The UGC Playbook No One Talks Enough About

Well, hello there.

It’s been a minute — hope you’ve been doing well since we last connected. The last few weeks have felt like one big sprint, and sometimes you need to hit pause to get a little creativity back. So, here we are. Back in action. Feeling a little more grounded. A little more caffeinated. And excited to write again (but I definitely need some inspo so if you have questions, send them over so I can write answer them!)

The past two weeks have included: spending an irresponsible amount of money on iced coffee, having someone steal my social security number (0/10, do not recommend), logging too many miles on long walks and runs, and of course… work.

I genuinely have no idea how it’s May. Let’s go with it.

Anywho—let’s talk about something that’s been on my mind:

Brands are getting tagged in great content constantly… and then doing absolutely nothing with it.

So today, we’re breaking down how to actually use the UGC you’re already getting — across stories, paid, your website, and more.

It’s low-lift, high-impact, and probably the most slept-on part of your content strategy.

Before, we get into it…

Most brands have way more content than they know what to do with or you might be just getting into the mix of launching and having a brand are are wondering what to do with all the creators are tagging you and customers posting reviews. 

You’ve got hundreds of pieces of user generated content ranging from tutorials to hauls to demo to testimonials—all just existing on social, but that’s it. Unless that content is showing up where your customers are making purchase decisions (aka your website or being repurposed thoughtful on social, of course), it’s not pulling its weight.

That’s where Videowise comes in.

Videowise is an e-commerce video platform that helps brands turn UGC into high-converting, shoppable experiences right on their site—without slowing things down. TBH it’s probably the fastest video I’ve ever personally seen on sites.

Think:
→ Product pages with autoplay testimonial videos that answer questions before your shopper even asks.
→ Collection pages with video widgets that boost discovery (and time on site).
→ Add-to-cart directly inside the video.
→ Video quizzes that guide customers to their perfect product in under a minute.

And if you’re worried about uploading and tagging? Don’t be. Their AI-powered tools automate playlists, tag products, and even surface social content mentioning your brand across TikTok and Instagram.

It’s basically anyone’s dream UGC machine—and it works.

Brands using Videowise like True Classic, Dr. Dennis Gross, and Dr. Squatch see:
• Conversion rates on site go up by 10–35%
• Revenue per session increase between 3 to 15%
• Time on site increase by 2–3x

If you’ve got video content (and let’s be real—you do), it’s time to put it to work.

Click HERE to get a free month on me. Thank you to Claudiu and his team for helping remind folks why content should not stop once it comes in.

Let’s be honest: user-generated content (UGC) is everywhere — and most brands are still underutilizing it. You get tagged in a cute story or someone name-drops you in a TikTok, and... that’s where the moment ends.

Reposting once to stories (if that) ≠ a content strategy.

The best brands are using UGC as a source of:

• Daily content

• Paid ads

• Website trust-builders

• Customer insights

• Community momentum

You don’t need to create more content. You need to leverage the content you already have, but how?

STEP 1: Build a System To Collect and Organize Your UGC

Before you can repurpose anything, you need to know what you’re working with.

Set up your pipeline:

For example,

• Use Instagram’s “Saved” feature to archive strong tagged content

• Create a shared UGC folder (Dropbox, Drive, Notion, whatever works)

Optional, but smart: Create tiers for usage:

• Tier 1: Safe for reposts

• Tier 2: Reach out for permission to use in paid/website

• Tier 3: Could inspire future campaigns/influencer briefs

STEP 2: Turn Your Mentions Tab Into An Organic Content Engine

Your tagged content = proof people love your product. Make that loud and clear.

If someone takes time to tag your brand without being paid or prompted? That’s not just nice — that’s signal. It’s proof your product is part of someone’s life, and that kind of endorsement builds trust faster than anything else you could create or pay for.

And yet, too often, that kind of content gets a quick view… and nothing else.

Let’s fix that.

Things you can do daily:

• Story Reposts (yes, they still matter): Don’t overthink this. A fast share to your Story with a thank-you or a little commentary goes a long way. People expect brands to notice them — and when you do, it makes them 10x more likely to post again.

• Community Engagement: This should go without saying, but ENGAGE. Comment and support them on their post, help other’s in the comment section who might have questions about your product, etc.

Other things you can do:

• Story Highlights: Create a highlight (and keep them refreshed so they don’t look like a digital graveyard) filled with how much people love your product.

• Carousel Roundups or Creative Formats to Highlight UGC or Testimonials: You can see examples like this from Rhode or this review carousel I just worked on with the D.S. and Durga team (could be a good ad!)

STEP 3: Use UGC in Paid Ads, But Be Smart About It

Your highest-converting content is often the scrappiest-looking. Why? Because it doesn’t feel like an ad. It feels real. And real sells.

