7 Top User Generated Content Examples For Brands

There are so many different ways to produce powerful content and build your brand on social media platforms like TikTok. One way to produce quality content and reach broader audiences on TikTok and Facebook/Instagram at a lower cost is by turning to influencer marketing agencies like ours (HouseOfMarketers) that work with creators who produce user-generated content (UGC). In this article, we’ll take a look at some top user generated content examples (including one of our own client case studies). We’ll also explore how brands can make the most of powerful user-generated content on TikTok and beyond.

What is User Generated Content?

As the name suggests, user generated content refers to any content that is created by members of your community. This can be anything from blog posts to website comments, tweets, TikTok videos, Instagram videos and much more. On social media, UGC content is often shared by brands as a means of driving visibility and influencing consumers through social proof on social platforms. UGC provides social proof, increases brand awareness and improves the trust of a brand’s product, website, app or service. The creators may have small followings, or even no following at all. Our agency tends to pick these type of creators for our clients (especially when working on TikTok). A creator’s ability to produce on-brand content that resonates with our client’s target audience, leading to sales, installs, signups or whatever our client’s desire is the most important factor we consider. Our paid media specialist division in our agency then boosts this content to a wider audience using tested-and-proven optimisation strategies.

How Can Brands Leverage User Generated Content?

Let’s say you’re a consumer product brand looking to boost visibility for your line of organic face masks on TikTok. One of your brand fans has shared a short video of themselves using one of your products. Your brand can pick this up, repost it on the company profile (with permission from the user), and even boost it to a wider audience for greater visibility.

This is a common strategy for brands on TikTok. It allows you to tap into the network effect of UGC content to boost visibility at a lower cost than working directly with influencers. Often, organic content is created by users in response to challenges or competitions run by the brand. This actively encourages fans to generate content and share it with others who may be incentivized to do the same.

On TikTok, brands often use spark ads to promote user-generated content even further. This allows them to reach a wider audience. Simultaneously, it also ensures their ads are seen by the most relevant audiences based on the content created. Spark ads are a relatively new ad format on TikTok. They’re designed to let you boost organic content that’s either been posted by the brand itself or UGC content creators.

Anything boosted by spark ads will be tagged as “sponsored content”. However, you will also have the opportunity to add a CTA to direct viewers to your website or another relevant platform. Viewers will also be able to click on the profile of the creator of the content. This can help your brand to gain more followers if you are boosting content created by your brand profile.

User Generated Content Vs Influencer Campaigns

Sometimes, people conflate UGC with influencer marketing campaigns, but there are several key differences between the two. Firstly, influencers are chosen because of the size and engagement of their following. However, this means partnerships with these influencers are often very costly. A single post from an influencer can set brands back thousands of dollars. Mega influencers may have brands competing for their attention. They’ll often have the luxury of choosing to work with the brand that’s willing to pay the most. And while influencer marketing can be highly effective, it’s not always a budget-friendly strategy for every brand.

On the other hand, UGC content creators aren’t picked for their following. Instead, they are chosen due to their ability to create high-quality, on-brand content that delivers the message and tone your brand is looking to convey. They don’t necessarily have the same reach and engagement as influencers, but their content can be just as effective in boosting brand visibility. There is no contract or fee for the creator, so money isn’t a factor in their decision to work with the brand.

“According to one survey, Millennials stated that they trusted UGC content 50% more than branded content. This demonstrates the powerful impact of UGC. Overall, UGC is a powerful marketing tool that allows brands to access new audiences and boost visibility at a fraction of the cost of traditional influencer campaigns.”

What are the Benefits of UGC Content for Brands?

There are several key benefits to leveraging UGC as part of your marketing strategy. The most obvious benefit is “it’s cheaper!”, but it’s not all about the money. Harnessing UGC as part of the marketing effort also allows brands to:

• Tap into the network effect of social media and gain wider reach by leveraging content created by fans and followers.
• Present a more authentic brand persona, as they are sharing organic content that resonates with their community. 90% of consumers say authenticity is important to them, and UGC content is a great way to demonstrate your brand’s relatability.
• Build credibility and authority by tapping into the trusted voices of their fans. According to one survey, Millennials stated that they trusted UGC content 50% more than branded content. This demonstrates the powerful impact of UGC.

Overall, UGC is a powerful marketing tool that allows brands to access new audiences and boost visibility at a fraction of the cost of traditional influencer campaigns. So, if you’re looking for ways to build your brand and engage with your audience, UGC is a great strategy.

7 Effective User Generated Content Examples

If you’re about to embark on a mission to start leveraging UGC, it’s a good idea to look at some examples of brands that are already doing this effectively. Check out these user generated content examples below to get some inspiration for your marketing efforts.

1. Jodel (Our client case study)

Jodel is a revolutionary app that instantly connects people with their local communities. It’s a live social media feed that’s full of news, questions, events, confessionals and jokes for local communities.

