What are UGC Contests: A Guide for E-commerce Brands

In this blog, we’ll explore what UGC contests are, why they’re so powerful for e-commerce brands (from Amazon sellers to DTC startups), and how to run a successful UGC contest of your own. We’ll also look at real-world examples of UGC contests – different ones than you’ve seen elsewhere – to inspire your next campaign. Let’s dive in!

What is a UGC Contest?

A UGC contest is a brand-run competition that encourages customers or followers to create and share their own content (like photos, videos, or social posts) featuring the brand’s product or message. Typically, the brand defines a theme or challenge and a unique hashtag, and participants enter by posting their content with that hashtag (often tagging the brand). In return, entrants get a chance to win a prize – anything from free products or gift cards to a bigger reward like cash or a feature in the brand’s marketing.

For example, a fashion retailer might ask customers to post a selfie wearing one of the brand’s outfits with a hashtag, with the best entry winning a $500 shopping spree. Or an Amazon seller could run a contest for the most creative unboxing video of their product. The key is that customers become content creators, producing authentic posts that promote the brand in a fun, engaging way. UGC contests effectively “outsource” content creation to your community – tapping into their creativity and enthusiasm. And because people love to share their experiences (and love winning prizes), these contests can generate a ton of buzz for your brand.

Why Use UGC Contests?

UGC contests aren’t just a gimmick – they deliver real value for brands, especially in the e-commerce space. Here are some of the biggest benefits of running a UGC contest:

1. Massive Reach & Brand Awareness

When participants share contest entries on their own social profiles, your brand gets exposed to all of their followers. This built-in virality dramatically expands your reach without extra ad spend. Even a few dozen people posting about your product can potentially reach thousands of new eyes. In essence, each contestant becomes a micro–influencer spreading the word. This organic amplification is invaluable for brand awareness.

2. Tons of Content (at Low Cost)

Producing high-quality marketing content in-house can be time-consuming and expensive. UGC contests flip the script by crowdsourcing content from your customers – essentially free marketing materials. You’ll collect a variety of photos, videos, and stories that you can repurpose in social media, on product pages, or in ads (with permission). Compared to hiring a creative agency, UGC is a bargain. In fact, 73% of marketers say UGC performs significantly better than branded content. You also get fresh perspectives: your fans might showcase your product in ways you hadn’t imagined, sparking new marketing ideas for you.

3. Authenticity & Trust

Today’s consumers are skeptical of polished brand ads. Content that comes from real users is perceived as far more genuine. Surveys show that 60% of consumers see UGC as the most authentic form of marketing. People trust the experiences of customers like themselves more than they trust the brand’s own messaging. By sharing customer-created content, you lend credibility to your brand. This trust translates directly into influence on purchase behavior – UGC can highly impact buying decisions for nearly 80% of people. Simply put, when your customers do the talking, other consumers listen.

4. Higher Engagement = More Sales

UGC is a proven engagement booster on social media. Posts featuring UGC get 50% more engagement on platforms like Instagram and Facebook. All that liking, commenting, and sharing increases your visibility in the algorithm, attracting even more eyeballs. It’s a virtuous cycle: as engagement rises, so does brand recall and click-through. There’s also a clear link to sales: 82% of consumers are more likely to buy from a brand that incorporates UGC in its marketing. UGC contest campaigns often coincide with spikes in web traffic and conversions, as the buzz drives shoppers to check out your products. And if you sell on marketplaces – for example, Amazon – having a library of UGC (images, videos, reviews) can improve your product listings and boost your conversion rates.

5. Bonus – SEO and UGC for Amazon: If you’re an Amazon seller or e-commerce entrepreneur, UGC contests can bolster your social proof, which is crucial for conversion. For instance, a contest that generates authentic customer photos can provide you with a gallery of images to use in your Amazon listings or on your site. It can also encourage more reviews (since participants are engaging deeply with the product). From an SEO perspective, UGC contest pages or hashtags can drive user-generated content that improves your brand’s visibility on search engines and even on AI-driven search results, thanks to relevant keywords and genuine engagement. All of this can contribute to higher rankings and discoverability.

