13 Inspiring Instagram User-generated Content (UGC) Examples For Your Business

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Delivering compelling marketing messages about your business is good.

But when your customers do it? It’s even better.

Practically, it sets a rocket behind your marketing messages.

After all, your customers have no product to sell, employees to pay, or investors to satisfy. 

This makes user-generated content (UGC) more compelling to your audience.

Plus, UGC is cost-effective when compared to running ads or hiring influencers. 

But if you want to launch successful Instagram UGC campaigns, you need to draw inspiration from examples.

These are brands that win thousands of customers based on what their current customers say.

So, let’s see 13 compelling Instagram user-generated content examples and lessons to pick from them. 

1. Wayfair user-generated content

As a furniture company, Wayfair provides pieces of furniture for both indoor and outdoor settings.

Going through their Instagram account, Wayfair looks like a lifestyle company for various seasons. 

Wayfair specifies a hashtag #Wayfairathome for customers who have bought their products. This evokes creativity in their customers to capture the best views of their homes possible. 

After all, the better your view, the better the chances of getting featured. Currently, this hashtag has over 56 thousand posts.

With their UGC campaign strategy, Wayfair has many great images to feature on their Instagram page. Therefore, the company only has to spend little on content.

Lessons to learn

• Encourage customers to display various use cases of your products.
• Run Instagram contests or giveaways to collect more UGC.

2. GoPro user-generated content

If you’re looking for the ultimate UGC case study, look no further than GoPro.

Browse through their Instagram profile, and you’ll hardly find content that’s not by their customers.

Thus, it’s no surprise that the hashtag #GoPro has over 49 million posts.

Apart from that, there’s a hashtag like #GoProAwards which prompts customers to record more professional videos with GoPro cameras.

For example, here’s a video on Mount Everest by GoPro Awards winner for 2021:

Beyond this, GoPro uses the shopping tags for the camera used in shooting the image or video.

In a nutshell, GoPro’s Instagram marketing strategy is built around using user-generated content. And you can’t deny the results considering that GoPro has acquired over 19 million followers.

So, this is an Instagram UGC example you should definitely study.

Lessons to learn

• Create contests to encourage better UGC.
• Ask for videos as part of your UGC campaigns.
• Use shopping tags to promote your products.

3. BMW user-generated content

As a German vehicle brand, BMW is known for luxury.

But beyond that, BMW uses its Instagram UGC campaigns to display how customers use their vehicles for adventure.

The company has the hashtag #BMWrepost for customers who want to be featured on their page. Currently, the hashtag has over 2.5 million posts.

With most UGC featured on their page, their audience sees a brand they can associate with an adventurous life. Moreso, BMW is saying subtly that their products help customers enjoy life.

Lessons to learn

• Ensure the user-generated content featured on your page has a consistent theme.
• Explore your product’s unique selling proposition (USP).

4. Aerie user-generated content

For many years, the media and businesses have provided a single definition of a beautiful lady.

After many instances of body shaming, brands are beginning to change that narrative.

Aerie is one of the clothing brands trying to make a statement that beauty can exist in different shapes, colors, and forms.

This is evident in its UGC strategy.

Aerie encourages women to use the hashtag #AerieREAL to have a chance to feature.

Here’s an example:

With these posts, Aerie also tells different stories of its users and how diverse its customers are.

Lessons to learn

• Exploit UGC to tell meaningful stories about your customers.
• Promote a cause related to your products.

5. Letterfolk user-generated content

Letterfolk creates letterboards and time mats with exciting captions. These products fit into places from living rooms to classrooms to offices and other places.

This brand implements UGC to display different places where customers have used its products.

Apart from the place, the letterboards have been used for different purposes.

Here’s an example in a home:

Here, Letterfolk has shown prospects how current customers use their products.

Lesson to learn

• Display different use cases for your products.

6. Madewell user-generated content

Madewell is a famous clothing brand that produces denim. The company encourages customers to tag their account and use the #everydaymadewell hashtag to get a chance to be featured.

Currently, the hashtag has over 550 thousand posts on Instagram. Here’s a customer featured on their page:

With these, the brand can display different styles their customers spot in different settings.

Lessons to learn

• Display different product styles on your profile.

7. Teleport watches user-generated content

Even though Teleport watches was established in 2020, the luxury watch brand became popular when it was spotted by former U.S. President Barack Obama.

Since then, it has been featured in the New York Times, GQ, and other publications.

The brand uses UGC as part of its Instagram strategy to promote its products. Rather than feature individuals, Teleport watches dedicates Tuesdays to featuring many of its customers.

This way, prospects can see different products on customers in a single Instagram post.

Lesson to learn

• Do something different. Bring uniqueness into your UGC campaign.

8. FedEx user-generated content

As an international logistics company, FedEx delivers a lot of cargo.

So, it’s a common sight to see their delivery trucks on the road and airplanes in airports.

This also means that many customers, photographers, and even plane spotters feature FedEx in their Instagram posts. In addition, with its #FedEx hashtag, the company can find a lot of user-generated content. 

But before UGC is featured on the FedEx Instagram page, the company takes permission from the user.

This helps to avoid potential legal problems in the future.

While FedEx provides a service rather than products, these UGC pieces help put their service into their audience’s consciousness.

Lessons to learn

• Service providers can also implement UGC on their Instagram pages.
• Take permission from users before featuring their content on your page.

