Shopify UGC Guide: Boost Sales with User Content

User-generated content (UGC) is a powerful tool for Shopify stores to increase sales and build trust. Here's what you need to know:

  • UGC includes customer reviews, social media posts, photos, videos, and Q&As
  • It builds brand trust, increases customer confidence, and boosts sales
  • Key benefits:
    • 90% of consumers value brand honesty
    • 72% trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations
    • Can increase conversion rates by over 50%

To leverage UGC effectively:

  1. Create a brand hashtag
  2. Follow up after purchases
  3. Run contests and giveaways
  4. Use social media platforms
  5. Implement UGC on product pages, in emails, and ads
  6. Track success with engagement, conversion, and sentiment metrics
UGC Strategy How to Implement Benefits
Brand hashtag Create unique tag Collect social media UGC
Post-purchase follow-up Email customers for reviews Increase feedback
Contests Ask for photo/video submissions Generate more content
Social media Share and respond to UGC Boost engagement
Product page integration Add customer photos/reviews Aid buying decisions
Email marketing Include UGC in newsletters Improve open/click rates

As UGC evolves, expect more personalized content, AR/VR integration, and AI-powered curation to shape the future of e-commerce.

UGC in E-commerce

User-generated content (UGC) is key for Shopify stores. It helps build trust and boost sales.

Common types of UGC for Shopify stores

Shopify

1. Customer Reviews and Ratings

  • Written feedback and star ratings on product pages
  • Help potential buyers make decisions

2. Social Media Posts

  • Customer photos and videos with products
  • Often use branded hashtags

3. Visual Content

  • User photos and videos showing products in use
  • Unboxing videos and product demos

4. Testimonials

  • Detailed customer experiences
  • Often on landing pages or special sections

5. Q&A Sections

  • Customer questions and answers on product pages
  • Address common concerns

How UGC helps your Shopify store

Benefit Description Impact
More Trust Customers trust UGC more than ads Higher sales
Better Engagement UGC posts get more likes and comments More customer interaction
Low-Cost Marketing Customers create content for free Less money spent on ads
Better SEO Fresh content helps search rankings More organic traffic
Social Proof Shows real customer experiences Builds credibility

UGC's effect on buying decisions

UGC strongly influences how people shop:

1. Trust

  • 79% say UGC affects their buying choices
  • People see UGC as more honest than brand content

2. Social Proof

  • Seeing others use products builds confidence
  • 84% of young users trust companies that show real customers in ads

3. Decision-Making

  • UGC helps at all stages, from awareness to after purchase
  • 43% of online shoppers find customer reviews very helpful

4. Visual Impact

  • 62% are more likely to buy if they see customer photos and videos
  • 24% say visuals show things about products they didn't notice before

5. Platform Influence

  • 26.4% say Facebook UGC affects their purchases
  • YouTube is almost as influential as Facebook for buying decisions

Real-world UGC success stories

1. Blenders Eyewear's Facebook Ads

  • Used customer reviews in ads
  • Results:
    • 38% lower cost per new customer
    • 2X higher click-through rate
    • 62% more return on ad spend

2. Gym+Coffee's Shopify Lookbook

  • Added a gallery showing customers wearing their clothes
  • Increased time spent on site and sales

3. Lululemon's #thesweatlife Campaign

  • Asked followers to share photos in Lululemon clothes
  • Built a community and collected lots of UGC

Tips for using UGC effectively

1. Make it easy for customers to submit reviews and photos 2. Offer incentives for sharing content 3. Time your UGC requests well (e.g., Wednesdays at 3 PM for fashion) 4. Use UGC in email marketing to increase click-through rates 5. Create a hashtag for your brand to collect social media UGC

How to get more UGC

Getting more user-generated content (UGC) can help Shopify stores increase sales and build trust. Here are some ways to encourage customers to create content for your brand:

Make a brand hashtag

A unique brand hashtag helps collect UGC and increases visibility. For example:

Brand Hashtag Platform Results
Madewell #everydaymadewell Instagram Nearly 600,000 posts
Gymshark #Gymshark66 TikTok Over 250 million views
Gymshark #Gymshark66 Instagram Almost 800,000 posts
Aerie #AerieREALPositivity Instagram Over 350,000 posts
Aerie #AerieREALPositivity TikTok More than 2 billion views

To create a good brand hashtag:

  1. Keep it short and easy to remember
  2. Make it specific to your brand
  3. Share it on all marketing channels
  4. Show customer content that uses the hashtag

Follow up after purchase

Contacting customers after they buy can help get more content. Here's how:

  1. Email customers within a week after delivery
  2. Ask for honest feedback and reviews
  3. Give clear steps on how to share content
  4. Offer rewards like discounts or contest entries

Remember, 60% of users say they would create content for a brand if they got something in return.

