User-generated content (UGC) has become a powerful element in marketing initiatives, helping build authentic and trusting relationships between brands and consumers.
User-generated content comes in a wide range of formats, including reviews, Q&As, images, and videos.
What’s the value of user-generated content (UGC) to brands? What are the consumer attitudes on user-generated content? Continue reading as we’ll cover answers to these questions with these recent UGC statistics.
User-Generated Content Statistics
Below you’ll find a curated list of user-generated content (UGC) revealing the value of authentic content, how it affects purchase behaviors, and the most impactful UGC types. Let’s dive right in.
- 93% of marketers leveraging user-generated content in their marketing efforts claim that it performs notably better than traditional branded content – Billo
- 6 in 10 consumers believe that user-generated content (UGC) represents the most authentic form of marketing content – Billo
- 57% say customer ratings, reviews, and user-generated content are the most important product page element for completing a purchase – Salsify
- Among surveyed shoppers, 13% of respondents state they’d abandon an online purchase if there’s no user-generated content (UGC) – Salsify
- Around 13% of Gen Z shoppers who made a purchase directly from a social media platform say that user-generated content (UGC) was the biggest influence. That’s behind influencer recommendations (32%), and exclusive discounts (26%), but above live shopping events (11%) – Salsify
- According to 85% of marketers, visual user-generated content (UGC) is perceived as a more cost-effective option than traditional professional photography or influencer content – Nostro
- The vast majority (81%) of ecommerce marketers agree that visual user-generated content (UGC) is more impactful in reaching customers than professionally shot photos or influencer content – Nostro
- Among visual types of content that generate the most customer trust according to marketers, user-generated content (UGC) ranked at the top with 33%, followed by professionally-shot content (24%) and influencer-generated content (18%) – Nostro
- Nearly one-third (28%) of ecommerce marketers believe Instagram generates the most engaging user-generated content (UGC), more than any other platform. Other top social media platforms for generating the most customer engagement include Facebook (23%), TikTok (19%), YouTube (17%), X/Twitter (10%) – Nostro
- 79% of consumers say user-generated content (UGC) influences their purchasing decisions – CreatorLabz
- Around 82% of consumers say that they would be more likely to purchase a brand that uses user-generated content (UGC) in their marketing initiatives – EnTribe
- More than half (55%) of Gen Zers (18-29 years old) want to be featured on the brand’s social media pages – EnTribe
- A whopping 80% of Gen Z consumers (18-29 years old) have either shared or are willing to share their purchases on social media – EnTribe
- 50% of marketers make use of user-generated content in their email campaigns – Billo
- UGC in email marketing increases click-through rates by 78% – Billo
- 65% of Americans rely on UGC to make purchasing decisions – Bazaarvoice
- Nearly 9 out of 10 (86%) brands are convinced that leveraging user-generated content (UGC) in their paid and owned media will boost the effectiveness of their advertisements and content – Bazaarvoice
- Around 55% of shoppers hesitate to buy a product without user-generated content (UGC) – Bazaarvoice
- Shoppers rank reviews (78%), Q&As (77%), and photos taken by other people (69%) among the most impactful types of user-generated content (UGC) for their purchase decisions – Bazaarvoice
- Consumers cite high-quality reviews (21%), average star rating (19%), and number of reviews (13%) among the most convincing shopper content types to make a purchase – Bazaarvoice
Here are the exact numbers:
| Shopper content type | Share of shoppers |
|---|---|
| High-quality reviews | 21% |
| Average star rating | 19% |
| Number of reviews | 13% |
| Details in reviews that resonate with my needs | 13% |
| Shopper photos | 9% |
| Review recency | 8% |
| Presence of Q&A | 6% |
| Brand responses to negative reviews | 5% |
| Shopper videos | 4% |
- In the upcoming year, 67% of retailers intend to increase their investment in user-generated content (UGC) – Bazaarvoice
- Half of the shoppers express a desire to see user-generated content on brand websites and their social media pages – Bazaarvoice
- The survey data show that 77% of consumers are open to submitting UGC to receive a reward – Bazaarvoice
- At least 92 user-generated content platforms are currently available on the market – G2
Conclusion
We hope you enjoyed this list of user-generated content (UGC) statistics.
We frequently update this list of statistics. Don’t hesitate to revisit this page later to find the latest data points.
Backlinko is owned by Semrush. We’re still obsessed with bringing you world-class SEO insights, backed by hands-on experience. Unless otherwise noted, this content was written by either an employee or paid contractor of Semrush Inc.