User-generated content strategies: why customers are your best marketers
User-generated content (UGC) is no longer a trend, but an essential marketing strategy. When customers create content about your brand themselves, a form of authentic marketing emerges that no company can fabricate on its own. In Belgium, we are seeing more and more SMEs cleverly leveraging the power of customer testimonials, reviews, and social media posts.
- UGC Power: 92% of consumers trust customer recommendations more than traditional advertising
- Tangible Results: Websites with UGC see 20% more conversions and 4.5x higher click-through rates
- Practical Strategies: Hashtag campaigns, review systems, contests, and micro-influencer collaborations
- Sector-Specific Implementation: From e-commerce unboxing to B2B case studies - each sector has its own UGC approach
- Measurable ROI: Cost savings on content production + increased conversions make UGC highly profitable
The numbers don't lie: 92% of consumers trust recommendations from other customers more than traditional advertising. For e-commerce businesses, this represents a golden opportunity to increase conversions without massive advertising budgets. As we discussed in our article on performance marketing, modern marketing increasingly revolves around measurable results and authentic connections.
What exactly is user-generated content?
User-generated content encompasses all forms of content that customers, users, or fans voluntarily create about your brand. This can range from:
Product reviews and ratings
Photos and videos of customers with your products
Social media posts mentioning your brand
Blog posts and testimonials
Unboxing videos
Before-and-after photos for service-related businesses
The difference from traditional marketing? UGC doesn't feel like advertising. It's genuine feedback from real people, which exponentially increases credibility.
Why user-generated content is so powerful
Trust and Credibility
Consumers have become skeptical of brand messages. They want to hear from other customers, not from the company itself. A spontaneous Instagram post from a satisfied customer often has more impact than a professional advertising campaign.
“In a world where you are overwhelmed with content, you try to find reliable content that makes sense to you and that you can use in a trustworthy way. I think that becomes more valuable.”
Cost-Effective Marketing
Instead of expensive photoshoots or video productions, you get free content from your customers. This doesn't mean you don't need a budget, but the budget is used much more efficiently.
Increased Conversions
Websites with UGC see an average of 20% more conversions. Potential customers see how other people use and experience your product, which lowers the barrier to purchase.
SEO Benefits
Fresh content is crucial for SEO optimization. Reviews and customer photos provide continuous new content on your website, which search engines value. As we explain in our article on combining SEO and AI, authentic reviews and UGC are becoming increasingly important for search engine rankings. Customer reviews from local customers are also invaluable for local SEO.
The Psychology Behind User-Generated Content
Social Proof
People look to the behavior of others to make their own decisions. If others are positive about your product, this increases the likelihood that new customers will also buy.
FOMO and Aspiration
When customers share photos of your products in their daily lives, they create aspiration in others. This 'fear of missing out' can be a strong driver for purchases.
Sense of Community
UGC campaigns can create a sense of community around your brand. Customers feel part of something bigger.
Practical User-Generated Content Strategies
1. Hashtag Campaigns
Create a unique hashtag for your brand and encourage customers to use it. Ensure the hashtag is:
Short and easy to remember
Relevant to your brand
Not already in use by others
Example: A Belgian coffee shop uses #MyMorningRitual and asks customers to share photos of their coffee moment.
2. Set up a Review System
Make it easy for customers to leave reviews:
Send automatic emails after purchase
Offer incentives for detailed reviews
Respond to all reviews, both positive and negative
Integrate reviews prominently on product pages
For Shopify webshops, excellent review apps are available to automate this process. In our Shopify apps overview, we discuss the best tools for review management. Also, structured data for reviews can significantly improve your SEO performance.
3. Contests and challenges
Organize contests where customers need to create content:
Photo contests featuring your product
Video challenges
Story competitions
Before-and-after transformations
“Sharing people's stories and experiences is at the core of building trust – it's far more powerful than anything we as a company could ever tell”
4. Influencer collaborations
Collaborate with micro-influencers who create authentic content about your products. Micro-influencers (1,000-100,000 followers) often have better engagement rates than mega-influencers. In our article on LinkedIn marketing strategies, you can read how B2B influencers can help with lead generation. For product-focused companies, video marketing trends work excellently in combination with influencer content.
5. Customer photos on product pages
Ask customers to share photos of their purchases and feature them on your product pages. This increases trust and shows what the product looks like in real life.
