25 Eye-Opening UGC Statistics Every Marketer Must Know in 2025

User-generated content (UGC) isn’t just another marketing trend—it’s the marketing essential of 2025. If you’re not using UGC in your content strategy yet, these stats might just convince you to start... or level up with a top-notch UGC agency.

Whether you're building brand awareness, trying to boost conversions, or just want to connect authentically with your audience—UGC is the secret weapon.

Here are 25 jaw-dropping UGC statistics every modern marketer needs to know this year:

🧠 Trust & Authenticity Stats

92% of consumers trust UGC more than traditional ads (Nielsen).
84% of millennials say UGC influences what they buy (Bazaarvoice).
79% of people say UGC highly impacts their purchase decisions (Stackla).
Brands with UGC are seen as 2x more authentic than those without (Social Media Today).
70% of consumers find customer reviews more trustworthy than branded content (BrightLocal).

📈 Conversion & Engagement Stats

UGC increases conversion rates by up to 29% (Social Media Today).
Shoppable UGC posts drive 80% more conversions than non-UGC ones (Sprout Social).
UGC ads get 4x higher click-through rates (ComScore).
Product pages with UGC see a 91% lift in time spent on site (Yotpo).
Including UGC in emails boosts click-through by 73% (MarketingProfs).

📱 Platform-Specific Stats

TikTok UGC has a 35% higher watch-through rate than brand content (Influencer Marketing Hub).
UGC on Instagram gets 28% more engagement than branded posts (SocialMedia.org).
UGC review videos on YouTube have 3x the watch time of polished brand ads (Wyzowl).
UGC in Instagram Stories increases swipe-ups by 20% (Statista).
YouTube viewers find UGC 68% more trustworthy than brand content (Think With Google).

💡 Consumer Behavior Stats

90% of consumers say authenticity is key when choosing brands (Stackla).
74% of shoppers are more likely to purchase from a brand that features real customer content (Tint).
50% of Gen Z creates UGC at least once a week (HubSpot).
UGC influences 85% of Gen Z’s buying decisions (Adweek).
Consumers are 2.4x more likely to view UGC as authentic compared to brand content (Nosto).

🚀 Brand Strategy & ROI Stats

Brands using UGC reduce content costs by over 50% (Social Media Examiner).
1 in 2 marketers now include UGC in every campaign (Content Marketing Institute).
UGC increases email open rates by 29% when used in subject lines (Campaign Monitor).
61% of marketers say UGC outperforms branded content on paid ads (HubSpot).
82% of consumers want brands to use more UGC (Stackla).

Final Thoughts - Let the Data Speak

UGC isn’t a nice-to-have—it’s a must-have. From higher engagement to lower costs and more trust, the numbers speak for themselves.

Want to start scaling your UGC with ease? Work with a team that gets it.

Explore GoViral Global’s UGC Services and see how we help brands create authentic, high-performing user-generated content. Because in 2025, real content from real people = real results.