Every marketer working for e-commerce brands knows that introducing UGC eCommerce content in marketing campaigns increases sales.
After all, user-generated content (UGC) drives authenticity and boosts consumer trust. Plus, once you leverage it, you can harness its power of social proof to increase your online presence, engagement, and sales.
FYI: You can embed user-generated content on your website automatically. Sign up now.
So, let me introduce you to UGC, list its benefits for eCommerce companies, and show you how the best brands leverage user-generated content.
What is user-generated content (UGC)?
User-generated content (UGC) encompasses any form of content – reviews, photos, videos, social media posts – created by consumers instead of the actual brand.
Meaning of user-generated content
As you can see, when used well, UGC in eCommerce can have a massive impact on how the brand is perceived by its fans and the general public.
In fact, 92% of consumers trust organic, user-generated content more than traditional advertising, especially if it’s coming from people they know.
Imagine asking for an opinion about a product or service from someone who doesn’t have anything to gain by recommending any particular option.
That’s how UGC actually works: when shared on social media accounts without any prompts by eCommerce brands, it can either boost your bottom line significantly or warn potential buyers of spending money on your products and services. There’s no replacement for the authentic insights and customer experiences it offers!
Related:
Starting with user-generated content for e-commerce: 5 Steps
Integrating UGC’s social proof into your eCommerce website boosts customer trust and engagement. Here are five best practices for doing that effectively:
1. Aggregate existing user-generated content on social media with a UGC platform
Like a social media aggregator, a UGC platform can collect existing user-generated content shared on social media.
This means you can set up to aggregate mentions from Instagram, posts using a specific branded hashtag, or even Google reviews from actual customers using your products or services.
Once you aggregate content created by your customers, you can organize the UGC and tag the content in categories for better analysis and further leverage.
For example, if you use EmbedSocial to aggregate UGC, you can further search for the collected content and use the tagging functionality to organize it into categories, such as categories by product, categories by specific feature or advantage you offer, or even categories by certain media formats, like photos for Ads, videos for websites, etc.
Once you find the best content to leverage, it’s time to ask for the rights to use it.
2. Ask for rights to use the UGC
Next, once you have the user’s content, you can use a tool to ask for reviews. This usually is in the form of a comment or a direct message, stating the purpose of reusing the content and also offering additional incentives if needed.
Platforms like EmbedSocial provide UGC rights management functionality with the automatic sending of Instagram comments, such as the following:
3. Encourage or incentivize UGC creation and sharing from customers
You need to be collecting UGC all the time, as you can use it for your marketing strategy whenever you need to. Therefore, actively encouraging customers to create and share content related to your products can significantly expand your UGC library.
There are several ways you can get authentic user-generated content:
- Send out follow-up emails or SMS requesting reviews or visual UGC;
- Organize hashtag campaigns that offer rewards for content;
- Incentivize reviews or creation of posts by offering discounts or swag;
- Check out your social media profiles for unprompted UGC;
- Embed a review collection form or QR codes on your website;
- Include clear calls-to-action (CTAs) on your pages and packaging;
- Get branded content with the help of influencers in your niche.
As you can see, there are many different ways to collect user-generated content, most of which do not require extra funds or time.
4. Showcase user-generated content on your e-shop
Once you get the rights and collect relevant content, you can leverage that user-generated content to sell more.
For instance, the best user-generated content examples show us that famous brands like Glossier, Calvin Klein, and ASOS regularly get and use content from their social media users. Don’t believe me? Just check out their social media handles.
To make shoppable UGC work towards more sales, you must integrate it into your website’s various sections, such as product pages, homepages, and dedicated review sections.
In practice, you must create a shoppable widget where your Instagram posts will be tagged with actual product information and links to checkout.
- Sign up for EmbedSocial
- Generate user-generated content from Instagram, Google or Facebook
- Create the shoppable widget and tag your products on the relevant content
- Get the embeddable widget code and paste it into your website.
You can add the shoppable widget on the product pages, where you can inspire potential buyers to see real-life applications of your products instead of just stock photos.
Furthermore, you can reuse this UGC widget to embed in email marketing campaigns and landing pages to drive higher engagement and conversion rates.
5. Monitor and respond to UGC eCommerce content
Last, you must actively monitor and respond to UGC to build a community around your brand and show that you value customer feedback. So, thank customers for their positive reviews and address any negative feedback whenever you can.