To sum it up: UGC contests offer a win-win. Your customers have fun and earn rewards or recognition, while your brand earns trust, exposure, and a trove of content that can fuel your marketing for months to come.

UGC Contest Examples to Inspire You

Nothing illustrates the impact of UGC contests better than real examples. Here are seven successful UGC contest campaigns (different from the usual lists) that show how various brands – from global giants to niche players – tapped into user-generated content to drive results. As you read these, think about how similar ideas could be adapted for your own brand’s contests.

1. Doritos – “Crash the Super Bowl” Video Contest

When it comes to iconic UGC contests, Doritos’ “Crash the Super Bowl” is legendary. This annual contest (which ran for a decade) invited fans to create their own 30-second Doritos commercials. The best fan-made ad would air during the Super Bowl – one of the most coveted (and expensive) advertising slots in the world – and the winning creators earned a $1 million prize plus other perks. The campaign was a massive hit: it routinely attracted thousands of submissions from Doritos lovers vying for the top spot. Finalists’ videos racked up votes from the public, generating huge engagement on social media. The buzz culminated on game day when the fan-made ad was broadcast to hundreds of millions of viewers, effectively turning ordinary customers into Super Bowl ad stars. Not only did Doritos save on production costs for an ad, but the contest itself became a PR story each year. Key takeaway: A big, bold prize (like $1M and Super Bowl fame) can skyrocket participation. Even if your brand can’t offer something quite that extravagant, Doritos shows the power of making customers the hero of your biggest marketing moment. The contest transformed fans into creators and evangelists, driving enormous brand awareness and engagement. It’s an extreme example, but any brand can emulate the spirit by featuring customer content in high-profile ways.

2. Coca-Cola – “Share a Coke” Personalized UGC Campaign

Coca-Cola’s Share a Coke campaign is a masterclass in encouraging UGC through personalization. This campaign wasn’t a traditional contest with a single winner; instead, Coke printed people’s first names on bottles and challenged customers to find a Coke with their name and share a photo with the hashtag #ShareaCoke. It sparked a viral sensation across social media. Consumers loved searching for their names (or their friends’ names) and posting pictures holding the personalized bottles. Coke effectively turned a simple act – drinking a soda – into a shareable moment. The results were staggering: over the course of the campaign, hundreds of thousands of #ShareaCoke photos flooded Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. On Instagram alone, the hashtag engaged over 645,000 customers by early counts, and that number only grew as the campaign expanded globally. Coca-Cola gained tons of authentic content showing happy customers with its product. More importantly, it strengthened consumers’ emotional connection to the brand (“Hey, it’s my name on that bottle!”). Key takeaway: Make it personal. When you empower users to insert themselves into your brand story (literally putting their name on the product), you spark genuine excitement that people naturally want to share. Even as a smaller brand, you can imitate this by personalizing products or experiences for your audience (think custom messages, unique styles, etc.) and prompting them to share. It doesn’t have to be names on bottles – any element that makes a customer think “this is about me” will boost their desire to show it off on social media.

3. Starbucks – #WhiteCupContest

Starbucks is known for its iconic cups, and in 2014 they turned that into an ingenious UGC contest. The #WhiteCupContest invited customers to doodle artwork on Starbucks’ blank white cups and submit photos of their designs on social media. The prize? The winning doodle would be produced as a limited-edition Starbucks reusable cup available in stores (plus a gift card prize). In just three weeks, the contest drew nearly 4,000 entries from Starbucks fans eager to see their cup design come to life. People got incredibly creative with their cup art – from intricate patterns to cute cartoons – and proudly shared their entries online. Starbucks received a trove of unique, artsy UGC, all featuring its product at the center. The buzz brought positive attention to the brand’s creative side. Starbucks even showcased many submissions, not just the winner, on their social channels, celebrating their customers’ talent. The eventual winner (a 20-year-old art student) saw her cup design printed and sold in Starbucks stores nationwide, which further drove customers to the stores to get a piece of that UGC history. Key takeaway: Give your audience a canvas for creativity. Starbucks literally did this with their cups. Think about how your product or marketing could serve as a blank canvas that customers decorate or customize. When users actively create something related to your product, they feel more invested in your brand. Also, offering a tangible, one-of-a-kind prize (like having the design produced) can really motivate participation – it’s not just a reward, it’s leaving a legacy with the brand. This contest also shows that you don’t always need a cash prize; the recognition and cool factor of winning can be just as enticing.

