Are your Amazon ads not performing like they used to?
You’re not alone, and the reason may surprise you. Modern consumers, especially Gen Z, have changed the game. With 97.5% of Gen Z shoppers turning to social media for product inspiration, it’s clear: trust now comes from real people, not polished brand campaigns.
Adding to this, consumer trust has changed dramatically. People are more skeptical about purchasing from unfamiliar brands. Building trust and credibility is no longer optional. It’s essential. According to the Tint State of UGC report:
- 76% of consumers buy products based on recommendations from others.
- 62% of users are more likely to engage with user-generated photos than branded images.
These numbers highlight the growing power of User-Generated Content (UGC). Whether it’s an unboxing video, a glowing review, or a social post featuring your product, UGC has become one of the most powerful marketing tools for Amazon sellers.
User-Generated Content includes any form of content created by your customers: think photos, videos, text, reviews, or social media posts. It’s authentic, relatable, and, most importantly, trusted by potential buyers far more than traditional brand-generated content.
This guide will show you exactly how to use UGC to stand out, build trust, and increase your sales.UGC might just be the key to unlocking your brand’s full potential.
7 Reasons Amazon Sellers Should Use UGC To Promote Their Businesses
User-Generated Content (UGC) is a proven strategy to build trust, boost engagement, and drive sales. For Amazon sellers, UGC offers an authentic way to showcase products through the eyes of real customers, making it one of the most effective tools for standing out in a competitive marketplace.
Here are some reasons why you should use UGC for your Amazon business:
1. Builds Trust and Credibility
About 79% of people say UGC influences their decision to purchase. Simply put, real images and videos from real people are deemed more authentic than stock photos, making them more likely to sway a buyer on the fence.
2. Higher Engagement Rates
Ads with UGC get 4x higher click-through rates and a 50% drop in cost-per-click compared to average ads.
Why? Because UGC feels real and relatable, which makes it more engaging on Amazon, Instagram, TikTok, and beyond.
3. Boosts Conversion Rates
Shoppers are more likely to convert when they see positive reviews and real-life product use, reducing their hesitation to buy. This reduced hesitation means UGC can increase conversion rates by 29%.
4. Improves Brand Loyalty
A Stackla consumer report indicates that 90% of consumers say authenticity is important when deciding which brands they like and support.
When customers feel seen, they come back. Featuring user-generated content makes customers feel valued and part of the brand community, increasing their loyalty and likelihood of repeat purchases.
5. Cost-Effective Marketing
Save thousands by repurposing customer content instead of creating everything from scratch. Instead of investing heavily in in-house content creation, you can leverage customer content, significantly reducing marketing costs. UGC campaigns can save marketers as much as over $72,000 annually.
6. Acts as Social Proof
This type of content acts as social proof, showing potential customers that others are using and enjoying the product, which can massively influence purchasing decisions. About 92% of consumers trust recommendations from others over branded content.
7. More Customer Insights
Analyzing UGC helps brands gain insights into customer preferences, pain points, and behavior, allowing for more targeted and effective marketing strategies. Nearly 70% of marketers believe knowing customer needs and desires is the basis for good marketing.
The Most Common UGC
People’s attention spans have dramatically decreased in recent years. Today, the average adult’s attention span is just 8.25 seconds, which is shorter than that of a goldfish that can stay focused for 9 seconds. This stark decline makes creating content that captivates and retains attention an increasingly difficult challenge.
If you browse online, you’ll notice that most content follows the same formula:
- Repeated messages
- Overused designs
- Generic images
This homogeneity is a problem. According to human psychology, when the brain encounters something familiar or repetitive, it becomes bored and skips to something more engaging. To combat this, you need to stand out by diversifying your content, messaging, and perspectives.
This is where User-Generated Content (UGC) can step in as a time and money saver. With UGC, you’re not just showing your audience your product, but you’re also showing them different people from your target audience using and experiencing your product.
These are real customers with authentic stories and perspectives, offering a level of genuineness that generic or stock content simply cannot achieve.
Why Is This important?
One of UGC’s most significant benefits is diversity. Diverse content appeals to a broader audience by showcasing various experiences and viewpoints, making it more relatable to people who engage with your brand. More importantly, it captures attention and stays memorable in the sea of repetitive, uninspired content.
UGC also offers versatility. It comes in different formats, which you can repurpose for a variety of online channels, ensuring your content strategy remains fresh and adaptable.
Common Types of UGC
Here are some popular forms of UGC that you can incorporate into your marketing strategy:
- Social media posts (Instagram, TikTok, Facebook)
- Customer testimonials
- Written and photo reviews
- Unboxing videos
- Giveaways & challenges
- Live-stream shoutouts
Let’s make it a little easier to picture how you can use different forms of UGC across marketing channels:
| UGC Source | How to Use It |
| Instagram photo | Feature on product listing or Amazon Posts |
| TikTok video | Embed in product page or use in email campaigns |
| Written review | Add to website, social media captions, or ads |
| Unboxing video | Repurpose for ad creatives or landing pages |
| Hashtag challenge | Showcase winners in your email newsletter |
4 Examples Of User-Generated Content
User-Generated Content (UGC) is a versatile and powerful marketing tool that can be used across various channels to connect with your audience and build trust. By leveraging authentic content created by your customers, you can showcase your products in relatable ways that resonate with potential buyers.
