There was a time when throwing a pile of cash at influencers was enough to make your brand pop. That time is over. Audiences are tuning out: they are bored of the same faces, same hashtags, same glossy posts that scream “sponsored.” And it’s not just noise fatigue. We at THE REACH. and other marketing gurus are ready to declare the influencer game bloated, expensive, and often disconnected from what actually drives trust.
Enter user-generated content (UGC) — the unfiltered, unpredictable, and wildly effective antidote to polished influencer fatigue. Real customers posting about your brand is marketing gold. A recent survey found 6 in 10 consumers believe UGC is the most authentic form of marketing content. Nielsen reports that 92% of people trust recommendations from friends and family over any ad. And all that trust translates into action: UGC content can be 8 times more effective at driving purchase decisions than an influencer post.
Several forces are at play, making UGC the future of advertising:
1. Authenticity and trust
People trust everyday voices. Customers believe fellow shoppers over polished ads. User reviews, unboxings, and candid social posts feel genuine and drive real engagement.
2. Content volume
The creator economy is booming: the number of “UGC creators” on influencer platforms jumped 93% from 2023 to 2024. This swarm of creators also means prices are dropping: Collabstr recently found that UGC now averages only ~$200 per piece (vs. hundreds more for traditional influencer videos).
3. Gen Z and Millennial power
Younger shoppers demand UGC. About 70–78% of Gen Z and millennials say user-generated photos or videos play an important role in their buying choices. These groups have grown up scrolling past ads and straight to real stories.
4. Community and creativity
UGC campaigns turn customers into co-creators. Think of Coca‑Cola’s “Share a Coke” photos or the recent Labubu toy craze — each generated tens of thousands of fan posts all over social media. These aren’t celebrity ads — they’re genuine fans sharing joy, and that makes the buzz self-sustaining.
In practice, all of this means shifting your strategy. Stop paying for attention — start earning it. Give people a reason to talk, and then let your fans run with it. People like watching real customers use your product, not another celebrity pitch.
At THE REACH., we’ve seen this play out across crypto, trading, iGaming and beyond. Influencer collabs still have their place, sure. But the real engagement, the real retention, and the real fire come from people telling their own stories, in their own way, with your brand at the center. And if your next campaign doesn’t involve your actual users, it might already be outdated. Let’s change that.
Ready to launch UGC campaigns that don’t feel like ads?
Hit us up — we’ll help you build hype that actually converts.
There was a time when throwing a pile of cash at influencers was enough to make your brand pop. That time is over. Audiences are tuning out: they are bored of the same faces, same hashtags, same glossy posts that scream “sponsored.” And it’s not just noise fatigue. We at THE REACH. and other marketing gurus are ready to declare the influencer game bloated, expensive, and often disconnected from what actually drives trust.
Enter user-generated content (UGC) — the unfiltered, unpredictable, and wildly effective antidote to polished influencer fatigue. Real customers posting about your brand is marketing gold. A recent survey found 6 in 10 consumers believe UGC is the most authentic form of marketing content. Nielsen reports that 92% of people trust recommendations from friends and family over any ad. And all that trust translates into action: UGC content can be 8 times more effective at driving purchase decisions than an influencer post.
Several forces are at play, making UGC the future of advertising:
1. Authenticity and trust
People trust everyday voices. Customers believe fellow shoppers over polished ads. User reviews, unboxings, and candid social posts feel genuine and drive real engagement.
2. Content volume
The creator economy is booming: the number of “UGC creators” on influencer platforms jumped 93% from 2023 to 2024. This swarm of creators also means prices are dropping: Collabstr recently found that UGC now averages only ~$200 per piece (vs. hundreds more for traditional influencer videos).
3. Gen Z and Millennial power
Younger shoppers demand UGC. About 70–78% of Gen Z and millennials say user-generated photos or videos play an important role in their buying choices. These groups have grown up scrolling past ads and straight to real stories.
4. Community and creativity
UGC campaigns turn customers into co-creators. Think of Coca‑Cola’s “Share a Coke” photos or the recent Labubu toy craze — each generated tens of thousands of fan posts all over social media. These aren’t celebrity ads — they’re genuine fans sharing joy, and that makes the buzz self-sustaining.
In practice, all of this means shifting your strategy. Stop paying for attention — start earning it. Give people a reason to talk, and then let your fans run with it. People like watching real customers use your product, not another celebrity pitch.
At THE REACH., we’ve seen this play out across crypto, trading, iGaming and beyond. Influencer collabs still have their place, sure. But the real engagement, the real retention, and the real fire come from people telling their own stories, in their own way, with your brand at the center. And if your next campaign doesn’t involve your actual users, it might already be outdated. Let’s change that.
Ready to launch UGC campaigns that don’t feel like ads?
Hit us up — we’ll help you build hype that actually converts.
Get in touch today to discuss how we can help your brand stay ahead