4. Apple – #ShotOniPhone Challenge

Apple’s long-running #ShotOniPhone campaign blurs the line between advertising and UGC contest. Apple encouraged iPhone users to share their best photos taken with an iPhone, using the hashtag for a chance to be featured by Apple. This began as a social/PR campaign, and in 2019 Apple turned it into a formal Shot on iPhone Challenge: users worldwide could submit their photos, and Apple’s panel of expert judges would select 10 winners. The reward? The winning photos got featured on billboards in major cities, in Apple stores, and Apple’s online platforms (and after some uproar, Apple also gave winners a licensing fee for use of their photos). The campaign generated an enormous response. From stunning landscapes to candid moments, millions of #ShotOniPhone images have been shared on Instagram and beyond. For the contest edition, Apple received submissions from thousands of photographers across many countries, highlighting the global community of iPhone users and promoting the quality of the iPhone camera. The genius of this contest is that the marketing message (“iPhone takes great photos”) was delivered organically by users themselves. Seeing real people’s amazing shots creates a fear of missing out – it makes others think “I want my photo up on that billboard, and I can only do it if I have an iPhone.” Key takeaway: Feature your customers as the stars. Apple tapped into consumers’ pride and aspiration – the chance to be showcased by a world-class brand. Even if you don’t have billboards, you can feature contest winners on your website homepage, in an email newsletter, or as a profile picture/header on your social accounts. Give your audience a stage, and they will bring out their best performances (and content) for your brand. Also, a little competition judged by experts or by the community can spur higher-quality submissions, which in turn reflect even better on your product.

5. GoPro – Million Dollar Challenge

GoPro, the action camera company, has built its brand around user-generated action footage. Through the GoPro Awards and the flagship Million Dollar Challenge, they’ve turned content creation into an extreme sport of its own. Each year, GoPro invites users to submit their most epic video clips shot on the latest GoPro cameras. GoPro’s team then compiles a highlight reel of the top clips, and the creators of those clips collectively split a million-dollar prize (each winner gets an equal share of the $1,000,000). The scale of participation is mind-blowing: the 2020 Million Dollar Challenge drew over 29,000 video submissions from 125 countries, all from everyday GoPro users capturing adventures. From surfing big waves to leaping out of planes, the resulting footage is as good as any professional ad – except it’s real customers doing amazing things. The contest not only provides GoPro with a virtually endless supply of jaw-dropping content, but it also builds a hardcore community of brand evangelists. Participants share their clips on social media, proudly tag #GoPro, and rally their friends to watch and like. Even those who don’t make the final cut are essentially promoting GoPro by posting their attempts. For the winners, beyond the money, the bragging rights are huge – they get featured in GoPro’s official video viewed by millions of fans. Key takeaway: UGC contests can double as product demos. GoPro’s contest inherently shows off what their cameras can do in the field, with authenticity that no staged commercial can match. Think about how your customers use your product and what impressive or interesting results that usage leads to – those results can be the centerpiece of a contest. Also, consider a compilation or showcase approach: you don’t always have to pick one “grand prize” winner. Sometimes highlighting many great entries (and rewarding them all, in GoPro’s case) encourages more people to take part because there are more chances to be recognized. GoPro’s method turns customers into contributors to the brand’s story (and marketing), which deepens loyalty tremendously.

