How to Get User Generated Content for Your Clothing Brand
Why do people post photos wearing brands for free?
No one paid them. No one asked them. They just post fit pics, tag the brand, and move on.
Some kid posts a mirror selfie wearing a hoodie. Gets 50 likes. The brand reposts it. Suddenly that kid has 200 new followers and the brand has free marketing.
Multiply that by thousands of customers and you have Gymshark. A billion-dollar brand built on gym selfies. Free content. Free reach. Free credibility.
User-generated content isn’t a marketing tactic. It’s how modern clothing brands grow. Real customers. Real moments. Real trust.
And it costs nothing.
This guide breaks down what UGC actually is, why it works, how to get it, and how to use it to build your brand.
What User Generated Content Actually Is
User-generated content (UGC) is any content created by your customers featuring your products.
Photos of them wearing your clothes. Videos styling your pieces. TikTok outfit transitions. Instagram stories. Reviews. Testimonials. Unboxing videos.
It’s not content you created. It’s content your customers created for you.
Why UGC is powerful:
Social proof. People trust other people more than brands. Seeing real customers wearing your products builds trust faster than any marketing campaign.
Authenticity. UGC feels real, not staged. It shows your products in everyday life, not just in perfect photoshoots.
Free marketing. Every customer post is free advertising. Free reach. Free credibility. Free content.
Community building. Featuring customer content makes them feel valued. They become advocates who spread your brand story.
Endless content. Instead of creating everything yourself, your community creates content for you.
Higher conversion. Product pages with UGC convert 4-5x better than pages without it. Social proof drives sales.
Why UGC Works Better Than Brand Content
People don’t trust ads. They trust people.
When someone sees a polished brand photoshoot, they know it’s marketing. Professional models. Perfect lighting. Styled to perfection. It’s aspirational but distant.
When they see their friend wearing your hoodie, that’s real. When they see someone who looks like them styling your jacket, that’s relatable.
UGC provides social proof. It shows that real people buy and love your products. That’s more convincing than any ad copy or product description.
UGC is relatable. Professional models in perfect settings create aspiration. Real customers in real environments create connection.
UGC shows product in context. How it actually looks when worn. How it fits different body types. How people style it in real life. Information professional shoots don’t always show.
UGC creates community. When you feature customer content on your Instagram, your website, or your email newsletters, they feel seen. Valued. Part of your brand. That builds loyalty and word of mouth.
How to Encourage UGC
Most customers won’t create content unless you ask. Here’s how to encourage it.
Create a branded hashtag.
Make it simple, memorable, and unique to your brand.
Examples: #GymsharkTrain, #MyCalvins, #JustDoIt
Put it everywhere. Your Instagram bio. Your website. In your packaging. On product inserts. On hangtags.
Ask customers to use it when they post. This makes UGC easy to find and aggregate.
Ask directly.
In order confirmation emails: “We’d love to see how you style it! Tag us @yourbrand and use #yourhashtag.”
In packaging inserts or thank you cards: “Share your look and tag us for a chance to be featured.”
On social media: “Show us how you wear it. Use #yourbrandhashtag.”
In Instagram stories: “Tag us in your fit pics!”
People need permission and invitation. Give it to them clearly and often.
Feature customers regularly.
Repost customer content to your feed and stories. Tag them. Credit them. Make them feel seen.
When people see you featuring customers, they’re more likely to post hoping to be featured too. Recognition is valuable.
Make it a regular thing. Weekly customer features. Monthly spotlight. “Customer of the Week.” Consistent recognition builds momentum.
Run contests and giveaways.
“Post a photo wearing our brand with #yourbrandhashtag for a chance to win a €100 gift card.”
Contests generate massive amounts of UGC quickly. People love the chance to win.
Prize can be store credit, free products, exclusive items, or early access to drops.
Run contests around launches, seasons, or milestones. Use them strategically to spike UGC creation.
Send products to engaged customers.
Identify customers who already post about you organically. Check who tags you. Who uses your hashtag. Who engages with your content.
Send them free products. A note: “Love your content. Thought you’d like this. No strings attached.”
