If the social media space has been overwhelming you lately, we understand you.
In case you’re out of the loop, here’s the rundown: doubts have been rising about the legitimacy of UGC creators, in the USA TikTok was banned, then unbanned; and differing opinions have spread over Instagram’s new profile grid layout.
While these updates couldn’t be more different, they all have one thing in common: they’re changing the customer’s role during the buying journey.
How User-Generated-Content (UGC) is Changing in 2025
UGC is conducted through customers sharing content relating to a brand’s products or services to their stories or making a video. This content is then reposted by the brand onto their own social media. The posts can entail anything the user wishes to include, sometimes without any guidance from the brand, or even asking them to make it in the first place.
Unlike a review, it typically demonstrates a product or service in action, showing your customer how it can fit into their lives, rather than just boosting its credibility. For the last couple of years, some UGC creators have been able to make it their full time jobs, however there has been some chatter over whether customers are finding it less and less trustworthy, as paid collaborations cloud our “normal” feed.
For instance, upon the looming TikTok ban in the US, many creators began posting videos clearing up any lies they told in their final posts. A prime example is Meredith Duxbury, a makeup creator with over 18.5 million followers whose claim to fame was her method of applying over ten layers of foundation, then blending it in with her fingers. After first going viral in 2021, many TikTokers used the #FoundationChallenge to recreate her look. However, after creators thought the social networking site would be banned, Meredith revealed that she in fact wiped some pumps of the foundation off. This caused some disappointment in fans, as it means that many of her brand deals where she recreated this look with popular brands, were not based on a legit routine.
Occurrences like these no doubt will continue contributing to people’s growing lack of trust for digital creators. If influencers are willing to lie to build an online presence, what is stopping UGC creators?
Despite the discourse, we predict that UGC is likely to stay around, however the way it manifests may undergo some changes, as well as customers’ overall relationship with brands. Australian clothing brand, Fayt The Label, is a great catalyst when it comes to heavily involving customers in their brand, with their brand trip they had late 2024. The twist: rather than the trip being for influencers, it was aimed at existing customers.
Fayt The Label Brand Trip
Traditional brand trips involve businesses inviting influencers on all-inclusive holidays, so they can promote the brand on their platforms. Founder of Fayt and previous influencer, Britney Saunders, states that “all brands should be doing this” for their customers because it will send a more positive message. Fayt The Label decided to instead invite customers on a trip to Newcastle, where their newest store had recently opened. This not only resulted in them sharing various positive experiences about the trip and brand, but helped deliver Fayt’s messaging of creating a safe space where women can feel confident about their bodies.
Another result of this trip was customers sharing UGC of their journey – many going viral, prompting attention towards the brand in the same way influencer content is intended to, however coming across as a lot more authentic. Overall, the brand trip showed how much Fayt cares about their customer experience – so much so that they would take them on a free holiday!
Why People Prefer UGC Over Influencer Content
Naturally, many people prefer marketing content made by the “general public” compared to influencers because it comes across as more believable and blends more seamlessly into everyday posts. However, users are becoming more and more switched on about brand advertising tactics. For most people, after seeing something that is obviously an ad, it is met with a quick scroll away.
Although some people still do it, gone are the days of mass content with people willingly sharing product reviews without monetisation. With more and more people sharing UGC, the more innovative creators have to get with it. Just having a hook doesn’t cut it anymore. Neither does just having a storytelling component. The most successful UGC creators truly think outside of the box. And as Fayt has proven, so are the brands who have the most successful marketing campaigns.
How to do UGC Right
Customers want to know everything when it comes to business behind the scenes. UGC is still a strong way to do this, because it demonstrates your brand outside of its “home”. However brands need to become more involved in this process and think about ways they can nurture content creators to truly position them as a positive brand who cares about their customers. People aren’t resonating with UGC that looks like the only reason why the creator chose to post it was because they were getting paid. They want to see a genuine relationship between the brand and creator.
Here are some ways to do this:
- Look for UGC creators who only work with brands that they genuinely love.
- Find creators who are already talking about your brand. They might not even be a UGC creator, just somebody with a good online presence.
- Ensure the creator’s values, tone, and style align with your brand.
- Turn genuine reviews into content. Ask happy customers to share their experiences through photos, videos, or testimonials. A good way to encourage this is by reaching out to your email list of engaged subscribers!
New Social Media Updates
It’s clear that social media is becoming a more prospectable job for many people, hence the platforms themselves becoming more heavily relied upon. So, the usability of apps like Instagram and TikTok has been a hot topic among creators. Instagram’s recent implementation of the 1080 x 1350 grid has caused uproar for a lot of creators, who carefully plan their profile to look a certain way. The same goes for the US TikTok ban. While it was only short, many creators were worried that they’d be left with an unstable income, as they relied on TikTok to make a big portion of their earnings.
With social media updates having such big impacts on brands and UGC content creators alike, we’re interested to see how this will also contribute to the changing realm of UGC.
Wrapping up
Remember, it’s not just about sharing UGC content that tries to trick your customer into thinking it isn’t an ad, it’s about using it to show how your product/service could fit into a potential customer’s lives. Brainstorm with content creators to find ways to get creative and make a video that is going to engage your audience, and think clearly into what message you want to communicate.
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