What to test:

• Spark Ads from top-performing organic content

• Whitelisting from top-performing influencer or creator content

• Lo-fi TikToks with real reactions or routines

• Quote-style static graphics for Meta (“Real review from @___”)

• Quick-cut mashups of 3–5 creators using your product

• Voiceover recaps: “Here’s what people are saying about [insert product]…”

Labeling ideas:

• “From our DMs”

• “You said it, not us”

• “As seen on TikTok/Instagtam, etc”

• “Real review, real results”

But….

• Always get usage rights before running paid

• Be mindful of formatting — some UGC needs captions, clean cuts, or tighter edits before it's ad-ready.

STEP 4: Extend UGC Across Your Brand Ecosystem

If UGC only lives on social, you’re wasting its potential.

Plug it into:

• PDPs (Product Pages) – Add short customer quote blocks or video widgets.

• Email – Use in welcome flows, abandoned cart, win back campaigns (ex: “Still thinking about it? Here’s what people are saying…”)

• Landing Pages – Include a “What You’re Saying” module or carousel

• Retail Displays – Feature printouts of social proof (especially in boutique or local retail)

• Pitch decks/IRL events – UGC tells a stronger story than a slide of stats

STEP 5: Let UGC guide your content strategy

UGC is also a feedback loop. Use it to spot trends before they go mainstream.

Ask yourself:

• What kind of creators keep tagging us? → Cool, now you have some great influencer leads or know where you need to be sending your product to more. For example, in the last few months, I found that Zab’s was popping off within the BBQ and grilling space and so we have gone so hard and it’s resulted in content like this, this, and this organically.

• What’s the tone/language they use? → Great copy inspo or better understanding of how to write copy for your audience. Maybe they want to be asked things and not just told? I tested this with D.S. and Durga where the brand usually discusses their amazing fragrances, but doesn’t always have a CTA to encourage people to offer insights or what they want to see. So, upon starting, I posted this and it went bonkers.

• What formats are performing best? → Mimic and iterate.

STEP 6: Respect Your Creators — And Their Rights

If you're reposting to Stories or your grid — always ask.

If you're using content on your website, email, or especially in paid ads — always ask, especially if their face is in it. I personally think with reviews it can be a bit hard as you might not be actually able to ask in some cases.

Most people say yes. But the ones who don’t? You’ll be glad you asked.

The Summary

If people are tagging you unprompted — that’s real love. That’s the trust most brands are still trying to earn.

And yet, so many brands treat tagged content like a compliment... not a creative resource.

UGC is not just a moment — it’s momentum. So build systems around it. Make it repeatable. Let it work harder.

You don’t need more content. You just need to use what you already have.

It’s time for Ahead of The Trend.

A quick, snappy ode to the fun things I’m seeing online across creators, social, and brands. Sometimes, it’s a trend. Sometimes, it’s just a tip I want to share about marketing. TL;DR: just cool things I’m loving right now or things you should know.

Things of the Week That I Can’t Stop Using, Eating, Reading, Seeing…You Get The Point:

• Using: 1906 Genius Edibles (also love their social)

• Eating: Back on my Coconut Cult kick and their Harvest Strawberry flavor always makes my day when I can manage to get my hands on it.

• Campaign of the (Past Few) Weeks: I still love the Billie OOH (Out of Home) campaign where you can scratch and sniff armpits on the street to smell their popular Coco Villa deodorant.

• Account of the Week: I have really enjoyed the rollout of Jones Road’s new fragrance.

• Trends of the Week:

  • The Coffee Tray Essentials (via Saie) - easy and natural way to show up your own product line-up upon the mix of other things you might have on you. I would say this ideal if you’re a smaller snack brands or in beauty, fragrance, etc.

  • Party 4 U Sound: The “Party 4 U” trend on TikTok uses Charli XCX’s melancholic track to spotlight moments of emotional vulnerability, often through film clips or personal reflections. Brands can #tapin by pairing the song with storytelling around growth, longing, or transformation—especially through nostalgic or cinematic visuals or comedy, too.

    • Graza tried their take the other day.

A Random Mix of Things You Should Definitely Know About: 

• Threads finally as an easier desktop version [via Social Media Today]. Oh, and if you think Threads is dead, it’s been confirmed that there are 350+ million users.

• Running ads on Tiktok? You can finally get your leads off their app and out of the DMs [via Social Media Today]

• Instagram’s new editing tool, Edits, had over 7 million downloads its first week, which blew Capcut’s launch out of this world [via TechCrunch]. If you haven’t downloaded it, you can search and find it in your app store.

• Youtube is responsible for 16% of global internet traffic [via Forbes] so once again, if you are a brand with an affordable product online that could resonate with many, i hope it’s in your plan to activate influencers on the platform where it makes sense.

That’s a Wrap!

As always, thanks for spending some time with me and being patient with me. Some times, you just need to take time away from something for those ideas to hit. Either way, the goal is as always to send 52 by the end of the year 🙂 

Also, if you have a friend or coworker who you think would love to join the party of 3,000+ really cool folks (including yourself), just shoot them this link - would mean a lot.

Here’s the link https://kendalldickieson.beehiiv.com/subscribe

Peace, love, and KPIS,

KD

This edition of No Filter is brought to you by Videowise