Run contests and giveaways

Contests can get customers to create and share content about your products. For example:

  • Starbucks' #RedCupContest gets customers to share holiday photos with Starbucks products
  • GoPro uses customer videos to show how tough and useful their cameras are

To run a good UGC contest:

  1. Set clear rules for entering
  2. Offer prizes that fit your brand
  3. Use a special contest hashtag
  4. Show entries to get more people to join in

Use social media effectively

Using social media well is key for sharing UGC. Here's what to do:

  1. Often share and respond to UGC on your social media
  2. Make a special UGC page on your website to show customer content
  3. Use popular social media trends to inspire UGC
  4. Work with influencers to get UGC from their followers

For example, Fashion Nova uses #NovaBabe, which has:

  • 1.7 million posts on Instagram
  • 154+ million views on TikTok

They also have a special page on their online store to show customer content.

Gathering and managing UGC

Getting and handling user-generated content (UGC) is key for Shopify store owners. Here's how to do it well:

Tools to collect UGC

These tools can help Shopify stores get UGC:

Tool What it does Best for
Okendo Collects reviews, photos, videos, Q&As Stores wanting diverse UGC
Billo Connects with video creators Brands focusing on video content
Archive App Finds Instagram tags and uploads content Easy social media UGC
Growave Manages UGC, including rights and stats Full UGC management
Cohley Connects with creators for various content Getting different types of UGC

How to review UGC

To keep UGC good and on-brand:

  1. Set clear rules for what's okay to post
  2. Use tools like Taggbox to help sort content
  3. Have team members check different parts (quality, brand fit, legal)
  4. Give feedback to people who make content
  5. Keep checking new UGC regularly

To avoid legal problems:

  1. Always ask before using someone's content
  2. Use tools to track permissions
  3. Write clear terms about how you'll use UGC
  4. Give credit to content creators
  5. Keep records of all permissions and talks about UGC
  6. Follow laws about using UGC

Real-world example: Shane Company

Shane Company uses "#YesShaneCo" to get permission for UGC. When customers use this hashtag, the company can use their content.

Brand Hashtag How it works
Shane Company #YesShaneCo Customers use it to give permission

In 2014, Anheuser-Busch ran a contest for Natural Light beer photos. They had people agree to terms for using the photos. Later, a woman sued for copyright and privacy issues. This shows why clear permission is important.

Tips for UGC rights

  1. Get signed agreements when asking for UGC
  2. Let users take back permission if they want
  3. Have a plan to remove UGC if asked
  4. Follow FTC rules about showing brand relationships in UGC

Adding UGC to your Shopify store

Here's how to add user-generated content (UGC) to your Shopify store to boost trust and sales:

UGC on product pages

Put UGC next to product details to help buyers decide:

  1. Show customer reviews and ratings clearly
  2. Add customer photos and videos of the product in use
  3. Include customer comments that answer common questions

For example, swimsuit brand Cupshe lets customers post photo reviews on product pages. This helps buyers see how swimsuits look on different body types.

UGC Type How It Helps
Customer reviews Builds trust, shows others like the product
User photos/videos Shows real product use, looks more honest
Customer comments Answers questions, shows product benefits

UGC in email marketing

Use UGC in your emails to get more people to open and click:

  1. Share customer success stories
  2. Add customer photos or videos of your products
  3. Show top customer reviews for featured items

For instance, jewelry brand Pura Vida asks customers to use #purevidabracelets in emails after they buy. This gets more people to share about the brand and makes customers feel part of a group.

Email UGC Idea What It Does
Customer stories Makes brand more relatable, builds trust
User photos/videos Makes emails look better, shows real use
Top reviews Shows others like the product, helps decisions

UGC in social media ads

Using UGC in your social media ads can make them work better:

  1. Use customer photos or videos in your ads
  2. Add customer quotes to your ad text
  3. Make ads with multiple pieces of UGC

For example, Lululemon made the hashtag '#thesweatlife' to get customers to share photos in their clothes. In the first two months, people shared over 7,000 images on Instagram and Twitter. This gave Lululemon lots of content for their ads.

