41 User-Generated Content Statistics For Better UGC Marketing in 2025

Every modern marketer knows about the power of user-generated content and its magic. 

In order to keep up with the latest trends and manage to get your consumers to do the work for you, we put together these statistics that will help you understand how important UGC is.

5 UGC statistics to remember

In a world where the global landscape is changing at an ever-increasing pace, people are hungry for authenticity.

To meet this demand from consumers who have lost trust in traditional media user-generated content has become more important than ever before because users can provide their own lens through which we see things without bias from outside influences such as advertisers looking out only for themselves.

1. Consumers spend 5,4 hours a day with user-generated content. (Source)
2. 93% of marketers agree that content created by consumers performed better than branded content. (Source)
3. 75% of marketers claim that UGC makes the brand more authentic. (Source)
4. 86% of the companies today use UGC as a part of their digital marketing strategy. (Source)
5. 31% of consumers say that ads containing user-generated content are more memorable than branded content ads. (Source)

Marketers are overwhelmed with UGC content

Marketers and content creators are feeling the crunch more and more. They have turned to user-generated content for relief. And it helps. A lot.

1. 41% of marketers claim that they have their hands full when it comes to content creation. (Source)
2. Content shared by employees is x8 more engaging than content shared by brand channels. (Source)
3. 43% of marketers say that it’s very hard to find engaging user-generated content manually. (Source)
4. 41% of marketers rank UGC as their top-performing KPI. (Source)
5. UGC in email marketing drives a 78% more click-through rate. (Source)

Here is a summary:

UGC boosts the time people spend on websites

People enjoy seeing authentic content on brands’ social media channels and websites. And by seeing how great those experiences are, they tend to want to experience them on their own.

1. Visitors spend 90% more time on websites that include UGC galleries. (Source)
2. UGC enforces the purchase decision for 12% if it’s included in an online shop or booking website. (Source)
3. Websites with UGC are marking a 20% increase in returning visitors. (Source)

UGC humanizes brands on social media

People like to go through other people’s images to see how they’re living life and want to experience the same at the same time. And people are posting on a daily basis which creates an opportunity for brands to serve people with authentic content they want to see.

1. 45% of people will unfollow a brand on social media if it’s too self-promoted. (Source)
2. UGC posts on social media have a 28% higher engagement rate than branded content. (Source)
3. 51% of consumers say that they’re more likely to purchase from a brand if they share their photos or video on social media. (Source)

Consumers love to share content they create

People want to express themselves and to share their daily and life experiences online. This affinity goes in favor of brands because their consumers will be excited to create content for them.

1. 89% of people would post about a great traveling experience. (Source)
2. 85% of people would post about a great restaurant or dining experience. (Source)
3. 65% of people would post about great health, spa, and beauty experiences. (Source)

Here is a summary:

UGC impacts purchase decisions

User-generated content, especially reviews have a strong impact on purchasing decisions. And this is not a surprise since people tend to consult other people for recommendations, opinions, and experiences.

1. 92% of the consumers trust recommendations from other people more than any other source. (Source)
2. UGC increases conversions by 10% in an online buying process. (Source)
3. 93% of consumers find UGC very helpful in their purchase decision process. (Source)
4. 93% of consumers consult customer reviews and recommendations before buying. (Source)
5. On-site reviews increase conversions by 74%. (Source)
6. 43% of online shoppers confirm that customer reviews are very helpful (Source)

Social selling is the new market

With social media channels implementing online shops, people tend to buy a lot of stuff via Facebook and Instagram. 

1. 60% of people claim that they often find new products on Instagram. (Source)
2. 22% of internet users in the United States were forecast to make at least one purchase through Facebook in 2021. In addition, nearly 13 percent were expected to shop on Instagram, and about 5.6 percent to do so via Pinterest. (Source)
3. 80% of people say that they are more likely to buy from a brand that serves them with personalized content. (Source)
4. 56% of consumers are influenced by social media images and videos when online shopping. (Source)
5. 58% of consumers have left an eCommerce store because it didn’t contain any customer photos or reviews. (Source)
6. 70% of customers take action in advertising when there are consumer opinions posted online (Sources)

Millennials are natural UGC creators and consumers

Somehow the stats show that Millennials are natural content creators and UGC professionals, and also consumers. They tend to be more influenced by personalized and authentic content than branded advertising.

1. Over 70% of UGC is driven by Millennials. (Source)
2. Millennials spent 30% of their time on social media looking for user-generated content. (Source)
3. 35% of Millennials believe that UGC is more memorable than any other type of content. (Source)
4. Only 1% of Millennials say that branded content is more appealing to them. (Source)

Here is a summary:

Gen Z is born with UGC

This generation is born with it. They “know nothing” but the digital world, online shopping, and influencers. They actively use social media and cherish the personalized content that’s served to them more than anyone. And UGC is what will win them for sure.

1. 35% of Gen Z are confident that UGC offers more credibility and brands will consider it more and more in the future. (Source)
2. In the near future, the usage of smartphones will increase among consumers who want to see user-generated content by 12% and more. (Source)
3. 84% of Gen Z tend to trust brands that have real customers in their advertisements. (Source)
4. Gen Z is more attached to brand influencers who post authentic user-generated content. (Source)

Post pandemic UGC trends

Online shopping has been on the rise for years and it looks like we’re not slowing down anytime soon. And the fact that 72% of people say that they spend more time on social media after the pandemic started shows that social platforms are enforcing an impact on everyday life.

1. 67% of consumers say that their online purchasing increased since the pandemic started. (Source)
2. 75% of people say that they will still keep buying online even after the pandemic is over. (Source)
3. 63% of Gen Z consumers say that they’ve purchased from a totally new brand since the pandemic started. (Source)
4. 73% of Gen Z consumers confirm that online shopping increased and it’s still rising. (Source)

Conclusion

Brands that rely on user-generated content will be the norm for years to come. And as you can see in this article, statistics show there’s no slowing down when it comes to users and posts online.

If you already don’t, you can start collecting and using user-generated content in your marketing strategy. The good thing is that you don’t have to do anything manually. You can get a UGC platform to do the job for you.

So don’t wait, sign up for the EmbedSocial UGC platform, and bring your consumers closer.