Reward and encourage customers to share content about your brand to foster loyalty and get them to continue creating and sharing free UGC you can use.
This interaction strengthens your relationship with existing customers and enhances your brand’s reputation by demonstrating a commitment to customer satisfaction.
That’s the best way to grow your eCommerce store nowadays!
Why is UGC important for e-commerce brands?
User-generated content (UGC) is essential for e-commerce and fashion brands because it offers authenticity, builds trust, and enhances customer engagement.
Here are the key benefits of incorporating UGC into your e-commerce website:
- Increases trust & credibility—consumers are more likely to trust content created by other consumers as it’s proof that real people use and enjoy your products;
- Boosts engagement—UGC e-commerce encourages interaction and engagement on social media platforms, leading to increased visibility and brand awareness;
- Enhances SEO—user-generated content can improve search engine rankings as it often includes relevant keywords and phrases organically;
- Cost-effective—leveraging UGC e-commerce reduces the need for expensive professional content creation, as customers provide valuable content for free;
- Drives conversions—user-generated content campaigns can significantly impact purchasing decisions. Displaying reviews can boost conversions by 270%;
- Increases authenticity—UGC adds a layer of authenticity to your brand, showcasing real-life experiences and honest and unprompted feedback. In fact, 75% of marketers claim that UGC makes brands more authentic.
Bottom line: UGC greatly impacts the consumer decision-making process by showing your customers they are making the right choice buying your products.
Here’s how The Influence Agency puts it:
“User-generated content is the word-of-mouth of the digital age. You can now decide if a product is worth your time, energy, and money based on the opinions and experiences of more people.”
The Influence Agency
7 best UGC marketing examples of eCommerce stores
Here are seven standout UGC marketing examples that show you how to effectively use UGC content to promote your e-commerce store, along with their benefits:
- Reviews help you stand out from the competition
- Interactive shopping experience through user-generated content
- Establishing a community that inspires users
- Social media hashtags encourage content sharing
- Customer testimonials build your brand trust
- DIY and how-to content engages creatively
- Product unboxing videos create excitement
1. Reviews help you stand out from the competition
Customer reviews provide authentic feedback for buyers to make informed decisions and enhance your store’s credibility to impact their purchasing decisions.
For example, Patagonia leverages detailed customer reviews on its product pages, allowing buyers to share their experiences and feedback. This transparency builds trust and provides potential customers with valuable insights into product performance and quality.
By showcasing authentic user reviews, Patagonia highlights its commitment to customer satisfaction and product excellence, ultimately driving higher engagement and sales, since they are the social proof that reassures and converts prospective buyers:
The benefits of showcasing reviews are substantial, as they build trust and credibility with your audience, which means that potential customers are more likely to believe the experiences of their peers over brand-generated content.
Moreover, positive reviews can lead to higher sales conversions, reassuring buyers about the product’s quality and reliability.
2. Desigual creates Interactive shopping experience through user-generated content
Shoppable Instagram feeds are a dynamic way to integrate user-generated content with e-commerce, allowing customers to shop directly from social media posts. Desigual leverages this feature to create an engaging shopping experience on their website.
The brand has incorporated a shoppable Instagram feed on its website, showcasing UGC from posts mentioning them. This feed allows customers to see real-life applications of Desigual products in unique and creative outfits shared by other customers.
By integrating shoppable posts, Desigual not only highlights the versatility and style of its products but also provides a seamless shopping experience. Customers can click on the featured images to purchase the items directly, making the shopping process engaging and interactive:
3. Establishing a community that inspires Nike customers
The Nike Running Club (NRC) community is a vibrant and supportive group of runners who share their experiences, achievements, and gear on social media platforms, particularly Instagram.
Using the hashtag #NikeRunningClub, members post photos and stories of their runs, showcasing Nike products in real-world settings. This UGC highlights the brand’s commitment to fostering a community of fitness enthusiasts and provides authentic endorsements of Nike’s running gear.
The shared experiences and motivation within the NRC community help to inspire and engage runners of all levels, as you can see below:
This active user participation builds a supportive community around the brand, which increases customer satisfaction and provides valuable feedback to the brand.
4. Social media hashtags encourage content sharing by Sephora customers
Creating and promoting unique hashtags encourages customers to share their own content featuring your products, increasing brand visibility and engagement.