UGC in Ads Why It Works
Customer photos/videos Makes ads look more real and relatable
Customer quotes Shows others like the product, builds trust
Multiple UGC pieces Shows variety, gets more people interested
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Tracking UGC success

To improve your UGC strategies, you need to measure how well they work. Here's how to do it:

Key metrics for UGC campaigns

Focus on these numbers to see if your UGC is working:

Metric What it means Why it matters
Engagement Likes, comments, shares Shows if people like your content
Conversion People who buy after seeing UGC Tells you if UGC helps sales
Reach Number of people who saw UGC Shows how far your content spreads
Impressions Times UGC was shown Indicates content visibility
Sentiment How people feel about UGC Reveals what customers think

Tools to measure UGC impact

Use these tools to track your UGC:

  1. Shopify Analytics: Built-in tools for your store
  2. Social media tools: Like Facebook Insights
  3. Google Analytics: Track website traffic
  4. UGC platforms: Yotpo or Bazaarvoice for detailed stats

Using UGC data to improve

Here's how to use what you learn:

  1. Find top content: See which UGC types work best. For example, Warby Parker found that customer photos on product pages increased sales by 9.6% in 2022.

  2. Place content well: Put UGC where it works. Glossier saw a 22% boost in email click-rates when they added customer reviews in 2023.

  3. Get better UGC: Focus on what works. Airbnb's #WeAccept campaign in 2017 got 87,000 photos in 3 weeks, much more than their usual efforts.

  4. Fix problems: Use feedback to improve. When ASOS noticed complaints about sizing in reviews, they updated their size guide, reducing returns by 8% in 2021.

  5. Show UGC better: Try new ways to display content. In 2022, Lush found that adding a Q&A section to product pages increased sales by 15.3%.

Solving common UGC problems

Here's how to handle typical issues with user-generated content (UGC) for Shopify stores:

Handling negative UGC

Negative UGC can hurt your brand. Here's what to do:

  1. Watch closely: Use tools like Mention or Hootsuite to find brand mentions online.

  2. Act fast: Try to answer bad feedback within 24 hours.

  3. Stay calm: Always be polite, even if the criticism is harsh.

  4. Own up to mistakes: Say sorry and offer to fix things.

  5. Learn from it: Use negative feedback to make your products or service better.

Step Action Why it matters
1 Watch closely Catch problems early
2 Act fast Show you care about customers
3 Stay calm Keep a good image
4 Own up to mistakes Build trust
5 Learn from it Improve your business

Example: In 2022, Alora Boutique, a Shopify store, got complaints about slow shipping. They made shipping times clearer on their site and added more options. This led to fewer bad reviews about shipping.

Keeping brand voice the same

It's important to sound like your brand in all UGC. Here's how:

  1. Make a style guide: Write down how your brand should sound.

  2. Train your team: Make sure everyone knows how to use the brand voice.

  3. Use tools: Get software that checks if content matches your style.

  4. Pick UGC carefully: Choose user content that fits your brand voice.

  5. Be real: When you answer UGC, sound like your brand but also be human.

Getting better UGC

To get high-quality UGC:

  1. Run contests: Ask users to show off your products in fun ways. Lululemon's #thesweatlife campaign got over 7,000 customer photos in just a few months.

  2. Give clear rules: Tell people what kind of content you want.

  3. Show the best: Put great UGC on your website and social media.

  4. Work with influencers: Team up with small influencers in your field.

  5. Use AI: Try AI tools to find and pick the best UGC from different places.

Tip What it does Example
Run contests Gets lots of UGC Lululemon's #thesweatlife
Give clear rules Ensures UGC fits your brand -
Show the best Inspires others -
Work with influencers Creates relatable content -
Use AI Finds good UGC quickly -

Advanced UGC tips for Shopify

Take your Shopify store's user-generated content (UGC) to the next level with these smart ideas:

Creating shoppable UGC galleries

Turn customer content into a sales tool by making UGC galleries that customers can buy from:

  1. Use a UGC platform like Taggbox or Yotpo to gather and show customer content.
  2. Make a branded hashtag for collecting UGC. For example, West Elm's #mywestelm has nearly 350,000 posts.
  3. Let customers buy directly from UGC galleries to make shopping easier.
Brand What they did Results
Mum & Daughter Added shoppable UGC galleries 186% more sales, 58% higher average order
Eureka Street Made an "Inspiration gallery" on their site 500,000 gallery views, 260,000 user actions, 15% more sales

Using UGC for product improvement

Use customer feedback to make your products better:

  1. Look at UGC for common ideas or complaints about your products.
  2. Set up a way to track and sort feedback from UGC.
  3. Use this information to improve your products.

