User-generated content (UGC) is any content made by real customers rather than by a brand's own team: reviews, ratings, photos, videos, social posts and answers in a product Q&A. It counts as UGC because a customer chose to create it after buying or trying the product, not because the brand wrote it.
That's the definition Shopify uses in its UGC guide (read in October 2026), and the reason brands care is simple: shoppers trust other shoppers. Shopify cites Emplifi's Q3 2025 Social Media Benchmarks, which found social posts featuring UGC drove over 10 times higher conversion rates than posts without it.
The main types of UGC and where each one works
| Type of UGC | Example | Where it works |
|---|---|---|
| Reviews and ratings | A review after delivery | Product pages, emails |
| Photos and video | An unboxing video on TikTok | Product pages, social |
| Social posts and hashtags | A photo tagged with your hashtag (ask before reposting) | Social channels |
| Q&A | A buyer answering a sizing question | Product pages |
Reviews carry the most weight on product pages. Photos and video do double duty on product pages and social. Q&A is the quiet one people overlook, and the survey numbers below show it matters more than you'd think.
What the US shopper surveys say
Most of the headline UGC numbers come from US consumer surveys, so read them as US shoppers rather than everyone. Shopify cites a June 2025 PowerReviews survey of more than 21,000 US consumers:
- 95% regularly read reviews.
- 96% ranked ratings and reviews as the most influential factor.
- Only 43% would buy a product with zero ratings or reviews.
- 85% are less likely to buy a product that has none.
The zero-reviews numbers are the ones I'd act on first. For a product page with no reviews yet, getting the first handful in will do more for those shoppers than polishing the description.
On Q&A, Shopify cites a 2024 PowerReviews study of nearly 16,000 US consumers. Nearly 74% read Q&A sections regularly, and 92% look for answers from verified buyers, while 51% value answers from the brand. In other words, a customer's answer to a sizing question carries more weight than the one you'd write yourself.
Social matters too. Shopify cites Sprout Social's Q2 2025 Pulse Survey, which found 37% of consumers turn to social platforms first for product reviews and recommendations. A branded hashtag is how you make that content findable.
The permission rule most brands miss
A customer posting with your hashtag hasn't given you permission to repost their content. Shopify is clear on this: always ask for explicit permission before you repurpose a customer's social content, and credit the creator when you share it.
I see brands get this wrong constantly. Someone tags you in a lovely photo, the social team grabs it and it ends up in an ad. That's a quick way to turn a happy customer into an annoyed one. A short direct message asking if you can share it, plus a credit, keeps the goodwill you were trying to borrow.
Organic UGC vs paid UGC
Organic UGC turns up unprompted and unpaid. Paid UGC is content you commission from creators who make customer-style videos and photos for you to use as ad creative, on product pages or in emails. The difference from influencer marketing is who sees it. Paid UGC creators usually don't post the content to their own audience, while an influencer's following is the whole point of hiring them.
On pay, Shopify cites Collabstr's 2025 data putting the average paid UGC collaboration at around $202 (as of October 2026), with the figure varying by content type, usage rights and the creator's experience. If you're going down that route, here's how to make UGC video ads that drive sales.
Where to put UGC to work
Shopify suggests four places: product pages, where customer photos and reviews reduce hesitation; abandoned cart emails; paid social, where it says UGC-style creative consistently outperforms polished brand content; and your social channels. Its Nailboo example is a nice one, because the product was designed to produce visual UGC. Customers naturally want to show off the result.
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How to start collecting UGC
- Ask for reviews after delivery, when the customer has the product in their hands.
- Create a branded hashtag and keep an eye on it.
- Message the customer for explicit permission before you repost anything.
- Credit the creator every time you share their content.
- Reuse the strongest pieces on product pages and in emails.
- Commission paid UGC only to fill the gaps organic content leaves.
If you'd like software to collect and display it, I've compared UGC platforms and, for the paid side, tools for finding UGC creators.
Where I come in
I help brands build UGC into their marketing so it works hard rather than sitting in a folder of tagged photos. That covers the review and permission process, deciding where customer content goes on your site and in your emails, and briefing paid creators when you need more. You can see how I work on my work with me page.
My verdict on UGC
UGC works because it isn't you talking. But it's borrowed trust, so treat it that way. Ask before you use it, credit the person who made it, and put reviews and real customer answers where buyers make their decision. Get those basics right before you spend anything on paid creators.
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Frequently asked questions
What is an example of user-generated content?
A customer's review after delivery, an unboxing video on TikTok, a photo tagged with your hashtag or a buyer answering a sizing question on your product page.
What does UGC stand for?
User-generated content: anything created by customers rather than the brand, such as reviews, photos, videos, social posts and answers in a product Q&A.
Do I need permission to repost UGC?
Yes. Shopify advises asking for explicit permission before repurposing a customer's social content, even if they used your hashtag, and crediting the creator.
What's the difference between UGC creators and influencers?
Paid UGC creators make customer-style content for your brand to use and usually don't post it to their own audience. Influencers are hired for their following.
How much do UGC creators charge?
Shopify cites Collabstr's 2025 data putting the average paid UGC collaboration at around $202 (as of October 2026), depending on content type, usage rights and experience.