6. Calvin Klein – #MyCalvins Influencer & Fan Contest

When Calvin Klein launched its #MyCalvins campaign, it combined celebrity star power with a grassroots UGC movement. The campaign started by featuring influencers and celebrities (like Justin Bieber, Kendall Jenner, and hundreds of fashion bloggers) posting photos in their Calvin Klein underwear with the tagline “I _____ in #MyCalvins.” These edgy, intimate posts exploded across Instagram, and soon everyday fans started imitating them – sharing their own #MyCalvins photos to join the trend. Sensing an opportunity, Calvin Klein turned it into a sort of ongoing contest/challenge: if you posted with the hashtag, you might get noticed and reposted by the brand or even featured in Calvin Klein’s marketing. In the first year, the hashtag had over 179,000 Instagram photos and quickly grew into the hundreds of thousands. Within four months, the campaign had generated 4.5 million interactions (likes, comments, shares) on social media between all the user and influencer content. The beauty of #MyCalvins was that it merged paid influencers with organic UGC. The aspirational images from celebs set the tone, but the sheer volume of regular people participating gave it authenticity. It created a social media frenzy where seeing friends or influencers in their Calvins made others want to post their own. Calvin Klein effectively crowdsourced a global lookbook of consumers modeling their products. Key takeaway: Blend influencer marketing with UGC. Calvin Klein kickstarted a UGC trend by seeding it with influencers (including micro-influencers and mega-celebrities alike) to make it cool, then amplifying real customer posts that followed. For your brand, you can run a contest or campaign where you partner with a few micro-influencers to create example entries, then encourage all your customers to join in with their own entries. The initial influencer content builds momentum and gives people a creative template to follow. Just be sure to also engage with and spotlight the genuine fan submissions – that’s what keeps it authentic and keeps the loop going. As #MyCalvins showed, when done right, your hashtag can take on a life of its own, boosting your brand culture and sales (Calvin Klein saw a notable uptick in underwear sales during this period, thanks in part to the buzz).

7. LEGO – “LEGO Ideas” Fan Creations

Not all UGC contests happen on social media. LEGO Ideas is a unique platform where LEGO invites fans to design their own original LEGO set and share it with the community. It works like an ongoing contest: users submit their creations (along with images and descriptions), and the community votes on their favorites. Any submission that earns 10,000 votes qualifies for review by LEGO, and LEGO will select some to actually produce as official products. The fan designer gets credited and receives royalties from the sales of their set! Over the years, LEGO Ideas has led to the release of hit sets like the NASA Mars Rover, Sitcom-themed sets (Friends Central Perk), and even a Grand Piano – all originally dreamed up by fans. Thousands of ideas are submitted, fueling constant engagement among LEGO’s most passionate customers. While this is a bit different from a short-term hashtag contest, it’s a powerful example of harnessing UGC for product innovation. LEGO essentially turned its hardcore users into a crowdsourced R&D department. Fans campaign for votes on their projects, sharing them on forums and social channels, which spreads LEGO’s presence to new audiences. When a design wins, the whole community celebrates it, and fans line up to buy a product created by one of their own. Key takeaway: Empower your community to contribute ideas, not just content. This deep level of participation can yield incredible loyalty. Of course, not every brand can turn a fan idea directly into a product, but you can emulate aspects of this. For instance, a kitchen appliance brand could run a contest for the most creative recipe using their product, and the winner’s recipe gets featured in the product manual or website (with credit to the creator). A cosmetics brand might ask fans to invent a new shade or flavor, with the winning concept going into production. People love having a real stake in a brand’s offerings. By inviting your customers to shape your product or marketing (and rewarding them for it), you create a powerful sense of co-ownership. The brand is no longer just yours – it’s theirs too.

These examples span different industries – snacks, beverages, retail, tech, fashion, toys – but all succeeded by celebrating user content. Notice that each contest was aligned with the brand’s identity: Doritos leveraged humor and pop culture (Super Bowl ads), Coca-Cola tapped personal connections, Starbucks focused on creativity and art, Apple highlighted quality and aesthetics, GoPro centered on adrenaline and adventure, Calvin Klein played on style and self-expression, and LEGO championed creativity and community. When planning your contest, make sure the challenge fits naturally with your brand and product. That authenticity will make participation more attractive and the content more relatable.