Our TikTok marketing agency, House of Marketers, was tasked with tapping into hyper-local communities across Europe, and getting those people to install and engage within the Jodel ecosystem. In doing so we were able to achieve over 87,000 installs with a €200,000 paid media budget. Here was the original objectives:

• To achieve a CPI of €2.24 for all markets (for the initial €8.3K budget)
• To help scale Jodel’s presence across Germany, France and Sweden with TikTok advertising
• To increase app user retention

The execution

House of Marketers took full control of the influencer marketing and paid media strategy for Jodel on TikTok.

Altogether we worked with 60+ TikTok creators. By partnering with creators that belong to niche communities relevant to the target audiences, we were able to drive huge successes during the campaign. By paying attention to key data, we were able to match the different niche communities with relevant creators, and to create content that we knew would evoke action from the different target communities.

With the initial learnings from the initial campaign, we were able to discover which content themes and which ad group interests drove the most engaged installers per each audience demographic. We utilised these learnings by adjusting our content strategy (themes and topics discussed – such as mental health, loneliness, being a student) and selecting creators who have had similar life experiences to their most engaged target users.

In order to increase engagement within the app, we also produced content specifically made to re-engage niche communities, using custom audiences to retarget those who had already installed the app. This helped to massively improve in-app engagement among users.

The results

We smashed Jodel’s expectations by delivering an incredible €2.29 CPI (cost per install) with the €200,000 budget. So we were very close to the original CPI target which was provided for a budget 24x smaller (€8300). We achieved over 87,000 installs, 73 Million video views and 362,000+ clicks.

Client quote

“Thanks to their high level of achievement and expertise with the TikTok channel, House of Marketers became one of our primary partners in our user acquisition effort. We can only recommend them!”

2. Roblox

Roblox is a legendary gaming platform that consists of an open virtual world where users can create their own games. As a platform with a largely youthful user base, they naturally have a strong and active presence on TikTok. Their brand account regularly posts organic content consisting of game play and influencer posts. However, they also leverage user generated content from within the Roblox fan community.

Roblox fan and TikTok creator @renatasrblx created a short TikTok making an inside joke about certain game characters. The Roblox brand account shared it with their 10.8 million followers. The result? Over 271K likes and thousands of comments from engaged fans.

@roblox Who else agrees? ?? ??: @renatasrblx #Roblox #GamerGoals ? original sound – Roblox

3. Lush Cosmetics

Lush Cosmetics is a popular beauty and skincare brand known for their extensive use of natural ingredients. The brand aesthetic is centred around being eco-friendly, cruelty-free, and sustainable. As such, it’s no surprise that they found their home on TikTok, where users share similar values.

Lush’s main TikTok account often posts organic content made by their fans and followers. This includes short videos showing DIY skincare recipes, makeup tutorials, and more. They also regularly post content created by their in-house influencers. This includes short video clips and photos of them using Lush products.

Lush also has several “local” TikTok accounts run by in-store staff in different countries posting content to their local audiences. One such account is @lushmeadowhall, which is run by members of their Sheffield-based store. In one great example of how brands can make use of user generated content, they created a stitch with user @iceashh who shared a video of herself sprinkling one of Lush’s products on her bed. In the stitch version, the Lush account says they approve her message and gives a demo of how the product looks when used on the skin.

@lushmeadowhall #stitch with @iceashh Run don’t walk ????? #snowfairy #lush #snowfairylush #christmas #christmastiktok #xmas2021 #xmas #lushcommunity #lushuk #lushbathbomb #vegan #crueltyfree #cosmetics #lushcosmestics #sparkle #giftsforher #giftsforhim #christmasideas2021 ? original sound – Lush Meadowhall

4. Glossier

Glossier is a beauty brand founded by an influencer herself — Emily Weis. So it’s no surprise that they know how to get the most out of social media marketing. Their brand message focuses on the celebration of natural beauty and the ability of makeup to enhance and highlight a person’s natural features. Authenticity is a huge part of their social strategy, and according to Weiss herself, “every single person is an influencer”.

Naturally, Glossier’s TikTok account reflects this ethos. Their content is fun, unpretentious, and accessible. They’re not just promoting their own products, they’re creating content that people will want to interact with. This helps build a sense of community and a feel-good factor while drawing attention to their products.

User generated content is a huge part of their marketing strategy. The main brand account regularly shares clips created by regular users who happen to be Glossier fans. In one such clip, they share a clip created by user @whosamelegodi. In it, she pretends to hide her enormous collection of Glossier products from potential suitors.

@glossier @Make me famous in her Balm Dotcom era ?? #balmdotcom #glossier ? original sound – Glossier

5. Klarna

Klarna is a Swedish fintech company. They’ve been described as “the Amazon of banking” due to their innovative and user-friendly approach to financial services. Since launching in 2005, Klarna has grown from a small startup to become one of the world’s largest fintech companies. Today, they have over 4,000 employees.

Given Klarna’s focus on innovation, it’s perhaps unsurprising that they’re well-acquainted with the latest social media marketing trends. Their TikTok presence is a prime example of how brands can effectively use the platform to engage their audience and generate excitement around their company.