User-generated content for various sectors
E-commerce and Retail
Outfit-of-the-day posts
Unboxing videos
Product-in-use photos
Customer styling tips
For e-commerce optimization, customer photos are invaluable. They increase trust and reduce return rates because customers know what to expect. In our Shopify SEO article, we discuss how to technically optimize the use of this content.
Hospitality and tourism
Food and drink photos
Check-ins and location tags
Experience stories
Travel reports
B2B services
Case studies in collaboration with clients
LinkedIn testimonials
Result showcases
Behind-the-scenes content from collaborations
For B2B lead generation, customer stories can be very convincing. Case studies in collaboration with clients demonstrate concrete results and serve as social proof for prospects. Check out our digital ad critique where we discuss why authentic content is becoming more important than traditional advertising.
Wellness and fitness
Transformation photos
Workout videos
Healthy lifestyle posts
Progress updates
Technical implementation of UGC
Content aggregation
Use tools to automatically collect UGC:
Social media monitoring tools
Hashtag tracking
Mention monitoring
Review aggregation platforms
Rights and consent
Always ensure consent before using UGC:
Explicitly ask for permission
Create clear terms of use
Credit the original creator
Respect privacy settings
Moderation and quality control
Not all UGC is suitable for your brand:
Establish clear guidelines
Moderate content before sharing it
Monitor brand values
Filter irrelevant or inappropriate content
Measurable results from user-generated content
KPIs to track
Engagement rate on UGC posts
Conversion from pages with UGC
Number of new UGC submissions
Reach of UGC campaigns
Sentiment analysis of UGC
Calculate ROI
Measure the value of UGC by:
Cost savings on content creation
Increased Conversions
Organic reach
Improved brand perception
For performance marketing, UGC is a valuable addition to your measurement strategy. It combines perfectly with Google Ads optimization and other paid channels. In our article on Google Ads vs Facebook Ads, we demonstrate how UGC can improve the performance of both platforms.
Common mistakes in UGC campaigns
1. No clear call-to-action
Customers don't always know you want their content. Be explicit in your requests and make it easy to participate.
2. Only collecting content without interaction
Respond to UGC, thank customers, and show appreciation. This encourages others to share content as well.
3. Lack of consistency
UGC campaigns need time to gain momentum. Persevere and consistently encourage your customers.
4. Approaching it too commercially
UGC works because it's authentic. Don't try to force it or make it too controlled.
5. Ignoring legal aspects
Ensure clear terms of service and always ask for permission before reusing content.
The future of user-generated content
AI and UGC
Artificial intelligence helps with:
Content moderation
Sentiment analysis
Personalization of UGC
Automatic content curation
For AI-driven marketing, UGC offers interesting possibilities. In our article on AI agents for marketing, we discuss how AI can help manage large volumes of UGC. AI content creation can also complement UGC with personalized responses.
Video-first approach
Video content is becoming increasingly important:
TikTok-style short videos
Instagram Reels
YouTube Shorts
Live streaming by customers
Augmented reality integration
AR filters and experiences make UGC more interactive and shareable.
UGC campaigns in practice: Belgian examples
Local Fashion Retailer
An Antwerp clothing store launched #MyAntwerpStyle and saw their online sales increase by 35% thanks to customer photos that appealed to local pride. These types of local SEO strategies work exceptionally well for regional businesses.
Artisanal Food Producer
A Flemish cheesemaker encouraged customers to share recipes using their cheeses. This resulted in 200% organic Instagram growth and increased brand awareness. Similar to our Bastiano case study where local content had a strong impact.
B2B Software Company
A Belgian tech company launched a case study program where customers shared their success stories. This led to 40% more qualified leads, as we also observe in our article on performance marketing in the AI era.
“Nearly 65% of HubSpot’s AI users are leading the way in content creation. 91% of those users believe that AI-generated content surpasses traditional content.”
Legal Considerations for UGC in Belgium
GDPR Compliance
Explicit consent for the use of personal data
Respecting the right to be forgotten
Transparent privacy conditions
Copyright
Obtaining creator's permission
Clear licensing terms
Respecting moral rights
Transparency Requirements
Clearly indicate when content is sponsored
Transparency regarding moderation
Fair representation of reviews
Practical roadmap for your first UGC campaign
Step 1: Define Goals
What do you want to achieve?
Increase brand awareness
Drive conversions
Community building
Social media content
Step 2: Platform Selection
Where are your customers active?
