User-generated content (UGC) is content that customers create about a brand, such as photos, reviews and videos, and PR teams use it as social proof that shows real people using a product. It works when the brand asks permission, sets clear campaign rules, and measures results against a stated goal.
Last updated October 26, 2026.
What are the key takeaways on UGC in PR?
UGC supports PR when it is real, permitted and tied to a goal. A brand cannot manufacture it, but it can invite it, credit it and learn from it. The five steps below cover building the campaign, choosing platforms, getting permission, measuring results and fitting UGC into the wider PR program.
- Ask permission in writing before reusing any customer post, photo or video.
- Give contributors a clear prompt, rules and a reason to take part.
- Label paid or incentivized posts, since disclosure rules apply to them.
- Measure sentiment and traffic from UGC, not only likes.
Quick definition: what is social proof?
Social proof is evidence that other people have used and approved of a product, such as reviews, customer photos or testimonials, which helps new buyers decide.
What is user-generated content in PR?
User-generated content in PR is any content customers create about a brand, including social posts, reviews, photos, videos, blog posts and testimonials, that the brand then shares with permission. In PR it serves as evidence of how real customers use and value a product.
The difference from a brand-made post is who holds the voice. A customer's photo carries the customer's wording and context, which is why journalists, prospects and employees often read it as more credible than a press release. PR teams should still treat it as one input and not a replacement for earned media.
1. How do you build an effective UGC campaign?
You build an effective UGC campaign by giving customers one clear prompt, a simple way to take part, and a visible reason to do so. Branded hashtags, contests and creator partnerships are the three common formats.
| Format | How it works | Main risk |
|---|---|---|
| Branded hashtag | Customers post with a hashtag and the brand features the best entries | Off-brand or unrelated posts under the tag |
| Contest | Customers submit content for a prize under written rules | Legal rules for entries, prizes and eligibility |
| Creator-led prompt | A creator invites followers to post their own version | Disclosure if the creator is paid or gifted product |
The complete guide to influencer marketing explains how to choose creators for the third format.
2. Which platforms suit UGC campaigns?
The right platform is the one where the brand's customers already post, since a prompt only works where people are willing to answer it. Instagram and TikTok suit short visual content, YouTube suits longer demonstrations, and Pinterest suits product ideas that customers save.
Check the audience data for your own accounts before choosing. A platform's size matters less than whether your buyers create and share content there.
3. What permissions and disclosures does UGC need?
UGC needs written permission from the creator before a brand reuses it, and a clear label when the post is paid or incentivized. Reposting without permission can raise copyright and privacy problems, and an unlabeled paid post can raise endorsement problems.
| Item | What to put in place |
|---|---|
| Permission | A written request and reply for each reused post, photo or video |
| Contest rules | Terms covering eligibility, entries, prizes and content rights |
| Credit | Name the creator wherever the content appears |
| Privacy | Remove or blur people who did not agree to appear |
| Disclosure | Label gifted, paid or incentivized posts, per the FTC's Endorsement Guides FAQ and the influencer disclosure guide |
Ask counsel to review contest terms and rights language before launch, since rules differ by state and country.
4. How do you measure a UGC campaign?
You measure a UGC campaign by the goal set before launch: participation, sentiment, traffic or sales. Likes alone do not show whether UGC changed anything.
| Goal | Metric |
|---|---|
| Participation | Number of entries and share of entries that meet the rules |
| Reach | Impressions and shares of reposted content |
| Sentiment | Share of positive, neutral and negative brand mentions |
| Traffic and sales | Visits and orders from UGC links or codes |
See measuring PR effectiveness for how to set baselines, and the guide to social listening tools for tracking mentions across platforms.
5. How does UGC fit into the rest of a PR program?
UGC fits into a PR program as supporting evidence for media relations, crisis response and brand storytelling, not as a standalone channel. Used that way it adds real customer voices to material a brand already publishes.
In media relations, a few permitted customer examples give reporters a human angle and visuals. In a crisis, genuine customer experience can add context, but it must never be staged or selected to hide a real problem, as the crisis communications practice advises. In storytelling, customer stories can anchor a campaign narrative.
Frequently asked questions
What is user-generated content in PR?
It is customer-created content, such as photos, reviews and videos, that a brand shares with permission as proof of real use.
Do brands need permission to reuse UGC?
Yes. A brand should get written permission from the creator before reusing a post, photo or video, and credit the creator.
Does UGC need an FTC disclosure?
If the post was paid for, gifted or otherwise incentivized, the material connection must be disclosed clearly, according to the FTC's Endorsement Guides FAQ.
How do you measure UGC success?
Set one goal first, then track the matching metric: entries for participation, mentions for sentiment, and visits or sales for traffic.
What should a PR team do first?
A PR team should write one campaign goal, draft the permission and contest terms, pick the platform where its customers post, and run one small campaign before scaling. The digital PR team builds and measures these programs.