9. Freddy’s Steakburgers user-generated content

Freddy’s is an American brand that sells frozen custard and steakburgers. As a good brand, you need to show customers’ excitement at gulping down your food.

The brand encourages customers to tag their images with #ilovefreddys for an opportunity for a feature.

Apart from human beings, Freddy’s also features pets using their products.

By featuring pets, the brand can display its animal friendliness and attract pet lovers. Moreso, it shows an innovative usage of their products.

Lesson to learn

• Feature innovative usage of your products on your accounts.

10. Chewy user-generated content

Chewy is a pet brand that sells pet food and supplies online. Even though humans buy these products, ultimately, pets use them.

Hence, it makes sense that Chewy features dogs and cats on its Instagram account. Beyond that, they show how pets use their products.

This acts as social proof to pet owners looking to purchase pet supplies.

Lesson to learn

• Infuse an emotional element in your UGC campaigns.

11. Bed Threads user-generated content

Sleeping is a vital activity, whether you’re rich or poor. After all, you need to recharge your body in preparation for tomorrow’s activities.

Bed Threads is an Australian company that sells various types of bed sheets for homes. In this line of business, you’ll definitely discover different bedroom styles.

Bed Threads features its customers’ bedrooms where they feature their products. Moreso, the brand makes its UGC real as the bed sheets are still rough after a night of sleep.

Through this, their audience can see different bed sheets they can use in their own bedrooms. Here, Bed Threads has shown its products’ use cases through its customers.

Lesson to learn

• Try to be as real as possible with your UGC.

12. Toyota user-generated content

As a brand, Toyota is known for its reliability. You could probably dip a Toyota vehicle into the water, and it will continue working.

On its Instagram account, Toyota uses UGC to display the toughness of its vehicles.

For instance, most of the customers’ posts featured on their account showed vehicles on rough terrains.

While featuring a post, Toyota further encourages customers to share their images with the #Toyotagram hashtag.

With this UGC campaign, prospects can see Toyota’s capability for camping, traveling, and other adventures.

Lesson to learn

• Highlight your product’s unique selling proposition. 

13. Rove Hotels user-generated content

Hospitality is all about the customer’s experience.

Hence, a prospect will strongly consider customers’ experience at a hotel before staying there.

Rove Hotels collects user-generated content to show various types of experiences available in their hotels. This ranges from indoor facilities to views to outdoor facilities.

With these pieces of content, a prospect can have an idea of what current customers think of lodging in the hotel.

In addition, the brand has the hashtag #RoveHotels making it easy to organize the UGC.

Lesson to learn

• Feature UGC that’s likely to convince and convert your prospects.

Best practices to get the best results from Instagram UGC

While any business can exploit user-generated content, you need to consider some best practices during these campaigns. Here are 5 to keep in mind:

State clear requirements for UGC

What do you want your customers to do to have a chance of featuring on your page?

You should state that so that they’ll create the pieces of UGC that are likely to suit your taste.

Of course, you can be as relaxed in your requirements as you want. For instance, you can ask for an image of a customer using your product. In another sense, it can be a video.

Furthermore, your requirement should include a hashtag to help you manage your UGC effectively.

Most brands have their UGC requirements in their Instagram bio, but a post will also work well.

Acquire more UGC with giveaways

On social media, few activities motivate users like the prospect of winning a gift. So, you can use a giveaway or contest to increase your UGC collection.

In this case, you can instruct your audience to create a type of UGC as part of the requirements for your giveaway.

That said, you have to ensure your requirements match your giveaway prize.

An example of this is #GoProAwards for the camera brand users.

If you want to run a giveaway efficiently, you need an Instagram giveaway tool. Check out our list of the best Instagram giveaway tools for options.

Select the right UGC to share

When you feature UGC on your Instagram profile, you’ll receive more posts than you can use. However, you need to define the ideal UGC for your account.

Your ideal UGC will depend on:

• Your UGC goals
• The product use case you want to amplify
• Your buyer persona
• Your brand voice
• Your Instagram profile aesthetic 

By considering these factors, you’ll have a consistent UGC strategy that helps you screen pieces of content that appear on your Instagram account.

In addition, the UGC you select will align with your overall brand message.

A social media management tool like Vista Social can help you collect UGC.

It lets you search your branded hashtags and save media to your library. This way, you can easily use them for future social media posts.

Request permission to share UGC

While UGC features your product, you don’t own the image or video. Therefore, using it without permission can get you sued.

You can ask for permission through a comment on the Instagram content you want to repost.

On the other hand, you can send a DM to the Instagram user for permission.

Here’s an example:

By doing this, you can avoid any legal issues. Moreso, you should credit and tag the user while featuring their UGC.

Make UGC shoppable to increase sales

Since UGC features your product, you can add an Instagram shopping tag to the post.

Consequently, some followers can shop for the product and even buy it without leaving Instagram.

This is especially applicable if you sell fashion or low-cost items that people use regularly.

Conclusion

User-generated content is one of the most authentic displays of social proof you can use.

After all, customers who have nothing to gain are excited to promote your product. So there must be something there, right?

So, it’s important to feature these customers on your Instagram page.

By doing that, you’ll encourage even more customers to post UGCs using your hashtags.

Going through these Instagram UGC examples and they’ll inspire your campaigns. In fact, you can make your UGC campaign as unique as your brand.

What UGC campaign has inspired you in the past? Please share in the comments!