Yes. The fastest way to generate more UGC video at scale is to stop treating it like a traditional production project and build a repeatable creator/customer pipeline.
1. Start with your existing customers
Your happiest customers are often your best UGC creators. Look through:
Product reviews
Customer support interactions
Instagram/TikTok tags and mentions
Unboxing posts
Community groups
Repeat purchasers
Customers who have already sent you photos/videos
Ask them for a 15–30 second vertical video in exchange for something worthwhile: a discount, free product, loyalty points, cash, or entry into a promotion.
A simple prompt works better than a complicated script:
“Show us how you use [product], what problem it solved, and what surprised you about it.”
Always obtain permission and define where/how you can use the video.
2. Build a small creator network
Don't depend on one influencer. Recruit 20–50 micro-creators and give each a slightly different creative angle.
Give creators the message, not a word-for-word script. Authenticity is one of the reasons UGC works, and TikTok specifically recommends content that feels native, relatable and less polished.
3. Give creators multiple concepts
Instead of asking 10 creators to make the same video, ask them to explore different angles:
UGC angle
Example
Problem/solution
“I was struggling with X until…”
First impression
“I didn't expect this when I opened…”
Tutorial
“Here's how I use X in 30 seconds.”
Before/after
Show the transformation
Testimonial
“Here's what changed after 30 days.”
Comparison
“I tried X vs. the alternative.”
Objection
“I thought X would be too expensive…”
FAQ
Answer a common customer question
Reaction
Genuine first-use reaction
Story
“Why I switched from X to Y”
This gives you a creative testing library, rather than simply accumulating videos.
4. Use creator marketplaces
For TikTok, TikTok Creator Marketplace/TikTok One can help brands find creators and commission content. Instagram's Creator Marketplace similarly lets brands discover creators and collaborate on projects.
You don't necessarily need huge influencers. For paid UGC, you're often buying creative production and a creator's perspective, not their audience.
5. Turn good organic UGC into paid advertising
This is where UGC becomes especially valuable.
On Instagram, Partnership Ads allow brands to amplify creator content through paid advertising while retaining the creator's identity. TikTok likewise supports creator content through formats such as Spark Ads.
A useful workflow is:
10 creators → 20–40 videos → identify winners → put ad spend behind winners → make variations of winners → repeat.
Don't assume the prettiest video will win. Measure hook retention, watch time, CTR, conversion rate and CPA rather than likes alone. TikTok explicitly recommends using engagement and conversion metrics and refreshing creative when fatigue appears.
6. Make participation ridiculously easy
Instead of:
“Please create a testimonial video for our campaign.”
Try:
“Record a 20-second vertical video on your phone answering one question: What did you use before [product], and why did you switch? No editing required.”
You can even send customers a shot list:
Face camera → say the hook.
Show the product.
Demonstrate it.
Show the result.
Say one sentence about why you'd recommend it.
That dramatically reduces the friction of participation.
7. Build a monthly UGC engine
I'd structure it something like this:
Every month
Recruit 10–20 new creators/customers
Give each 2–3 concepts
Collect 20–50 raw videos
Edit the strongest footage into multiple cuts
Test different hooks/openings
Identify the top 10–20%
Turn winners into paid ads
Brief the next creators based on what actually performed
The goal isn't to create one viral UGC video. It's to create a system that continually produces new creative.
One important detail: secure usage rights
Before filming, explicitly agree on things like paid advertising, platforms, duration, territories, editing/cutdowns, raw footage, likeness and music rights. A creator's permission to post content does not automatically give you unlimited commercial rights to reuse it.
A practical starting campaign
If you're starting from scratch, I'd test:
10 creators × 3 concepts = 30 videos
Give everyone the same core product benefits, but let them vary the hook, personality, setting and story.
Then rank the videos by:
3-second hold → watch time → CTR → conversion rate/CPA
Take the top 3 videos and create 5–10 variations of each by changing the opening, creator, caption, proof point or CTA.
That gives you a much more scalable content engine than trying to produce increasingly polished brand commercials—and aligns with current platform guidance favoring authentic, native, testable creative.
If you tell me what you're marketing, your target customer, and your approximate monthly budget, I can turn this into a concrete 30-day UGC acquisition campaign with creator outreach scripts, incentives, video briefs, and a testing matrix.
Generating user-generated content (UGC) is one of the best ways to build social proof and drive engagement. Here is a clear, actionable roadmap to scale your video UGC production:
Incentivize and Reward: Launch a dedicated rewards program, loyalty perks, or a contest offering a prize for the best video submission. Make the value exchange clear for your customers.
Leverage Micro-Influencers: Partner with niche creators or passionate micro-influencers (10k to 50k followers) who already love your product. Send them free product seeding kits with zero strict scripting requirements to keep the content authentic.
Create Clear Prompts and Challenges: Use branded TikTok challenges or Instagram Reels templates with specific audio tracks, prompts, or hashtags. The easier you make the concept to replicate, the higher your participation rate will be.
Feature Existing Content (Remix & Reply): Showcase existing customer shout-outs or unboxing videos on your main channels. When potential creators see you actively sharing customer videos, they will proactively tag you in hopes of a feature.
Simplify the Submission Process: Set up a dedicated landing page with a drag-and-drop video upload widget or use a specialized UGC platform like Bazaarvoice or Stackla (Nosto) to legally request rights and ingest customer videos seamlessly.
Ask Directly Post-Purchase: Automate an email or SMS sequence 5 to 7 days after product delivery asking customers to share a quick video review in exchange for a discount on their next order.
Would you like to explore:
Specific email templates to request UGC from past buyers?
How to source UGC using paid creator marketplaces?
Best practices for legal rights and usage of customer videos?
