PLAIN-LANGUAGE DEFINITION
UGC
User-generated content is material created by users or customers; marketing teams also use the term for commissioned creator-style ads.
IN PRACTICE
An example
A customer filming a purchased bag is organic UGC; a paid creator demonstration is commissioned content.
What this does not tell you
AI-generated presenter footage should not be described as an authentic customer experience.
Use the term precisely
When you use this term in a brief or report, include the relevant source, scope and assumptions. An example explains the concept; it is not a benchmark or a promise of results.