Now that you’re inspired, let’s go over how you can run your own UGC contest step by step.

How to Launch a Successful UGC Contest

Ready to turn your customers into content creators? Running a UGC contest involves more than just posting “Hey, share something and win.” To maximize participation and results, you’ll want to plan things out carefully. Here’s a step-by-step guide to organizing a UGC contest that achieves your goals:

1. Set Clear Goals and Guidelines

Start with the end in mind. What do you want to achieve with this contest? It could be increasing brand awareness, getting lots of user photos for an upcoming campaign, boosting engagement on your social media, or gathering testimonials/reviews. Defining a clear objective will shape all your contest decisions. For example, if your goal is to get new product photos, you’ll design the contest around photo submissions. If it’s social engagement, you might focus on shares or creative storytelling. Along with goals, decide on the audience and platform. Are you targeting your Instagram followers? TikTok creators? Customers who already bought your product (perhaps via an email invite)? Knowing your target participants will help you choose the right platform(s) and the type of content to ask for.

Next, establish contest guidelines and rules. This includes the basics like contest duration, how to enter, eligibility (age, location, etc.), and any content restrictions. Make sure the rules are clear: specify if participants must use a certain hashtag, if their account needs to be public, whether there’s a limit on number of entries, and what content is or isn’t allowed (e.g., no inappropriate imagery). If you plan to reuse the content, include permission in the terms (e.g., “By entering, you agree that we can share your photo on our website/social media”). Having transparent rules not only protects your brand legally, but also sets participants’ expectations. A well-structured contest with clear guidelines looks professional and builds trust with your audience – they’ll feel more confident that it’s a legit competition and that a real prize will be awarded fairly.

2. Choose the Right Platform (or Platforms)

UGC contests can run on a single social platform or across multiple, but it’s usually best to focus on where your audience is most active. Different platforms lend themselves to different types of UGC:

• Instagram – Great for photo and short video contests. The use of hashtags on Instagram makes it easy to track entries. Ideal for lifestyle, fashion, beauty, food – anything visual.

   

• TikTok – Perfect for video challenges, especially if you want a viral moment. If your contest involves a challenge, dance, or creative skit, TikTok’s the place. It appeals to a younger, trend-driven crowd.

   

• Twitter (X) – Useful for caption contests, slogans, or quick photo contests. Hashtags work well here too. And retweet-based contests can amplify reach rapidly.

   

• Facebook – Good for communities or older demographics. You might have people enter by posting on your brand’s Facebook page or in a Facebook Group. (Though note: tracking via hashtags on Facebook isn’t as effective due to privacy settings.)

   

• YouTube – If you’re asking for longer videos or testimonials, you could have users upload to YouTube and share the link. But the barrier to entry is higher with long videos, so this is less common for quick contests.

   

• Your Own Website or Landing Page – In some cases, you might collect entries through a form on your site (especially if you want to moderate submissions, like uploading images directly). This can work if social media isn’t the focus, but it usually results in less viral sharing.
  

Pick the platform that aligns with your target audience and content format. Many brands go with Instagram because it’s user-friendly for photo/video and has broad appeal. If you have a strong presence on multiple platforms, you can allow entries on all of them (just make sure you monitor all). For instance, you might accept entries on both Instagram and TikTok to maximize reach – just unify them with the same hashtag and prize. One tip: If you sell on Amazon or elsewhere online but don’t have a huge social following yet, consider Instagram as a starting point (it’s highly visual and great for product-centric content) or tap into communities (like relevant subreddits or forums) where your fans hang out and encourage them to join the contest. Ultimately, go where participation will be easiest and most natural for your customers.

