How To Master UGC Websites: A Comprehensive Guide For Marketers And Brands

Everyone knows that UGC has the potential to go viral on social media. Statistics show that 13% of respondents will abandon their cart without user-generated content.

But, curiously, the same is true on independent websites. Deploying it well here can generate huge results.

That’s because UGC websites go beyond corporate spiel. Instead of bombarding users with slick marketing copy, they agglomerate user-generated content (UGC), delivering more social proof.

But why go to the hassle?

Integrating UGC into websites brings numerous benefits, chief among them being trust-building. User-generated content lets visitors see what their peers think in unscripted videos and posts. These add authenticity while reducing the need to leave the site to consider other third-party reviews.

The Three Types of UGC Websites

The internet is already full of examples of UGC websites (but you might not have heard them called that before). These generate user-generated content simply because of how their owners structure them.

Review Sites

For example, review sites like Yelp and TripAdvisor garner millions of visitors daily because of their honest, candid reviews. Service users and travelers post their comments online, discussing their experience and providing customers with information on what to expect.

Social Media Aggregators

Social media aggregators that draw posts from across the web and arrange them in helpful categories are another category. These sites can assist consumers in finding reviews of products and services they are considering or learning more about experiences they want to have.

Brand-Hosted UGC Platforms

Finally, you will sometimes come across brand-hosted UGC platforms. These companies collate user-generated content for various purposes, including selling it to other businesses for marketing campaigns.

Step 1: Design a UGC-Friendly Website

Designing UGC-friendly websites requires careful planning. Putting elements in place to enable it to function adequately is a priority.

Start with submission forms. These should accept content in various forms for submitting text, images, reviews, and videos.

Keep these forms as simple as possible. Only ask content creators for essential information (like their name, email address, and the content they want to submit). Don’t turn them into a survey!

Furthermore, any submission form you choose should accept multiple forms of rich media (especially the types that interest you). Always guide users on how to submit content effectively and what they need to do to send you content.

Next, consider where to put your display areas – places you will showcase UGC. Many websites place user-generated content on their home pages in “editor’s picks” sections. But how you arrange it will depend on your purpose. For example, you might include it on product and service pages to provide on-page social proof and encourage conversion or in carousels.

Placing UGC in content feeds is another option if your website has an app-like experience. These approaches feel familiar to most site visitors, encouraging them to explore user-generated content more deeply.

Lastly, consider the user experience. To make it more intuitive on your UGC-friendly website:

• Make the layout easy to understand and visually appealing
• Avoid a format that makes the website look cluttered, even if you want to display a significant quantity of UGC
• Make the design responsive so users can flick between UGC content with ease without stuttering, loading screens, or elements moving around on the page
• Add breadcrumbs to your site (showing your site structure) so they can locate their position and improve navigation
• Leverage menus that guide users to the content they want to consume
• Use AI-powered engines to show users the UGC most likely to interest them (if they enjoy exploring content)
• Add search functionality to find relevant content rapidly

Step 2: Leverage Advanced Strategies And Best Practices To Encourage UGC Creation

Once you have a website design suitable for your objectives, encouraging UGC is the next step. You want your UGC platform to be active. Users should have compelling reasons to make submissions.

To achieve this, run regular campaigns to attract content. For example, you could:

• Invite users to partner with you on content-creation projects, such as reviewing products, services, or travel experiences
• Pick a theme or topic for users to review, tapping into their pre-existing experiences with specific brands. (This tactic works well when there is a significant new release, such as the next iPhone model).
• Create contests to encourage competition among UGC submissions, driving quality higher and increasing participation
• Include challenges, getting creators to test their mettle, such as submitting the most creative brand experience story
• Use seasonal events to drive content, such as “best holiday memories” or “summer vacation dreaming”

Once you set up content-generating strategies, the next step is to integrate them with your social media. Just because you want UGC for your site doesn’t mean you must ignore Facebook, X, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube!

The most straightforward approach for Instagram and TikTok is to use hashtags. These make your UGC searchable on the platforms, increasing brand awareness and visibility.

You could also run “user takeovers” on your social media accounts. These let creators set the direction for a day or two, introducing them to your audience.

Cross-platform challenges can also work. These involve working with creators and influencers across channels to get them to submit UGC in various formats for your website. Consider this strategy if you already have a significant presence on several channels.

Lastly, you might offer incentives for participation. These could include:

• Financial rewards, like cash prizes or discounts in your store
• Branded prizes, like merch
• Early access to new products or services
• A position at the top of your UGC creator leaderboard
• Public badges for achievements

Step 3: Moderate Submitted UGC and Apply Brand-Suitable Quality Control

Once you start receiving more content, moderation/quality control becomes challenging. Not all submissions will be flattering to your brand or suitable for your audience.

Fortunately, tools like Billo can help. These filter content based on your requirements and eliminate contributions that might fall foul of your ethics, code of conduct, or the law.

Third-party software solutions can also:

• Detect explicit content, such as nudity
• Identify potential spam or bot-generated content
• Remove content with unwanted speech or copyrighted material
• Provide a workflow structure to improve staff moderation

Many UGC platforms offer advanced moderation filters that simplify removing repeated and irrelevant content from submissions. These tools increase the likelihood only high-quality, informative posts will remain on your site.

Legal and Ethical Considerations

While going through this process, keep one eye on the law. Ensure your UGC remains compliant.

For example, state in your terms of service that users retain the ownership of their submitted content. Such clauses establish the nature of your relationship with them.

If you want to modify content, draft licensing agreements with users. Get them to permit you to adapt their material if necessary.

Only collect the user data you need to run your UGC website. If you need to collect additional information, ask permission first. Ensure you follow the data protection laws operating in your region, such as GDPR or CCPA.

3 Examples Of Successful UGC Websites: Who’s Made It Work?

You don’t have to look far online to find examples of successful UGC websites that just work. These provide a template for your efforts.

Here are some case studies:

Reddit

• Content type: News aggregation, discussions, ratings
• Launched: 2005
• Number of users: 430 million

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Reddit is a forum website where people can ask questions, discuss topics, and learn new information. It promotes content based on a voting system, showcasing the highest-quality conversations and relegating everything else.

Reddit’s success comes from its anonymous participation. The platform allows people to partake without revealing their identities, making it a safe space for discussing controversial topics.

For this reason, people trust it. Minimal rules give users a raw and unfiltered experience, adding to authenticity.

TripAdvisor

• Content type: Travel reviews
• Launched: 2000
• Number of users: Over 490 million

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TripAdvisor is a website that collects reviews for everything travel-related, from days out to hotel experiences. The brand moderates content but always publishes honest reviews.

People trust TripAdvisor because it only posts reviews from real people. It removes bot-generated reviews quickly.

It also lets users upload rich content. This feature adds to the experience with photos and videos.

Because of these qualities, TripAdvisor is now an essential tool for travelers exploring new locations. The site has a massive impact on the hospitality industry, holding restaurants, bars, hotels, ferry companies, and airlines accountable for the quality of their services.

Quora

• Content type: User Q&As
• Launched: 2009
• Number of users: 300 million monthly active

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Quora knows that people often ask Google questions but don’t always get the answers they want. But that’s where the platform can help. Anyone can sign up for an account and start providing responses (plus links to their websites).

Quora became successful because it attracted expert participation. University professors, Ph.D. grads, business leaders, medics, engineers, and legal professionals often contribute to the platform.

This participation has made Quora a significant contributor to knowledge and understanding worldwide. The site hosts millions of Q&As and offers facilities for asking additional questions if required, making it useful for media outlets wanting journalistic information, conducting market research, and obtaining expert advice.