Here are effective examples of UGC to inspire your strategy.
1. Social Media Channels, such as Instagram, Facebook, TikTok etc.
Social media channels are powerful tools for sharing UGC, as 92% of consumers trust organic, user-generated content more than traditional advertising. This trust translates into a higher likelihood of influencing purchasing decisions. Highlight your customers using your product on TikTok, Reels, or Stories.
2. Your Website
Integrating UGC into your website is an effective way to build trust with potential buyers. For example, displaying Amazon reviews or customer testimonials directly on your site can showcase authentic feedback. Visitors are more likely to trust real-life user experiences than promotional content created by brands. This approach can significantly boost credibility and encourage conversions.
3. Email Marketing Campaigns
Emails featuring UGC outperform traditional branded emails, seeing a 78% increase in click-through rates. Including user-generated photos and positive testimonials in your email campaigns adds a personal touch and builds trust, encouraging recipients to learn more about (and even buy) your product.
4. Your Product Listing
Adding UGC to your Amazon product listing, especially in the form of videos, enhances its appeal. A video showcasing how real customers use your product helps potential buyers understand its features and benefits. This can address any hesitations, build trust, and ultimately drive more sales.
Social Media Is Just The Beginning
Don’t stop at Instagram or TikTok. While social platforms are excellent for showcasing customer experiences, UGC should be integrated into your entire marketing funnel from awareness to conversion and even retention.
Think of it like this: social media generates excitement, but your other marketing touchpoints close the deal.
For example:
- A TikTok video showing how a customer uses your product can be embedded directly on your Amazon product listing. This helps future shoppers see the product in action without leaving the page.
- A photo from a hashtag campaign can be turned into a review spotlight graphic on your website or email campaign.
- A testimonial from Instagram Stories can be repurposed into a carousel ad on Facebook to target lookalike audiences.
Repurposing doesn’t just save time. It multiplies your impact. It gives your content a longer life, makes your message more consistent, and reinforces trust at every stage of the buyer journey.
3 Effective Ways to Get UGC on Demand
Collecting UGC isn’t a one-time effort. It requires a system to regularly be created, gathered, and shared for your business. Here are three proven ways to generate a steady stream of authentic content:
1. Ask For Feedback From Users.
Sometimes, the simplest way to get UGC is just to ask. After a customer makes a purchase, reach out to them with a follow-up email and ask for their feedback. You can request a review, a photo, or even a short video of them using your product.
Most customers are happy to share their experiences, especially when they feel their opinion is valued. By making it easy for them to respond—like including a direct link to leave a review or upload a photo—you increase your chances of collecting valuable content.
2. Create a Unique Hashtag.
A branded or campaign-specific hashtag is an excellent way to encourage UGC on social media platforms like Instagram and Twitter. Not only does it make your brand more visible, but it also provides an easy way for you to discover and organize posts your customers are already sharing.
Once you find relevant content, reach out to the creators to ask for permission to repost it on your website, social media, or other channels. This approach works especially well for campaigns with clear and catchy hashtags, like #AsSeenOnMe by ASOS or #ShareACoke by Coca-Cola.
With this strategy, your customers do the creative work, and their authentic posts resonate with potential buyers far more than traditional advertising.
3. Launch a Contest or Challenge
Social media contests and challenges are a fun and engaging way to generate UGC while rewarding your customers. For example, you could host a contest where participants post a photo or video featuring your product for a chance to win a prize.
Another option is to create a challenge related to your product. For instance, if you sell non-slip yoga mats, you could organize a 30-Day Vinyasa Challenge, encouraging users to share their progress on social media while tagging your brand.
These activities not only create UGC but also boost engagement, visibility, and reach, leading to increased sales. Just ensure the contest rules are clear, simple, and easy for your audience to follow.
Takeaway: To consistently generate UGC, you need an ongoing strategy tailored to your audience. Test these approaches—requesting feedback, creating hashtags, and running contests—and see which works best for your brand. By doing so, you’ll build a rich library of authentic content and foster a loyal community of brand advocates.
Ready to Use UGC to Scale?
User-generated content is not just a trend. It’s the future of trust-based e-commerce. Customers no longer want to be “sold to.” They want to see proof from real people that your product is worth their time and money.
If you’re ready to increase trust and credibility, drive higher conversions on your Amazon listings, and build a loyal community of brand advocates, then it’s time to make UGC the centerpiece of your marketing. intelliRANK is here to help. Contact intelliRANK to collect, curate, and repurpose UGC into content that drives measurable growth.ough UGC, intelliRANK is here to help.