3. Develop a Theme or Creative Prompt

The heart of a UGC contest is the creative brief you give your audience. A strong theme or prompt will inspire people and produce more cohesive content. You want something that’s fun, on-brand, and easy to participate in. Here are a few approaches to crafting your contest theme:

• Product in Action: Ask users to show your product being used in interesting or everyday ways. (E.g., “Snap a pic of yourself enjoying our coffee in your favorite place” or “Show us your before-and-after using our makeup.”) This directly ties entries to your product benefits.

   

• Lifestyle/Story: Center the contest on a lifestyle or story that relates to your brand. (E.g., an outdoor gear brand might do “#AdventureSelfie – share your wildest outdoor moment,” even if the product isn’t visibly in the photo, it aligns with the brand lifestyle.)

   

• Challenge or Trick: For more playful engagement, propose a challenge. (E.g., a food brand might say “Create a new recipe using our hot sauce” or a tech gadget brand could ask for “hack your workspace” ideas using their gadget.) This can generate creative and varied entries.

   

• Cause or Values: Tie the contest to a cause or message your brand supports. (E.g., a sustainable clothing brand: “Post a video showing how you upcycle old outfits – win our new eco-friendly line.” This motivates those who share your values to participate.)

   

• Seasonal or Holiday: Leverage a timely theme. (E.g., around Halloween, a candy brand could do “#SpookyCandyCreation – build a Halloween art piece with our candy” or during the holidays, a decor brand might ask for photos of how customers use their products in holiday decorating.)
  

Make sure your theme isn’t too complicated. The best prompts are ones that people can understand in a few seconds. Keep it broad enough that you’ll get a lot of participation, but specific enough that it relates to your brand and yields content you can actually use. For example, “share any photo you want” is too broad, but “share a photo of your pet” might be great for a pet brand but not helpful if you sell pet food (instead, “share a photo of your pet waiting for dinner” would tie it to your product context). In our earlier examples: Starbucks’ theme was simply “draw on this cup,” Apple’s was “your best photo,” and Calvin Klein’s was “show off our logo waistband in your style.” All simple, clear, and on-brand.

Finally, communicate the theme clearly when you announce the contest. Provide examples if possible (maybe create your own sample entry to illustrate). If you have multiple content format options (photo or video), mention that. The more people get the idea, the more entries you’ll receive and the higher their quality will be.

4. Promote the Contest (Leverage Influencers & Channels)

You’ve got everything set up – now you need participants! Promotion is key to get the word out and drive entries, especially beyond your core followers. Here are strategies to promote your UGC contest effectively:

• Announce Loudly on All Your Channels: Post the contest announcement on your brand’s Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, Twitter, email newsletter, blog – anywhere you have an audience. Pin the post or add it to your profile bio/link (e.g., “🎉 UGC Contest happening – see pinned post for details!”). The announcement should contain the what, how, and when: what the contest is, how to enter (hashtag, etc.), the deadline, and the prize. Include an eye-catching graphic or example entry to grab attention.

   

• Leverage Micro-Influencers: Consider partnering with a few micro-influencers who align with your brand to help spread the contest. For example, send your product to some content creators in your niche and ask them to participate in the contest early on (or simply to announce it to their followers). This seeding strategy can create initial buzz. When people see influencers taking part, they’ll be more curious and encouraged to join. Micro-influencers (those with smaller but engaged followings) are often very effective for this because their audiences trust them and will follow their lead.

   

• Engage Your Existing Customers: If you have an email list of customers or subscribers, send out a dedicated email inviting them to join the contest. Since they’ve already bought from you, they might be the most likely to create content praising your product. If you have a customer community or loyalty program, announce it there too. For Amazon sellers, you can use insert cards in your packaging or follow-up emails (within Amazon’s terms) to inform customers of things like a social media contest (“Share a photo with our product on Instagram for a chance to win a $100 Amazon gift card!”). Just be cautious to not violate any platform rules if doing post-purchase outreach.

   

• Paid Boost (Optional): If budget allows, you can use social media ads to promote the contest to a wider relevant audience. For instance, an Instagram Story ad that says “Contest Alert! Post a pic, win a prize” targeting people who follow similar brands or hashtags. This can bring in new followers and entrants. However, balance this with the value – you want quality entries, not just people tagging random content for a prize.