During one TikTok campaign, they asked followers to submit videos showing how they’d react if they met the Klarna founders. User @henkearns filmed herself lip syncing to the lyrics of Lady Gaga’s song “Paparazzi” — “I’m your biggest fan, I’ll follow you until you love me”. @klarna shared her video saying, “We don’t even know her but now we love her”.

@klarna This was a fan submission by @henkearns. We don’t even know her, but now we love her. #klarna #fyp #biggestfan ? original sound – klarna

6. Crocs

Crocs has had a strong presence on social media for many years. But it wasn’t until recently that their TikTok strategy really started to take off. With a cult-like following of devoted fans, TikTok was the perfect platform to showcase the versatility and fun of their iconic shoes.

Their TikTok brand account contains a diverse mix of content, ranging from organic content to influencer-sponsored posts to paid ads. The vibe is fun, funky, colourful, and often tongue-in-cheek. When rug-making TikTok creator Madeline, the owner of @happy.rugs, decided to make a Croc-inspired rug and post the creative process to her TikTok account, Crocs were quick to jump on the opportunity. They reposted Madeline’s video saying, “Ok we’re obsessed”, and received a huge amount of positive engagement on the post.

@crocs Ok we’re obsessed. @Madeline Ronzoni #Crocs #CrocTok #diy #tutorial #classiclogs ? original sound – Crocs

7. Dunkin’

Dunkin’ Donuts is a popular chain of coffee and donut shops that’s been a mainstay on social media for years. With over 3 million followers on TikTok, their presence on the platform has been a huge success. Dunkin’ leverages their brand popularity, engaging with fans and creating content that’s fun, playful and sometimes irreverent and thought-provoking. It’s a perfect mix to build a strong brand persona and connect with their target audience of young, donut-loving millennials.

They’ve also perfected the art of making the most out of simple user generated content from their followers. One of their most popular posts was a video featuring user @janellehettick. In the video, she’s wearing a Dunkin’ Donuts-themed hoodie while sipping a big bowl of soup. Dunkin’ reposted the video, saying “You gotta do whatcha gotta do”. The post received thousands of likes and comments, showcasing just how well Dunkin’ uses the power of user generated content to connect with their fans.

@dunkin You gotta do whatcha gotta do?? #goodsoup #coffee #dunkin @Janelle Hettick, LMSW- she/her ? original sound – Dunkin’

A Bonus Example

8. GoPro

GoPro is a brand that is synonymous with adventure and the outdoors. They’ve created a large community around their products on social media, including TikTok. Their flagship product, the GoPro camera, has been extremely successful and popular with their target demographic of outdoor enthusiasts.

GoPro uses different elements on TikTok to engage with their followers. There’s a huge emphasis on user generated content. This makes sense, considering the very nature of their product is that it enables people to create their own quality audio-visual content. Their brand profile contains countless examples of content that users have created using the GoPro camera.

For example, one video by user @lisakytosaho shows the shocking moment when her GoPro camera was stolen by a female lion while on a safari. These types of clips serve two purposes. Firstly, they promote the GoPro brand by showing off how versatile, compact and high-quality the camera is. Secondly, they align themselves with their audience by showcasing their shared passion for adventure and the outdoors. This helps to build engagement at the same time.

@gopro Finders keepers ?? @Lisa Tora Jaqueline had her #GoProHERO10 stolen by a lion #gopro #lion #africa #cute #safari ? original sound – GoPro

What Else Can You Do With User Generated Content?

These user generated content examples don’t have to be confined to TikTok. You can harness UGC content from TikTok to boost your brand across all social media platforms, including Facebook, Snapchat, and Instagram. Brands often take content that they have promoted on TikTok and then recycle it on other platforms such as Instagram and Facebook. TikTok’s short-form video format is perfect for Instagram stories and reels.

The most important thing to remember when promoting your brand through UGC, is to always obtain the permission of the creator before sharing their content on any platform. You want to build a strong relationship with your users. So respect the rights of content creators by letting them know that you are using their content. Once you have permission to share the content, give full credit to the creator by tagging them in your post. This is a great way to build relationships with your target audience and show them you value their creative input. If you simply repost content without permission or credit, you run the risk of souring the relationship with your audience.

Overall, you should use user generated content to create authentic, engaging brand content that resonates with your audience and showcases the personality of your brand. By integrating UGC into your online marketing strategy, you can build a strong following on all social media platforms. It helps to boost brand awareness, engagement, and eventually sales.

Partner with a TikTok Marketing Agency to Develop an Effective UGC Content Strategy

If you’re not sure how to get started with UGC content or you need extra advice and support for promoting your brand on TikTok, consider working with a TikTok marketing agency. Here at House of Marketers, we specialise in helping brands achieve success on TikTok. We offer a comprehensive range of services that will help you build your brand and succeed on the platform. This includes strategy development, influencer marketing, and yes — user generated content promotion. We can also help you identify the right creative partners for working with UGC content on TikTok. Alternatively, we’re also here to collaborate with you on the creation of your own content.

So if you’re ready to start using UGC on social media or want help growing your brand on TikTok, contact us today. Our experts would be happy to help you create a UGC content strategy that helps you stand out from the crowd and reach your marketing goals?