Ryan McKenzie from Tru Earth says: "We use good UGC from customers as proof on our website and in marketing. This helps new customers trust us because they can see what other people think."

UGC in customer support

Make your customer service better with UGC:

  1. Make a help center using common questions and answers from UGC.
  2. Show good customer experiences to build trust during support chats.
  3. Train support staff to use relevant UGC when helping customers.
UGC use in support How it helps
Help center with UGC Answers common questions with real examples
Showing good experiences Builds trust during support conversations
Staff using UGC Gives real-life examples to help customers

The future of UGC in e-commerce

User-generated content (UGC) is changing how online stores work. New tech and customer habits are making UGC more important for Shopify stores.

New tech changing UGC

1. AI and Machine Learning

AI is making UGC better by:

  • Finding the best content: Tools like Emplifi use AI to pick the most interesting UGC.
  • Showing the right content to each person: AI looks at what customers like to show them UGC they'll enjoy.
  • Making pictures look better: AI can fix lighting and positioning in UGC photos.

2. AR and VR

AR and VR are making UGC more fun:

  • Customers can make AR reviews showing products in real places.
  • People can try on clothes or makeup virtually using AR.

3. Short videos

Short videos on TikTok and YouTube Shorts are very popular:

  • TikTok has over 1 billion users every month.
  • Brands are working with small influencers to make short, real videos.

What's next for UGC in online stores

1. Real and open content

  • 86% of people think it's important for brands to be real.
  • Stores that show real customer stories, like Lines and Currents jewelry, get more trust.

2. Community-made content

  • Brands will ask customers to make more content together.
  • Quick-disappearing content, like Instagram stories, will be used more for UGC.

3. Content made just for you

  • AI will help show each customer UGC they'll like.
  • The Glow Scientist works with small influencers to share honest reviews.

4. UGC in virtual worlds

  • As virtual worlds grow, people will make and share UGC in new ways.
  • Shopify stores might have virtual spaces where customers can make and see UGC.

5. UGC helping make products better

  • Brands will use UGC to learn how to improve their products.
  • Customer feedback in UGC will help decide what new products to make.
UGC Trend What it means for stores
AI and ML Better content shown to the right people
AR and VR More interactive product reviews
Short videos Quick, fun ways to show products
Real content More trust from customers
Community content Customers feel part of the brand
Personalized UGC Each customer sees content they like
Virtual world UGC New ways to share in 3D spaces
Product feedback Better products based on customer ideas

Shopify stores that use these new UGC ideas will do better at getting customers interested and making more sales.

Wrap-up

Key UGC strategies recap

Here's a quick look at the main ways to use user-generated content (UGC) for your Shopify store:

Strategy How to do it Why it works
Use hashtags Create a unique hashtag for your brand Helps collect UGC from social media
Run contests Ask customers to share photos or videos Gets more people to make content
Follow up after purchase Email customers to ask for reviews Increases the amount of feedback
Show UGC on product pages Add customer photos and reviews Helps buyers make decisions
Use UGC in emails Include customer stories in newsletters Makes emails more interesting
Create shoppable UGC galleries Let customers buy from UGC photos Makes it easier to shop
Use AI tools Find and show the best UGC Saves time and improves quality

Final thoughts on UGC for Shopify

UGC is a big help for Shopify stores. It makes people trust your brand more and can lead to more sales. Here are some real examples:

1. Pura Vida Bracelets

  • What they did: Used the hashtag #puravidabracelets
  • Result: Got lots of customer photos to use in marketing

2. Gym+Coffee

  • What they did: Added a UGC gallery to their website
  • Result: People spent more time on their site

3. Cupshe

  • What they did: Put customer photos on product pages
  • Result: More people bought swimsuits after seeing real customers wearing them

Remember, people like to see real customers using products. In fact, 79% of shoppers say UGC affects what they buy. As new tech like AR and VR grows, there will be even more ways to use UGC.

To do well with UGC:

  1. Ask customers to share their experiences
  2. Use the content in different ways (on your site, in emails, in ads)
  3. Keep it real - don't use fake reviews or edited photos

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