For instance, Sephora—a leading beauty retailer—launched the #SephoraSquad campaign to build a community of brand ambassadors and generate authentic user-generated content. The campaign focused on inclusivity and personal stories shared by customers:
Sephora’s campaign successfully increased the brand’s visibility through authentic user-generated content, enhanced its community engagement and loyalty, and broadened its reach by leveraging the influence of micro and macro influencers.
This campaign successfully combined social media engagement, influencer marketing, and community building to promote Sephora’s products and brand values.
5. Customer testimonials like authentic Google reviews brand trust
Showcasing customer testimonials from satisfied clients on your website can enhance credibility and persuade potential buyers to trust your brand.
For example, Custom Clothing NY embeds Google reviews on its website, highlighting positive product and service experiences. These testimonials help build trust with new customers by showcasing genuine experiences and feedback from real users:
6. DIY and how-to content engages creatively
Encouraging customers to create DIY or how-to content with your products can lead to highly engaging and informative UGC.
IKEA promotes DIY and how-to content where customers share their creative furniture assembly and home decor ideas using IKEA products. This type of content showcases the versatility of IKEA products and empowers customers to personalize their spaces creatively.
For instance, this Instagram reel is of a user who transformed their IKEA furniture into a unique and stylish piece for their home. This type of content often goes viral, demonstrating the versatility and creativity that IKEA products inspire:
By highlighting these creative solutions, IKEA demonstrates the practical use of its products and engages with a community of customers who enjoy sharing their innovative ideas, which helps to position IKEA as a brand that values and fosters creativity.
7. Product unboxing videos create excitement
Unboxing videos are a popular form of UGC in which customers open new products. This type of content creates excitement and anticipation among potential buyers.
SKIMS is a famous brand that uses product unboxing videos to create excitement. These videos showcase a range of items, with the reviewer offering candid feedback on the fit, fabric, and overall quality of each piece. The try-on segment gives viewers a real sense of how the clothing fits and looks on a real person, helping potential customers make informed purchasing decisions.
Unboxing videos also allow potential buyers to examine the product more closely, helping them make informed purchasing decisions. Customers’ authenticity and enthusiasm in these videos can significantly boost brand loyalty and trust.
Start with UGC for e-commerce today
All the tools you need to collect, manage, and display all the UGC you need for your user-generated content campaign are offered by UGC platforms.
For example, EmbedSocial is one of the best UGC platforms to cover the entire process, from collecting UGC to creating content as embeddable widgets.
Here are some of the features provided by these platforms:
- Collect reviews from every major review platform.
- Connect to and pull UGC from every popular social media platform, such as Instagram mentions
- Create and send out review collection forms
- Comprehensive link-in-bio tool and micro-website builder
- Various analysis and social media monitoring tools
- AI-powered features to get, summarize, and reply to feedback
- Tag your e-commerce product posts with checkout links
- Customizability options for embeddable widgets without coding knowledge
To inspire, check the Instagram shoppable widget and get started with UGC for eCommerce today:
Sign up now to get the shoppable widget for your eCommerce store.
Conclusion: E-commerce brands need user-generated content campaigns to succeed!
At the end of the day, UGC greatly enhances the trust and credibility of your e-commerce brand as it covers real-life cases of use for your products and services.
So you can imagine how consumers trust UGC more than traditional advertising, especially visual UGC enhanced with photos and videos, which can significantly boost engagement for e-commerce brands by showcasing products in relatable situations.
For that reason, actively encourage your customers to share their experiences and offer incentives like discounts or loyalty points to collect more UGC.
Plus, as an e-commerce brand, you must monitor and respond to user-generated content to build a community around your brand—something that comprehensive platforms like EmbedSocial can help you with, as they ease the entire process of UGC management.
All of the above will help you create the perfect UGC campaigns, thus showing your loyal customers that you value all the branded hashtag content they provide you with—there’s no better way to foster loyalty and encourage ongoing UGC creation.
FYI: You can embed user-generated content on your website automatically. Sign up now.
FAQs about UGC for eCommerce
What does UGC stand for?
UGC stands for user-generated content, and it refers to any form of content (both written and visual) created by consumers rather than the brand itself.
What is UGC in eCommerce?
In e-commerce, UGC encompasses all the content related to a brand or its products that customers create and share, which includes everything from product reviews to unboxing videos, photos of the product in use, and social media posts.
Do brands pay for UGC?
Brands do not typically pay for UGC as it must be created organically by customers to retain its authenticity and originality. However, they may still incentivize the creation of UGC by offering rewards such as discounts, loyalty points, or entry into contests.
