User generated content is one of the few marketing assets your customers create for you. The hard part is knowing which posts are worth resharing, and how to get more of them.
Your audience is asking for this kind of content. Sprout Social surveyed 2,300+ consumers for its 2026 Content Strategy Report. Their top request? Brands should make human-generated content their #1 priority on social.
Trust follows. Over half of social users (55%) trust brands more when they publish human-generated content.
Most roundups recycle the same famous campaigns, like Share a Coke and GoPro. I went looking for everyday posts instead.
The 15 user generated content examples below come from real customers, fans, and creators. Each one shows what makes it work and what you can ask your own customers for. Resharing posts like these is a win-win: you get authentic content, and your customers get recognized.
What is user generated content?
User generated content (UGC) refers to content created by customers, fans, and followers as opposed to your brand. It's a brilliant way to share human (not stock) content with your followers and forge a deeper relationship with customers.
UGC is a popular strategy for ecommerce brands. It works just as well for software and service businesses.
Posts from your own team belong in their own category: employee content. It's great for showing culture and behind-the-scenes moments. Keep it separate from customer posts, and label it clearly when you reshare it. The FAQ at the end explains why.
15 user generated content examples
Every post below comes from a real customer, fan, or creator. You'll see beauty, skincare, fashion, kitchen, outdoor gear, toys, retail, and a Curator customer. Each example ends with the reason it works, so you know exactly what to ask for.
I picked each post using one test. Could a brand with no ad budget reshare something like it this week?
That test ruled out the big-budget campaigns. What's left are posts you can learn from in ten seconds. Want ideas for one platform? Browse our Instagram-only examples.
1. Medicube
In this example, creator Tenisha Ward says that Korean skincare is living in the future and showcases a popular Medicube product. Because of TikTok shop, user-generated content on TikTok serves a more conversion-focused purpose. Brands can reshare and run ads to popular posts that link to their products, helping boost not only brand awareness but direct sales as well.
2. Comfrt
Creator Sydney Allison showcases her favorite Comfrt hoodie for a darker aesthetic. The pattern features dark gray marbling that's perfect for a more alternative style. Again, because this post is shared on TikTok, the UGC can be used to drive sales for the brand and commissions for the creator.
3. Nike
In this example, home improvement DIYer Lindsay Dean transforms her son's bedroom into a Nike oasis. She custom-built a Nike-themed bed frame, which gives the space a more elevated, expensive look. Brand-centric user-generated content utilizes brand colors and logos, as opposed to recommending specific products. These types of posts make for great evergreen content that really boosts brand authority and relatability.
4. Anastasia Beverly Hills
The Anastasia Beverly Hills brand is known for its makeup products, as the brand's founder started out by shaping brows in her salon. Influencers and content creators help get the word out about the brand's other products, like this makeup tutorial featuring their skin tint stick. When customers showcase new or note-worthy products, it's a great idea to boost the content's reach through advertising and social media walls embedded on your site.
5. Ninja
Creator Temple Deals specializes in sharing the best finds on TikTok Shop. In this video, the creator puts the Ninja Professional Blender through its paces with smoothies, soups, and mixed drinks. Showing three uses in one video answers the question every buyer has: will I actually use this? The post links straight to the product, so viewers can buy without leaving the app. For kitchen and home brands, deal-focused creators are worth building relationships with. Their followers come to them specifically to find something to buy.
6. Coach
Some of the best user-generated content is the type that shows your product in action. In this example, a creator posts a "what's in my bag" for fall, showcasing her sunglasses, camera, lip products, comb, and everything else that fits in her coach handbag. This is a great trend that all backpack and purse companies should encourage their users to take part in.
7. Nerf
This creator put a playful spin on the Hunting Wives trend, inspired by the popular TV series. Instead of posing with a rifle, she shows off her oversized Nerf XShot blaster. The lesson here outlasts the trend itself. When customers remix a viral format with your product, reshare it quickly while it's still hot. Nerf's playful products make this easy, with endless room for reviews, backyard battles, and family games.
8. Target
Everyone loves a good Target run. This entertaining Instagram Reel showcases two 40+ besties on a Target trip. They snap hilarious photos that mash-up real life with a store product. For example, in one image, it looks like a woman's legs have become a nylon package, almost as if she's wearing them.
9. Victoria's Secret
While short-form video content reigns supreme, simple photos can still perform very well, especially if they appeal to a specific target audience. In this post, an influencer shares pictures of her Victoria's Secret travel bags for a weekend girl's trip. The pink-tastic photo is perfect for girly girls and showcases popular products IRL.
10. Dr. Martens
In this example, an alternative fashion influencer shows off her recent outfits, including Dr. Martens boots and sandals. Outfits of the day are great posts that offer plenty of user-generated content opportunities for shoes, clothing, and accessories brands. To get more posts like these that feature your products, encourage your customers to post their outfits and use your branded hashtags online.
11. Osprey
In this example, a young backpacker shares her must-haves for traveling the world. Her list includes two Osprey backpacks, a credit card holder, a waterproof folder, and flip flops. Packing-list posts are a gift for travel and outdoor gear brands. Each item gets a clear use case, and the creator's trip gives it real-world credibility. Encourage customers to share their own packing lists before a big trip, then repost your favorites.
12. Crayola
This touching video shows a blind artist using Crayola crayons to color. Each crayon is affixed with an adaptive device with braille for the color names so he can easily choose the color he wants. When people use your products in creative and meaningful ways, your brand can applaud them and share the posts. With a social proof widget, you can embed content like this on any page or section of your website.