They’re already fans. They’ll create content naturally. No script. No requirements. Just authentic appreciation.
Make it easy.
Clear instructions. Simple hashtags. Easy tagging. Obvious calls to action.
Include instructions on packaging inserts. In emails. On your website.
The easier you make it, the more people will do it.
Offer incentives.
Discount codes for customers who post. “Post a photo with #yourbrand and get 10% off your next order.”
Feature customers in your email newsletters, on your website, or in your lookbooks.
Recognition is valuable. People like being seen and appreciated.
Working With Influencers
Influencers are people with engaged followings who create content professionally or semi-professionally.
But size doesn’t matter as much as alignment.
Micro-influencers (1,000 to 50,000 followers) often have higher engagement than macro-influencers. Their audiences trust them more. They’re more affordable. They create more authentic content.
How to find the right influencers:
Look for alignment. Their style, values, and audience should match your brand DNA and lifestyle branding.
Check engagement, not just followers. 10,000 engaged followers beats 100,000 disengaged ones. Look at comments, shares, saves.
Review their content quality. Do they create content that matches your imagery style and brand identity?
Look at past collaborations. Do they promote everything or only brands they actually like? Authenticity shows.
Authentic passion matters more than reach. Someone who genuinely loves your brand will create better content than someone just collecting a paycheck.
How to approach influencers:
Send a DM or email. Keep it personal and genuine.
“Hey [name], love your content and how you style [specific thing]. Your aesthetic aligns perfectly with our brand. We’d love to send you some pieces. No strings attached. If you love them and want to share, amazing. If not, no worries.”
No pressure. No requirements. Just genuine connection and appreciation.
If they love your products, they’ll create content naturally. Authentic content performs better than scripted ads.
What to send:
Products that match their style. Let them choose what they want if possible.
Include a personal note. Make them feel valued, not like a transaction.
Add small extras. Stickers, thank you cards, exclusive items, early access. Thoughtful touches create goodwill.
Great packaging matters. Make the unboxing experience special.
Don’t micromanage.
Let them create content their way. Their audience trusts their voice, their style, their perspective.
Give guidelines if necessary (brand values, key messages, things to avoid) but let them execute creatively.
Authenticity matters more than control. Scripted content feels fake and performs worse.
How to Use UGC Strategically
Collecting UGC is step one. Using it strategically is step two.
Repost to your feed and stories.
Share customer photos and videos to your Instagram feed, stories, and TikTok.
Always tag and credit the creator. Recognition builds loyalty and encourages more UGC.
Mix UGC with your brand content. Don’t make your entire feed reposts, but feature customers regularly.
Feature UGC on your website.
Product pages: Show real customers wearing products alongside professional photoshoot images.
Homepage: Feature customer photos in a gallery, carousel, or dedicated section.
Testimonials page: Include customer reviews with their photos and stories.
UGC on product pages increases conversion rates significantly. Social proof works.
Use UGC in ads.
Real customer content often performs better than professional ads on Instagram and TikTok. It feels authentic and relatable.
Ask permission first. “Hey! Love this content. Can we use your photo in our ads?” Most people say yes. They’re honored.
Test UGC ads against professional ads. Often UGC wins because it doesn’t feel like an ad.
Create highlight reels.
Instagram Highlights dedicated to customer content. “#Community” or “#CustomerLove” or your branded hashtag.
Shows new followers that real people love your brand. Builds immediate credibility.
Include in email campaigns.
Feature customer photos in your newsletters. Showcase your community.
“Check out how our customers styled this month’s drop.”
Makes emails feel less promotional and more community-focused.
Turn UGC into lookbooks.
Compile customer photos into seasonal lookbooks. Shows real styling. Real people. Real diversity.
More relatable than professional lookbooks and much cheaper to produce.
Use in presentations and pitches.
If you’re pitching to investors, retailers, or collaborators, UGC shows real market validation.
“Here are 500 customers who posted about us this month without being asked.”
Always Credit and Ask Permission
Always tag and credit creators.
When you repost UGC, tag the creator in the post and caption. Give them recognition and visibility.
Recognition builds goodwill. They’ll create more content. They’ll tell their friends about how you featured them.
