is a textbook example of how a UGC campaign can spiral out of control if not carefully planned. McDonald’s expected users to act as brand ambassadors and share only positive experiences—but these unrealistic expectations led to a public relations disaster.

Another failed campaign was Starbucks’ Christmas-themed #SpreadTheCheer in the UK, aimed at encouraging festive spirit and positive vibes. Much like McDonald’s, this forced positivity quickly backfired. Users hijacked the hashtag to express frustration toward the company, accusing it of exploiting holiday sentiment for profit while allegedly failing to uphold basic labor standards and avoiding taxes. What made matters worse for the #SpreadTheCheer campaign was that tweets using the hashtag were publicly displayed at London’s Natural History Museum. The negative feedback didn’t remain confined to social media—it was amplified both in the virtual world and in the real one.

How Are Leads Generated?

So how do you go about it? To build a community and increase brand awareness, a company needs to generate effective leads that reach potential new customers while boosting engagement within its existing audience. When executed successfully, brands can benefit in many ways—such as increased visibility, trust-building, stronger engagement, and higher conversions.

According to research, 93%¹ of brands have gained new customers through UGC, and reported a 28%² increase in engagement compared to traditional branded content—which is viewed up to 10 times less than UGC.³

There are many effective ways to encourage user-generated content, but each comes with its own cultural specifics and factors that need to be carefully considered.

1. Hashtags – By creating unique hashtags, brands make it easier for users to share relevant content. Hashtags also allow companies to track the impact of new products on the market. Customers can be encouraged to keep posting under the hashtag with the promise that their content might be featured on the brand’s official account. Hashtags can also be used to organize contests, offering prizes for the best submission. Running a contest motivates users to generate UGC and provides brands with quality content for future marketing campaigns. Influencers can also be involved, using the hashtag and encouraging their audiences to participate. However, don’t forget to include a clear and compelling call to action—users need to know the hashtag exists and have a reason to use it in their posts.
2. Giveaways – People love free stuff—and they’re eager to participate in contests that offer something in return. Brands can organize giveaways offering products, experiences, cash, or other incentives. It’s up to you how the giveaway is structured. You can ask followers to share a post, tag friends, use a hashtag in their own content, follow the brand’s account, create content—or combine these actions.
3. Content Creation & Voting – Take inspiration from campaigns like GoPro Awards and invite your users to upload their best photos, videos, or experiences with your brand or product—and reward the most compelling ones. You can select the winners yourself or let the community vote for their favorite submission. This way, you step outside your own bubble and gain broader insight—something that’s often needed to avoid ending up like the unsuccessful McDonald’s and Starbucks campaigns.
4. Reposting User Content – By actively reposting content created by customers, brands encourage others to participate and create their own. This not only strengthens community ties but also increases brand visibility. Tagging users builds relationships—and customers are genuinely happy when their photo is shared with a wider audience. 🙂
5. Ratings & Reviews – Let your customers rate your product and share their reviews publicly. You’ll gain valuable feedback that you can act on—and reviews themselves are a form of UGC that can be reused in marketing campaigns. Both Gen Z and Millennials find UGC up to 50% more trustworthy than traditional ads.
6. Trends – UGC content is especially prevalent on platforms like YouTube and TikTok, where Gen Z dominates. For targeting Millennials, a mix of TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Meta, and Twitter is more effective, according to research by The Manifest. Later Social highlights trending UGC formats such as unboxing videos, reviews, tutorials, and showcasing authentic experiences.

 

Choosing the Right Metrics

So which metrics should you focus on to determine whether your UGC campaign was truly successful? Common key performance indicators (KPIs) for engagement include likes, shares, comments, click-throughs, and social media growth. If you’re aiming to measure conversions, look at the actions directly generated by UGC posts—such as influencer discount codes or affiliate links. Additionally, track the lifetime value of customers who were exposed to user-generated content, as this can reveal the long-term impact of your UGC strategy.