Think Big

The Power of UGC: Why People Trust People, Not Brands

UGC Content

A Strategic Perspective for Performance Marketers

In today’s oversaturated digital landscape, where traditional ads are losing their edge, User Generated Content (UGC) emerges as a game changer in performance marketing. Unlike polished branded ads, UGC offers authenticity, relatability, and the power of community trust.
At ThinkBIG, we’ve seen firsthand how leveraging UGC drives stronger engagement, lower acquisition costs, and increased loyalty.

What Is UGC (User-Generated Content)?

User-Generated Content is any form of content videos, images, reviews, or testimonials created by real users or fans, not the brand itself. Examples include:

  • TikTok unboxing clips
  • Instagram Reels from real customers
  • YouTube testimonials or product reviews
  • Social media comments and lifestyle photos

Why does it matter? Because UGC feels human and human is what performs today.

1. Higher Trust = Higher Conversions

Over 84% of consumers trust peer recommendations more than branded content. That’s why UGC ads consistently outperform traditional creatives.

At ThinkBIG, our UGC driven campaigns deliver:

  • Up to 42% higher CTR
  • Up to 31% more conversions
    Especially in ecommerce and service based industries where trust drives sales.

2. Stronger Engagement Through Relatability

People engage with people not with scripted, overproduced ads.
UGC content reflects real-life use, emotions, and experiences. It creates a sense of “this could be me,” leading to more likes, shares, and saves.

Performance marketers can’t ignore the emotional power of relatability.

3. Lower Production Costs, Higher ROI

Traditional content is expensive. UGC is cost effective and fast to deploy.
We repurpose UGC videos and photos at scale for high-impact campaigns that don’t break the budget.

At ThinkBIG, we lead funnels with UGC and support them with smart retargeting driving stronger CPL and ROAS.

4. Platform Preference: UGC Wins the Algorithm

On TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts, native, organic looking content wins. Algorithms favor engagement, and User Generated Content delivers it.

This makes UGC ideal for both organic performance and paid ads across platforms.

5. Brand Perception: Authenticity Beats Perfection

Consumers today value authenticity over perfection.
They want real voices, diverse faces, and honest experiences. UGC humanizes your brand and makes your audience feel seen and heard.

With UGC, you’re not just promoting you’re connecting.

How We Use UGC at ThinkBIG

We don’t treat UGC as an afterthought. It’s a core part of our performance marketing strategy:

  • Collaborate with real customers and micro-creators
  • Script the context, not the message
  • Analyze creatives with performance data
  • Scale what resonates not what looks fancy

This mix of creativity and data is how we make UGC campaigns scalable and effective.

UGC isn’t a trend it’s the future of digital and performance marketing.
It’s real. It’s trustworthy. And most importantly it works.

Ready to launch UGC campaigns that perform?
Let ThinkBIG help you build content that speaks to real humans and converts.
We don’t just create ads we engineer trust at scale.