Studio ad film
High production: lighting, set, script, brand voice. Strong for image; in the vertical feed it reads as "an ad" within the first second.
GUIDE · UPDATED: JULY 18, 2026
What is UGC marketing? User-generated content guide
UGC marketing (user-generated content marketing) is a marketing approach that tells a brand's story through content that looks user-generated: videos and stills shot in the language of real user experience. Instead of a polished ad film it feels like a peer recommendation; the viewer feels they are listening to someone who has tried the product, not to a brand. This guide covers the definition, the difference from studio ads and influencer deals, sourced numbers and use cases.
What is UGC marketing?
UGC is short for "user-generated content". UGC marketing is a brand telling its story not in its own voice but in the language of user experience. The content feels shot on a phone: unboxings, first use, daily routines, real moments. It comes from two sources: content customers share on their own, and content shot in the same language by creators working for brands. In both cases the goal is identical: a narrative that does not look like an ad, sits naturally in the feed and feels like a peer recommendation. For content that qualifies as advertising, this natural look never means hiding the ad; it is clearly disclosed as advertising.
Studio ad film, influencer deal and UGC content
Three approaches are often confused. The distinction is simple: a studio film speaks in the brand's voice, an influencer speaks with a known face, UGC speaks in the language of experience.
Influencer deal
A known face presents the product to their own audience. Reach is limited to that face's following; the content is perceived as a sponsored deal, and is labeled as one.
UGC content
Content shot in the language of real user experience. It sits naturally in the feed; the viewer feels they are listening to someone who has tried the product. Reach comes from ad distribution, not a face.
| Dimension | Studio ad film | Influencer deal | UGC content |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feeling of trust | Brand voice; caught by the "ad" filter | Tied to a known face; carries a sponsored feel | Peer-recommendation feel; speaks in the language of experience |
| Cost structure | High fixed production budget | Per-face deal; grows with audience size | Flexible production per piece of content |
| Production speed | Weeks of shooting and editing | Calendar depends on the face's availability | Serial production; variations within days |
| Scalability | One film, limited variations | As many as the faces signed | Dozens of hooks and cuts; produced for testing |
| Platform fit | Close to TV and YouTube language | Tied to the face's own channel | Native fit for the vertical feed (Reels, TikTok) |
What does the research say about UGC?
The power of UGC is not a slogan but a measured pattern of behavior. Every number below is sourced:
92%
Of consumers worldwide trust recommendations from people they know above all other forms of advertising; online consumer reviews rank second at 70%. Source: Nielsen, Global Trust in Advertising, 2012.
79%
Of consumers say UGC highly impacts their purchasing decisions; for branded content the figure is 12%, and for influencer content 9%. Source: Stackla / Nosto consumer research.
5.9x
Consumers are 5.9 times more likely to find UGC authentic than influencer content, and 3.1 times more likely than branded content; 88% say authenticity matters in choosing which brands to support. Source: Stackla / Nosto consumer research.
75%
According to the Bazaarvoice Shopper Experience Index of more than 7,000 shoppers, 75% look at photos and videos from other shoppers before buying, and 86% read shopper reviews. Source: Bazaarvoice, 2022.
How does UGC work, and where is it used?
The flow runs in four steps: the brief is clarified, a scenario pool is selected, content is produced, and ready-to-publish cuts are delivered. How this flow works end to end, from natural narrator videos to hook variations, is explained on the UGC Marketing service page. The content produced is never trapped in a single channel:
Meta and TikTok ads
9:16 vertical cuts with subtitles and CTAs are uploaded directly to ad sets; they work in the feed without looking like ads.
Hook testing
Dozens of variations of the first 3 seconds are produced; which opening keeps people watching is found by testing, not guessing.
Product pages
Experience videos and stills become visible social proof that reduces hesitation at the moment of purchase.
The organic feed
The account looks like a living stream of experiences, not an ad board; follower trust accumulates.
Landing page trust blocks
Experience narratives serve as evidence next to the claims on the page; the message is no longer a single voice.
Email and remarketing
Reminder flows carry user experience instead of a product screen; the language becomes natural.
How does UNALSOFT do this work?
The difference is not shooting videos; it is producing content compliantly, per platform, and tied to performance.
Compliant production
Content of an advertising nature is clearly disclosed; UGC work is built to comply with Türkiye's commercial advertising rules.
Produced per platform
Content is shot and edited for Meta and TikTok formats: vertical framing, a first-3-seconds hook, subtitle discipline.
Tied to performance
UGC is not left on its own: it is tested in campaigns run by the same team, and what works is scaled.
Frequently asked questions
What is UGC marketing?
UGC marketing is a marketing approach that tells a brand's story through content that looks user-generated: videos and stills shot in the language of real user experience. Instead of a polished ad film it feels like a peer recommendation; the content is produced ready for ad sets.
What is the difference between UGC and influencer marketing?
Influencer marketing relies on a known face speaking to their own audience; in UGC, the content itself speaks in the language of experience. In UGC, reach comes from ad distribution rather than the face's following, which makes producing and testing variations far more flexible.
Is UGC content shot by real users?
There are two sources: content customers share on their own, and content shot for brands by creators in the language of user experience. UGC used in advertising mostly comes from the second group; content that qualifies as advertising is clearly disclosed as such.
Does UGC used in ads require disclosure?
Yes. Under Türkiye's Regulation on Commercial Advertisement and Unfair Commercial Practices, ads must be clearly distinguishable; the amendments taking effect on August 1, 2026 strengthen these transparency rules. Even when UGC looks natural, content that qualifies as advertising is clearly disclosed.
What does UGC marketing cost?
Instead of a large fixed budget like a studio production, output is produced flexibly per piece of content. Scope, content volume and the calendar are clarified in a discovery call.
In what format is UGC content delivered?
Mainly as 9:16 vertical cuts with subtitles and CTAs, ready to upload directly to Meta and TikTok ad sets. Other formats are also produced for product pages and the organic feed.
Concept done. Time for the content flow.
Tell us about your product; let's plan the first scenario pool and the content calendar together.