Instagram for lifestyle and fashion
LinkedIn for B2B
TikTok for younger audiences
Facebook for broad demographics
Step 3: Campaign Setup
Create a unique hashtag
Establish participation terms
Determine reward or incentive
Handle legal aspects
Step 4: Promotion and Launch
Inform existing customers
Implement email marketing
Social media promotion
Engage influencers
Step 5: Monitoring and Optimization
Daily monitoring of submissions
Select quality content
Encourage engagement
Analyze results
“If you don't measure your UGC strategy, you can't improve it. Continuously monitoring and analyzing your user-generated content is essential to understand what works and what doesn't.”
For conversion optimization, these UGC campaigns can be valuable. They increase trust and lower the barrier to purchase. In our article on CRO and AI personalization, you can read how to personalize UGC for different target audiences.
Tools and platforms for UGC management
Free options
Native social media tools
Google Alerts for mentions
Hashtag monitoring through the platforms themselves
Customer feedback via email
Paid solutions
Hootsuite for social media monitoring
Yotpo for review management
Olapic for UGC aggregation
Bazaarvoice for comprehensive UGC programs
“Finding the right tool that automates posting UGC to your website is the competitive advantage. You eliminate manual work and empower the community to become your brand ambassadors.”
Shopify-specific apps
For Shopify webshops, there are specialized apps:
Judge.me for reviews
Loox for photo reviews
Stamped.io for comprehensive UGC
Trustpilot for building trustworthiness
In our complete Shopify apps overview, you will find more details about these tools. For businesses considering migrating to Shopify, read our Shopify vs other e-commerce platforms article.
Measuring success: UGC-analytics
Quantitative metrics
Number of UGC submissions per week/month
Engagement rate on UGC vs. branded content
Conversion rate of pages with UGC
Organic reach of UGC posts
Click-through rates
Qualitative metrics
Sentiment analysis of UGC
Brand perception studies
Customer satisfaction scores
Net Promoter Score (NPS)
ROI calculation
UGC ROI = (Increased conversions + Content cost savings) / UGC campaign investmentUGC and international expansion
For businesses looking to grow internationally, UGC offers local authenticity:
Localization of UGC
Regional hashtags
Local influencers
Cultural adaptations
Language-specific campaigns
Cross-border content sharing
Universal product experiences
International communities
Global hashtag strategies
Multi-language support
Integration with existing marketing strategies
Email marketing
Integrate UGC into your email campaigns:
Customer photos in newsletters
UGC in product recommendation emails
Testimonials in nurturing sequences
See our guide on AI content creation for automation possibilities. With AI training, you can teach your team how to optimally use AI for UGC management. An AI audit helps you identify where AI can be most effectively deployed in your UGC workflow.
Paid advertising
Use UGC in paid campaigns:
Facebook ads with customer photos
Google Ads with reviews
Instagram ads with UGC videos
For performance marketing, UGC can significantly improve ad performance. Ads with real customer photos have higher click-through rates than stock photos. In our article on outsourcing online advertising, we explain why digital experts are increasingly integrating UGC into campaigns.
SEO integration
UGC helps your SEO in several ways:
Fresh content for search engines
Long-tail keywords in reviews
Local SEO through location-based UGC
Social signals
This aligns perfectly with trends such as GEO strategies and voice search optimization. In the evolution from SEO to GEO, UGC plays an increasingly important role.
Challenges and solutions
Challenge 1: Low participation
Solution:
Increase incentives
Make participation easier
Communicate more clearly
Use existing customers as examples
Challenge 2: Quality control
Solution:
Communicate clear guidelines
Provide examples of desired content
Set up a moderation workflow
Training for community managers
Challenge 3: Legal compliance
Solution:
Seek legal advice
Clear terms of service
Consent forms
Privacy-friendly processes
Challenge 4: Consistency
Solution:
Editorial calendar for UGC
Automated reminders for customers
Community building
Long-term incentive programs
Advanced UGC strategies
Co-creation with customers
Go beyond just asking for content. Involve customers in product development:
Product feedback sessions
Design input
Feature requests via UGC
Beta testing programs
UGC-driven product development
Use customer feedback to develop new products:
Analysis of frequently requested features
Identification of usage patterns
Discovery of new use cases
Market validation
Community-driven content
Build a real community where customers help each other:
Forums with UGC sharing
Peer-to-peer support
User-generated tutorials
Community challenges
UGC for seasonal campaigns
Seasonal UGC
Christmas unboxing videos
Summer lifestyle photos
Back-to-school content
Valentine's Day experiences
Event-driven UGC
Product launches
Black Friday experiences
Trade shows and events
Milestone celebrations
For social media marketing, seasonal UGC campaigns can be very effective. Combine this with mobile optimization because a lot of UGC is created via smartphones. AI copywriting can also help in writing effective UGC calls.