13. Dover Saddlery
Dover Saddlery encourages customers to post about them with the hashtag #itsfromdover for a chance to be features on their homepage. The company uses Curator on their website to pull approved user generated content into their website.
Do you want an engaging website that makes smart use of user generated content? Try Curator for free.
Curator.io is an easy-to-customize aggregator that lets you pull from over a dozen sources. If you'd like to give Curator.io's free forever plan a spin sign up today.
14. Warby Parker
Warby Parker reshares a customer photo that puts their glasses on a dog. It's funny, memorable, and exactly the kind of post people stop scrolling for. I love this one because it shows off the product without feeling like an ad. Scan the UGC featuring your products for the most unexpected images, then give those extra reach.
15. Frank Body
Frank Body reshares a customer's creative photo of its body scrub in action. A product caught mid-use is far more eye-catching than a photo of the final result. Skincare and beauty brands can ask customers to share their routines in progress. Those in-the-moment shots feel real, and they show exactly how the product works.
How to get more posts like these
Each example above is a format your customers already enjoy making. Ask for it by name. Planning something bigger? Start with these full campaign ideas.
Ask for a specific format
Anastasia Beverly Hills got a tutorial. Coach got a what's-in-my-bag. Osprey got a packing list. Each one is a repeatable format that starts with a clear prompt.
Put that prompt on a card in every order: "Show us what you carry every day." The more specific the ask, the easier it is to say yes.
Reshare trend remixes while they're still hot
Nerf got a post that rode the Hunting Wives trend. Trends expire fast, so speed beats polish here.
Reshare within a day or two, while the format still feels fresh. A quick like, comment, or reshare also tells your other followers that joining in gets noticed.
Give customers a hashtag and a reason to use it
Dover Saddlery gives customers a reason to post with #itsfromdover: a spot on its homepage. A hashtag with no payoff gets ignored. Pair yours with a recurring feature, like a weekly "Fan Friday," and people start posting on schedule. Our guide to running a branded hashtag campaign covers the launch.
"Pull from mentions as well as your hashtag. Your best customer posts are often the ones that forget it." Dave Ganley, Technical Director, Curator
Reward with recognition, and disclose the perks
Your customers want to be seen more than they want a prize. A feature on your homepage or in your newsletter costs you nothing.
Discounts and early access work too, with one catch. Per the FTC's Disclosures 101 for Social Media Influencers perks count. Free or discounted products create a "material connection." A customer who posts after getting a perk should say so.
A small candle brand thanked every tagged post with a discount code. Tagged posts climbed, but none mentioned the code. The brand switched its thank-you to a homepage feature. It also added a one-line disclosure prompt to perk emails. Posts held steady, and perk-driven posts now carry a clear disclosure.
Where to put these posts once you have them
An Instagram reshare reaches people who already follow you. Your site reaches people deciding whether to buy. For the full setup, here's how to build a UGC section on your site.
Put your best posts on product pages
Start where the hesitation happens. Shoppers want to see your product in real life, and a customer photo bridges expectations and reality. Homepage carousels help too, but product pages come first.
Try the feed above and below the product description. Keep whichever spot earns more clicks.
"A reshare scrolls out of your followers' feeds fast. On a product page, the same post keeps working for months." Thomas Garrood, Co-founder, Engineering, Curator
Build one gallery page for your favorites
Selling something lifestyle-driven, like fashion, outdoor gear, or beauty? Give your favorite posts one dedicated gallery page. Curator pulls approved posts from Instagram, TikTok, and X into a single on-brand feed. Once the gallery fills up, split it by product line.
Keep the feed moderated and fresh
A feed that looked great at launch drifts. Deleted posts leave gaps, and the mix stops matching your site. Curator lets you set manual approval for customer posts, and our moderation guide walks through the workflow.
I generally recommend manual approval for customer posts. The ones that slip through usually just feel off-brand.
Start with one post you can reshare today
Pick one format from the list above. Tutorial, packing list, trend remix, or outfit post: choose the one that fits your product.
Then ask three customers for it this week. Use a clear prompt, and tell them where their post might end up.
When the first good one lands, reshare it fast and credit the creator by name. Then give it a longer life on a product page with Curator's free forever plan.
User generated content examples FAQs
Is employee content the same as user generated content?
No. Employee content comes from your own team, so it counts as brand content. It's still valuable for showing culture and behind-the-scenes moments. Label it clearly when you reshare it. The FTC's guide also lists employment as a connection to disclose. Your team should mention where they work.
Do you need permission to reshare a customer's post?
Yes, ask first. A public post doesn't give you the right to reuse it in your marketing. Comment on the post or send a message, then wait for a clear yes. Credit the creator by name and handle every time you use it. Keep a record of the approval in case you reuse the post later. This is general guidance, not legal advice.
Does a customer need to disclose a free product when they post about it?
Yes, if the product was free or discounted. As covered in the rewards section, the FTC treats that as a material connection. That holds even if you never asked them to post. A simple line like "Thanks to [brand] for the free product" works. Put that wording in your perk email so disclosing takes no effort.
How do you find UGC when customers don't tag you?
Pull by mention as well as by hashtag. A customer who @mentions you in a caption may never use your branded hashtag. Curator can collect posts by account, hashtag, or mention, so those posts land in one approval queue. Check the queue weekly, and good posts won't go stale before you find them.
Want to add UGC to your website? Embed your Instagram feed with Curator for free.
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