5 Current Trends Shaping UGC Marketing

User-generated content (UGC) has become increasingly popular each year as brands invest in building genuine connections with their audiences. Platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and LinkedIn allow anyone and everyone to share their opinions in creative ways. And increasingly, audiences prefer authentic user content over flashy influencer posts. Understanding current UGC trends is crucial for marketers to develop brand awareness, authenticity, and social engagement. 

Keep reading to learn five significant trends shaping UGC marketing in 2024 and insights on how brands can navigate these changes effectively. 

1. Traditional influencer marketing is out — UGC is in!

Influencer marketing involves partnering with people or organizations that have large followings. While popular in their niche communities, influencers do not always connect on a personal level with their audience. UGC, however, relies on content creation by everyday people who genuinely love the brand. This makes UGC creators more relatable and trustworthy since they are already talking about the brand in their communities. 

Inc. said it best, “In today’s social media landscape, not everyone is an influencer-but everyone can have influence.” That is why brands (and Hummingbirds) are embracing UGC content for its authenticity!

UGC also supports content marketing efforts by boosting SEO by generating organic content that aligns with what potential customers are searching for online. It improves brand search engine rankings and increases website traffic, supporting the emerging “de-influencing” trend. Creators now promote genuine recommendations over sponsored content, encouraging followers to be more selective about the products they buy. 

What does this mean for marketers?

Marketers should pivot their marketing strategies to prioritize UGC over traditional influencer marketing. This means engaging with micro and local influencers who produce authentic content that resonates with smaller, more targeted audiences. Brands should focus on creating interactive campaigns that encourage their customers to share their experiences and stories, and that is where Hummingbirds comes in. As a platform designed to connect brands with hyperlocal creators, UGC marketing can be simple. If you want to learn more about how you can drive sales on a local or regional scale, click here!

2. Creators fight back against content theft

Content theft has become a growing issue as the demand for UGC increases. Brands sometimes use content without proper credit or compensation, leading to friction between creators and businesses. Many creators, such as the ones below, are taking a stand against the misuse of their content. 

Lucy Kyselica - a Dutch beauty YouTuber who makes videos about historical hairdos and eyebrows discovered that a small U.S. salon had used her face on an advertisement without her permission. She only discovered the usage when some of her fans asked if she was collaborating with the salon. In a way to publicize the problem, Kyselica made a video titled, “I Ordered My Own Bangs Off Amazon 🤔 🙅‍♀.”  

Akilah Hughes - a New York writer and comedian made a parody video called “How to be an Introvert,” and soon after she noticed that BuzzFeed had posted a similar video in the same format as her. She brought their stolen content to attention on social media and sparked the conversation around #StopBuzzThieves. 

How can you leverage UGC without stealing?

Brands must prioritize ethical practices when using UGC. This includes asking politely for permission, giving the proper credit, and compensating creators fairly. Building authentic partnerships with creators can also prevent problems related to content theft. 

3. Female creators reign supreme

Female creators are dominating the UGC landscape, with over 80% of content creators identifying as female. Women don't just dominate content creation, they're also the driving force behind many household purchase decisions — Nielsen estimates that women will control 75% of global discretionary spending in the next 5 years. Partnering with female creators can help you connect with those decision makers by making your brand more relatable.

Dove is a great example of a company taking action to support women in the industry. They are one of the few beauty brands to showcase “real bodies” in all of their advertisements despite competitors taking advantage of AI in the media. Their all-encompassing pledge to women in the creator space highlights Dove’s genuine commitment to representing and celebrating the diversity of real women, rather than chasing trends. The care they have for their audience is the reason why their customers keep coming back.

How can brands empower female content creators?

Jump on the trend! Empowering female content creators is a great way for brands to ensure genuine partnerships and create connections with their diverse audience. Women can be a great target audience for UGC as they drive content in their local communities and are always willing to take buying action. Brands should utilize these creators to build brand awareness and values as working with them can feel great! 

On the other hand, brands should caution their use of female content creators. They should only jump on the trend if it makes sense for the brand. Partnership with a female creator as a “token character” just to check a box won’t help your brand. It’s also not ethical. These creators are people just like you and me; they’re not merely a marketing tool. They can make great connections and content for your brand but only if treated respectfully. 

