# UGC (user-generated content)

URL: https://idukki.io/glossary/ugc
Category: UGC operations
Also called: user-generated content, customer content, community content
Pronunciation: U-G-C

UGC is any photo, video, review, or social post about a product created by a customer rather than the brand. In ecommerce it is used as on-site social proof and as creative for paid ads.

UGC sits on the spectrum between brand-produced creative (high control, high cost) and influencer content (paid, semi-structured). It is the most credible content type for conversion-stage decisions because shoppers weight peer experience higher than brand claims. Programmes that operationalise UGC across collection, rights, distribution and measurement see a median 18% PDP conversion lift in our 2,400-brand dataset.

## Example

We pulled 14 customer fit-check Reels into the PDP gallery and PDP conversion lifted 22% that quarter.

## Not the same as

- **Influencer content**: Influencer content is paid or gifted; UGC is unpaid and unprompted.
- **Brand-produced content**: Brand-produced is shot by the brand or its agency; UGC is shot by the buyer.

## Related terms

- [UGC rights management](https://idukki.io/glossary/ugc-rights-management)
- [Social proof](https://idukki.io/glossary/social-proof)
- [Verified buyer](https://idukki.io/glossary/verified-buyer)
- [Earned content](https://idukki.io/glossary/earned-content)

Authority reference: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User-generated_content