UGC in the customer journey
Awareness stage
Discovery content from new customers
First impressions
Unboxing experiences
Discovery posts
Consideration stage
Comparison content
Detailed reviews
Use case examples
Problem-solving content
Decision stage
Testimonials
Before/after content
ROI showcases
Peer recommendations
Retention stage
Loyalty program content
Community building
Advanced use cases
Customer success stories
Advocacy stage
Referral content
Brand ambassadorship
Organic brand mentions
Word-of-mouth amplification
Conclusion: The power of authentic stories
User-generated content is more than a marketing tactic; it's a fundamental shift towards more authentic brand communication. In an era where consumers are skeptical of traditional advertising, genuine customer experiences offer a valuable bridge between brand and audience.
“UGC is becoming increasingly important. It's no longer a 'nice to have'; it's a necessity for modern businesses that want to communicate authentically with their target audience.”
For SMEs in Belgium, this presents a golden opportunity. With limited budgets, they can still compete with larger players by strategically leveraging the power of their satisfied customers. The key lies in systematically setting up UGC programs that align with your target audience and brand values.
Start small, measure often, and scale what works. UGC is a long-term strategy that takes time to gain momentum, but the results are well worth the investment. Combine it with AI automation for optimal efficiency and check out our case studies for inspiration.
Do you need help setting up a UGC strategy that suits your business? Book a free strategy consultation and discover how we can achieve authentic growth together.
🚀 More leads, higher conversion, better ROI
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Frequently asked questions about user-generated content (UGC)
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The best motivation is a combination of recognition and small rewards. Share their content prominently, tag them in your posts, send a thank you message, and consider small gifts or discounts. The feeling of being seen and appreciated is often more important than material rewards.
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Negative UGC offers opportunities for improvement. Respond professionally and constructively, show that you take feedback seriously, and use it as input for product improvement. Don't hide negative feedback, but demonstrate how you address it. This actually increases trust.
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Yes, if you don't have the proper permissions. Always ask for explicit consent before using customer content, respect copyrights, and ensure GDPR compliance. Establish clear terms of use and document permissions thoroughly.
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UGC campaigns can start with minimal budgets. Begin with organic encouragement via email and social media. Budget is primarily needed for incentives, monitoring tools, and eventual promotion. A starting budget of €500-1000 per month can already yield effective results.
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Focus on engagement metrics (likes, shares, comments), conversion impact (sales from pages with UGC vs. without), brand awareness (mentions, hashtag usage), and qualitative feedback. ROI is measured by increased conversions and cost savings on content production.
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This depends on your target audience. Instagram and TikTok are excellent for lifestyle and retail, LinkedIn for B2B, Facebook for broad demographics, and YouTube for extensive reviews and tutorials. Start where your customers are most active.
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Authenticity is key. Give customers freedom in their creative expression, don't force specific messages, and avoid over-promotion. Allow for natural moments of enthusiasm and respond genuinely to submissions. It should feel organic, not like an assignment.
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Small businesses, in particular, benefit from UGC because they are closer to their customers. They can respond more personally, build relationships more easily, and react to feedback more quickly. Start with your most loyal customers and build from there.
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Analyze why people are not participating. Perhaps the barrier is too high, the reward too low, or the communication is unclear. Test different approaches: personal invitations, lower participation thresholds, better incentives, or clearer instructions.
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UGC complements branded content; it does not replace it. Apply the 80/20 principle: 80% valuable content (part of which is UGC), 20% promotional content. Schedule UGC moments in your content calendar and ensure a balance between your own content and customer content. Consistency in brand messaging remains important.
Sources & References
Platform-specific insights on creators and UGC:
Instagram Business: “Creator economy insights 2024” – https://business.instagram.com/a/creator-economy-report
TikTok for Business: “UGC trends & best practices” – https://www.tiktok.com/business/en/blog/ugc-trends-best-practices[
Legal and compliance frameworks:
Belgian Data Protection Authority: “Guidelines for privacy in marketing and social media” – https://www.gegevensbeschermingsautoriteit.be/burger