Ask permission for commercial use.
Reposting to stories or feed is usually fine (still credit them). Using UGC in paid ads, on your website, or in print materials requires explicit permission.
Simple DM: “Love this! Can we feature it on our website/in our ads/in our email campaigns?”
Most people say yes enthusiastically. But always ask. It’s respectful and legally necessary.
Show appreciation.
Thank them publicly. Send them discount codes or free products. Feature them prominently.
Appreciated customers become advocates who create more content and bring their friends.
UGC for Different Brand Types
Fit pics. Street shots. Urban environments. Styling creativity. Authenticity and personal expression.
Encourage customers to show their unique style. Celebrate diversity in how people wear your pieces.
Gym videos. Transformation stories. Workout content. Progress photos. Athletes in action.
Encourage before/after content, training videos, personal records, fitness journeys.
Customers sharing your values. Long-term wear photos. Repair stories. Environmental messaging.
Show how products last years. How customers care for them. How they align with sustainable lifestyles.
Elegant styling. Sophisticated settings. Quality details. Aspirational but authentic moments.
Feature customers who embody your refined aesthetic and attention to detail.
Adventure photos. Nature settings. Products in action. Real outdoor experiences.
Encourage customers to share where they take your products. Mountains, trails, campsites, adventures.
Clean styling. Simple compositions. Everyday wear. Timeless aesthetics.
Focus on versatility and how pieces integrate into minimal wardrobes.
Match your UGC strategy to your lifestyle branding and brand identity.
Measuring UGC Success
Track volume. How many people are posting with your hashtag? Creating content featuring your brand? Growing or shrinking?
Track engagement. How much engagement does UGC get when you repost it versus your brand-created content?
Track conversion. Do product pages with UGC convert better than those without? Test it.
Track reach. How much organic reach does UGC generate compared to brand content?
Monitor sentiment. What are people saying? Is it positive? Constructive? Are there patterns in feedback?
Identify top creators. Who creates the best content? Who gets the most engagement? Build relationships with them.
Use these insights to refine your UGC strategy and double down on what works.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Not asking. Most customers won’t create content unless you explicitly ask. Ask directly, often, and clearly.
No hashtag. Makes UGC impossible to find and aggregate. Create a simple, memorable branded hashtag and use it everywhere.
Never featuring customers. If you don’t repost UGC, people stop creating it. Recognition motivates. Feature customers regularly.
Only featuring perfect content. Real and diverse is better than perfect. Show all body types, styles, ages, and people. Authenticity matters.
Not crediting creators. Always tag and credit. Recognition builds loyalty and encourages more UGC.
Micromanaging influencers. Let them create authentically in their own voice and style. Their audience trusts them, not your script.
No permission for commercial use. Always ask before using UGC in ads, on your website, or in email campaigns.
Ignoring negative UGC. Address concerns professionally. Turn criticism into improvement opportunities.
Inconsistent featuring. Feature customers regularly, not just when you need content. Build it into your rhythm.
What to Do Next
Create a branded hashtag today. Put it in your Instagram bio, on your website, in your packaging, on hangtags.
Ask customers directly. In emails, on packaging inserts, on social media. “Tag us and use #yourhashtag.”
Feature customers regularly. Repost to feed and stories. Create weekly customer spotlots. Build it into your content strategy.
Run your first contest. “Post with our hashtag for a chance to win.” Generate momentum.
Identify engaged customers. People who already post about you. Send them free products.
Find aligned micro-influencers. People whose style matches your brand DNA. Send products. Build genuine relationships.
Use UGC on your website. Add it to product pages. Feature it on your homepage.
Test UGC in ads. See if authentic customer content outperforms professional ads.
Always credit creators. Tag them. Show appreciation. Build loyalty.
Track what works. Which content performs best? What drives engagement? Refine continuously.
User-generated content is the most powerful marketing tool for clothing brands. It builds trust. Creates community. Generates endless free content.
Your customers want to share. Make it easy. Encourage it. Feature them. Build your brand through their voices.
Start today. Ask for content. Feature customers. Watch your brand grow through real people sharing real moments.
Your community is your marketing team. Activate them.
