Consumer behaviour has evolved massively in the last decade, and as a result, brands are rethinking their influencer marketing strategies. While influencer marketing has long been used to drive brand awareness and sales, growing distrust has led many brands to explore alternatives. Enter: user-generated content (UGC).

You may remember that back in 2019, three UK influencers were involved in a scandal in which they promoted a highly controversial weight loss product despite having never tried it before. This, and things like undisclosed ads and unaligned collaborations, have caused many members of the public to become increasingly distrustful of influencer marketing. 

So, what can brands do to combat distrust of influencers?

Enter: the UGC creator. 

What is user-generated content (UGC)?

UGC started off as exactly what it says on the tin: a genuine user sharing content online of their experience of a product. But consumers aren’t as willing anymore to advocate for brands online, leaving genuine user-generated content coming few and far between. Because of this, brands have had to get crafty to be able to demonstrate the user experience through their social media content, so now UGC is much more deliberate.

Nowadays, you’ll find that most UGC creators are paid or gifted products by a brand to make content of their product or service. That content could be anything from a video testimonial, a video review or a vlog that features the creator using their product, among so many other content styles. 

UGC vs Influencer Marketing: What’s the Difference?

At first glance, UGC creators can seem similar to influencers, but there are key differences between UGC and influencer marketing that make UGC feel more authentic to consumers. 

Here’s how it differs: rather than the creator sharing the content with their own social media audience (in fact they don’t need to have a social media audience at all), the creator gives the content ownership to the brand to use it however they wish, whether it be for social media ads or organic content.

Why UGC Builds More Trust Than Influencer Marketing

You might be wondering, “if we already have influencers, why do we need UGC?”. Like I said, many consumers are losing trust in influencers. They care less about seeing big online personalities using products, and more about genuine, everyday people just like them. 

Here’s just a few ways that UGC creators can build trust:

UGC helps consumers visualise themselves using the product

UGC creators specialise in creating natural, authentic, and relatable content. Their role is to mirror that of a genuine user of the product or brand, and often they look just like average people. No overly polished content; no ‘influencer voice’ – they show how the product fits into their everyday lives in a way that feels genuine, building trust and authenticity. 

UGC fits naturally into organic feeds

The content doesn’t feel scripted – usually because it’s not. Many UGC creators are given a short brief with a lot of creative control by the brand, whereas influencers are usually restricted much more by what they can do or say. This helps the content to blend more naturally into the feed, making it feel like a genuine recommendation rather than a scripted ad. 

UGC feels more genuine than influencer content

Viewers are more sceptical of paid promotions from influencers, and while we work with many amazing and genuine influencers across a range of our clients, some consumers feel like a few bad apples have spoiled the bunch in a way. Whether the influencer has actually used the product being promoted or not, there will always be some form of scepticism from consumers due to the paid nature of the collaboration. 

With UGC however, as brands don’t rely on the creator’s audience for reach, it automatically feels more genuine, allowing the brand to share what feels like organic content of a genuine brand user. It signifies that a product user trusts the brand enough to advocate for them, rather than an influencer being paid to promote a product. 

With that said, influencer marketing is still highly prevalent and can be extremely rewarding for certain brands. We would never recommend to retire using influencer marketing altogether in favour of UGC. Instead, you should consider using UGC to complement your existing content strategy, not replace it. UGC is a fantastic way to demonstrate user experience to your social media audience without making it feel overly promotional.

Brands Who Do UGC Well in 2026

If you need some inspiration, take a look at the brands below for clear examples of how to build trust using UGC.

Abbott Lyon

Abbott Lyon nails UGC by making luxury feel attainable. Their content often features everyday creators styling jewellery in real-life scenarios like getting ready, working, or travelling, rather than high-production studio shoots.

 

TRIP Drinks

TRIP’s UGC rarely feels like it’s about the drink – it’s about the moment. Creators film the product on holidays, on walks, at home winding down, or during busy days. They cleverly use emotive advertising so that rather than the content being about the product itself, it’s about how the product makes the subject feel. 

 

Wild

Wild combines UGC with light education, which makes their content feel genuinely useful. Creators often explain why they switched, how refills work and sustainability benefits – all the things that matter to audiences wanting to switch to eco-friendly products.

All in all, UGC builds trust because it mirrors the behaviour of genuine customers, not because it’s undisclosed. Transparency is essential, but trust is built through relatability and authenticity rather than follower count. We never recommend working with creators that aren’t genuine brand users. It’s important to build relationships, allow the creator to trial your products for a period of time, then sign the contract. 

The brands best positioned to build long-term trust and engagement are those that take a blended approach, combining the reach and influence of influencer marketing with the credibility and authenticity of user-generated content.

At Digital 24, we help brands build authentic social media strategies to drive real results. If you’re looking to create content that feels genuine, builds trust, and performs across organic and paid channels, get in touch with our team to see how we can help.