4. Instagram cracks down on rules for sharing UGC

Instagram’s recent updates regarding shared content on their platform have created quite the buzz around how brands will use their UGC. In April, Instagram announced, “When we find two or more identical pieces of content on Instagram, we will only recommend the original one.” Meaning, when it comes to brands sharing creator content, they will have to work around these new changes to continue to share UGC on their page. 

For brands, these changes are a caution about how they can and will share UGC. The rules were put in place to protect creators’ rights and ensure that content is shared properly. So, going forward, brands will see a shift in how they can ethically and professionally credit these accounts when sharing social media content to their feed. 

Despite the recent changes, Instagram is still a powerful marketing tool for brands. Freedom, the Australian home furnishings brand, saw a 31.4X lift in return on ad spend compared to its usual content strategy when using Instagram. The social media platform has proven itself to be one of the most popular digital marketing hubs for influencers and brands, thriving on connections and community. This supports businesses’ efforts to generate e-commerce leads, and although the new rules about sharing UGC are different, they are something that brands can adapt to and work toward. 

Can you still share UGC on Instagram?

In short, yes. Brands can still share UGC on Instagram but with a few stipulations. Instagram now favors the original post in initial audience testing and if performing well, continue it in performance-based distribution. Meaning, if a brand were to repost something from a local creator featuring their product or service, the creator’s original content will be prioritized in the Explore and Recommended sections rather than the shared content. 

For brands looking to continue leveraging  UGC of their local creators, the best way to work with the new rules is to use the remix function. Make the content follow your brand guidelines or add a new spin on it to make sure that your content is separate from the original work. Hummingbirds is a great example of a page utilizing UGC on their feed, and with the new changes, we are adapting to collect photos and UGC videos and making a collage showcasing all the amazing content. With this adaptation, the original content is protected and we are still able to share our creators’ fantastic work! 

5. Authenticity remains a high priority

Authenticity is crucial in social media marketing, and UGC excels in this area. With UGC being the realm for vertical photos and videos promoting products or services, consumers find the realness of these promotions relate back to themselves. Authentic UGC is a brand's way to integrate into the world of the consumer. 

Gen Z is a perfect example of authenticity taking flight. They are tired of brand perfection and flawless content, and they want a more honest and meaningful online experience. This is why the ‘realness’ movement is significant to consumers as they strive for authentic content. They want brands to find natural storytellers and everyday people to share content online. 

In a way, Gen Z is asking for brands to collaborate with local and micro-influencers with a wide variety of personalities. They want to relate to the content they are viewing on their feed, and as shown above, women tend to buy from these creators. Consumers believe that real, everyday people are the ones they can trust to be open and honest with them regarding a product or service. That’s why testimonials from real humans are so valuable — the social proof is undeniable.

How do brands ensure they’re using highly-authentic UGC?

To leverage authentic UGC, brands should collaborate with micro-influencers and local creators who naturally align with their values and audience. Identifying and partnering with creators who genuinely love the brand will result in content that feels real and helps build trust . Also, using storytelling and a diverse creator audience is a great way to integrate highly-authentic UGC into a brand's feed. 

Dark social media is making it difficult to track everything, so having brand values align with the collaborative efforts of micro-influencers and authentic UGC will make all the difference. Specifically, spotting content from genuine, reliable people can foster a sense of community. For example, running a giveaway to encourage people to post about your company is a great way to drum up authentic UGC. 

Consider these trends when you plan your next UGC campaign

The first step is understanding and adapting to these trends. It is essential for a successful UGC marketing as brands must continuously evolve their strategies, prioritizing authenticity, ethical practices, and meaningful partnerships with creators. The next step is using this knowledge to plan a smart and engaging campaign that aligns with your brand values and provides for your company needs. Following through with all five of the above trends will set your UGC strategy apart as the world of local creators and authentic content takes precedence over large influencers.

Hummingbirds can help guide your UGC campaigns, connecting you with local influencers who create genuine, impactful content. Our platform is designed to help brands and local content creators connect, ensuring that your marketing efforts are both authentic and effective. 

We believe that everyone has influence, and our platform leverages this by connecting brands with hummingbirds - real people whose friends and followers are their actual friends they bump into at the grocery store or at a local festival. These local influencers can help you drive offline, local behavior and build a strong, authentic presence in your target markets. 

Visit Hummingbirds.com or listen to the Local Marketing School podcast to learn more about how we can support your marketing efforts.