   

• Cross-Promote Participant Entries: As entries start coming in, share some of them (with credit) on your brand’s story or feed (and in your contest highlight reel if you have one). This not only shows that people are participating (social proof – nobody wants to be the only one entering a contest), but also gives participants a thrill to see their post reshared by the brand. It can motivate others: “Wow, Brand X is featuring entries – maybe mine could be next!” This is a form of promotion that keeps the momentum going mid-contest.

   

• Timeline reminders: Don’t announce once and forget it. Post reminders as the deadline approaches (“1 week left to enter!”). Create a sense of urgency to prompt procrastinators. Also, answer questions promptly – if people comment or message asking how to participate or any detail, respond and encourage them.

   

By casting a wide net and leveraging both your owned media and others’ influence, you’ll maximize the reach of your contest. Remember, the more people know about it, the more entries you’ll get, which in turn yields more UGC and more buzz – the virtuous cycle of a well-promoted contest. Even if someone doesn’t enter, just seeing the contest can imprint your brand in their mind or get them following you for future updates.

Conclusion: Turn Your Customers into Your Best Marketers

In the age of social media and endless choices, authentic content is king. UGC contests offer a powerful way to get that authenticity on your side. By inviting your customers and fans to create content, you’re not just running a fun promotion – you’re building a community and library of trusted, relatable brand assets. From the examples of global brands like Doritos, Coca-Cola, and Apple, we see that people love to contribute when given the chance. And you don’t have to be a mega-corporation to harness this; even a small e-commerce brand or Amazon seller can launch a UGC contest with a clever idea and a bit of planning.

Let’s recap some final tips to ensure your UGC contest strategy excels:

• Keep it customer-centric: Make the contest about your audience – their creativity, their stories, their lives intersecting with your product. UGC, by definition, is about them, not you. Celebrate that, and the content will resonate with others.

   

• Use those micro influencers and loyal customers: They can be the spark that lights the fire. A few enthusiastic participants (whether they are hired or organic fans) will create the social proof and initial content to get the ball rolling. Remember, authenticity is key – 92% of consumers trust peer recommendations and UGC more than traditional ads, so lean into that peer influence.

   

• Quality over quantity, but also… quantity: Even if not every entry is a masterpiece, the act of many people posting about your brand creates a swell of awareness. And within a large quantity of UGC, you’re likely to find some gems (and some new brand advocates) you can elevate.

   

• Acknowledge and reward participants: Whether someone wins or not, if they took the time to enter, they’re showing love for your brand. Simple acts like commenting or featuring their content can turn them into lifelong fans. Also, consider giving all participants a small something (a discount code, loyalty points, etc.) as a token of appreciation – it’s a classy touch that encourages future engagement.

   

• Repurpose the gold: The contest might end, but the UGC lives on. Make sure to integrate the best user content into your marketing mix. Add those stylish customer photos to your product pages (UGC on e-commerce sites can lift conversions significantly). Share the testimonial videos in your ads. Use the hashtag feed as social proof in presentations or investor pitches. This not only maximizes the ROI of the contest, but it also inspires more UGC – when people see you spotlight a customer’s content, they think “maybe my post could be featured next.”
  

Above all, have fun with it and let your brand’s personality shine through. A casual, friendly tone (just like we used in this blog) works great for contest campaigns – it should feel like a community event, not a corporate transaction. If you’re excited and engaged, your audience will be too.

So go ahead – plan that UGC contest, rally your fans, and watch the magic happen. Your next high-converting ad or viral post might just come from a customer’s camera roll. By turning customers into content creators, you’re not only getting authentic marketing assets, you’re forging a deeper bond with the very people who keep your business thriving. In a world where trust and authenticity drive purchasing decisions, that’s a priceless advantage.

Good luck, and we can’t wait to see what you and your community create together! 🚀📸🎉