User-generated Content or UGC is extremely vital for your D2C brand. Prospects and future customers love seeing how other customers are experiencing your brand. UGC is the best way to showcase your brand's "word of mouth" and grow organically. 

That being said, here are some great ideas to generate UGC for your brand on Instagram:

8 Ideas For UGC On Instagram  

Here are a few examples of user-generated content (UGC) campaigns on Instagram that direct-to-consumer (D2C) brands should consider:

1. Customer Reviews: 
Allow customers to leave reviews and ratings for your products or services on your website or social media pages.

This can help other customers make informed purchasing decisions and can also provide valuable feedback for your business. 

Several D2C brands do this on Instagram by creating “Highlights”, and adding an appropriate title like “Reviews”.

The Highlight includes stories of customers leaving reviews and talking about the product. It could even be as simple as a story with an emoji.


2. Social Media Contests:

Run a contest on social media where users can submit their own content (e.g. photos, videos, etc.) related to your brand. This can help generate buzz and engagement around your business.

A great way to do this is to run a hashtag contest for example. Let’s say we have a handbag brand called Bagzo, we could run a contest called #bagzoshowcase where customers would upload a post or story with our handbag and tagging #bagzoshowcase. This could then be displayed on our website and Instagram.

We could even go further and make the posts shoppable by tagging our products that would direct to the product’s detail page on our website.

Bombas: Bombas, a D2C sock company, ran a UGC campaign called "Sock It Forward" that asked users to donate their gently used socks to those in need. The company provided participants with a prepaid shipping label and encouraged them to share pictures of their donations on social media using the hashtag #SockItForward. Bombas then featured some of the best submissions on its website and social media channels.



3. Product Unboxing:
​Product unboxing videos are a type of user-generated content (UGC) that show someone opening and demonstrating a product for the first time. These videos are often posted on social media or video-sharing platforms, and can be a great way for direct-to-consumer (D2C) brands to showcase their products and generate buzz.

This can help other potential customers and your entire social media audience understand the benefits of the product from the customer’s vantage point.

Glossier, a D2C beauty brand, has used product unboxing videos to showcase its products and generate excitement around new launches. These videos often feature influencers or brand ambassadors opening and demonstrating the products, and are typically posted on the brand's social media channels.

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4. Q&A Videos:
Question and answer (Q&A) videos are a type of user-generated content (UGC) that allow brands to engage with their customers and address common questions or concerns. These videos are often posted on social media or video-sharing platforms, and can be a great way for direct-to-consumer (D2C) brands to connect with their audience and build trust.

D2C brands could also conduct a Q&A session with their users where they discuss frequently asked questions by users and then record the video and label it as a highlight. This type of content will help future customers with the same questions understand product benefits and how the product works.

Glossier, a D2C beauty brand, has used Q&A videos to address common questions and concerns from its customers. These videos often feature company employees or brand ambassadors answering questions submitted by customers, and are typically posted on the brand's social media channels.


5. How-to Videos:
D2C brands could feature how-to videos where users showcase how they are using the product. Oftentimes, a product is used very differently by users as compared to how the founders envisioned it.

For example, Casper, a D2C mattress company, ran a UGC campaign called "Dream Gallery" that asked users to share pictures of themselves sleeping on a Casper mattress on Instagram. Participants were asked to use the hashtag #CasperDreamGallery and tag the company in their posts. Casper then selected and featured some of the best submissions on its website and social media channels.

6. Product Benefits videos:
D2C brands can also feature product benefits videos as in the eyes of their customers.

For example, Dollar Shave Club ran a UGC campaign called "Why I #ShaveWithDollarShaveClub" that asked users to share their reasons for using the company's products on social media.

Participants were asked to use the hashtag #ShaveWithDollarShaveClub and tag the company in their posts. Dollar Shave Club then selected and featured some of the best submissions on its website and social media channels.

7. User-generated blogs:
Consider opening up your blog to guest contributions from your customers. This can help diversify the content on your blog and give your audience a different perspective.

User-generated blogs are a great way to feature personal stories about your customers using your products and the transformation your product brought about in their lives.


8. User-generated product ideas:
Invite customers to submit ideas for new products or product improvements. This can help you stay attuned to the needs and preferences of your audience and potentially generate new product ideas.


9. Finally, leverage your community:
Building a community is a great way to get user feedback and understand how your users are perceiving your product and brand. If you already have a community, you can leverage your community to get user-generated content. 

If, however, you don't yet have a community, you can check our our blog on how to build a community here - 10 Ways How D2C Brands Can Build A Community In 2023


A combination of these initiatives can work great for you as a D2C brand and we at Casa help you grow your UGC with your brand ambassadors.