24 key user-generated content (UGC) statistics

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:

• 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

Why real customer content keeps outperforming polished brand assets

The data tells a consistent story. Shoppers trust content from other customers more than professional photography, influencer posts, or traditional advertising. And they act on that trust: the majority of consumers say UGC directly influences what they buy.

For brands, the upside is straightforward. UGC costs less to produce, performs better in ads and email, and builds the kind of authentic social proof that polished campaigns struggle to replicate. With 67% of retailers planning to increase their UGC investment, the gap between brands that collect and use this content well and those that don’t will keep widening.

The place to start is simple: make it easy for customers to share, and then put what they share where it matters most.

Read next:

• What is influencer marketing and how to navigate it: A complete guide to building influencer campaigns, from choosing the right creators and structuring partnerships to measuring ROI across the full funnel.
• 10 advanced ecommerce SEO tips that boost rankings and revenue: How to turn reviews, internal search data, and product page improvements into stronger organic visibility and better product discovery.