When Rothy’s launched their new clog collection, they didn’t roll out a glossy ad campaign with high-production videos and studio-perfect lighting.
Instead, they partnered with creator Jamie Lyn Kane, who filmed a short, simple video from her home. She slipped on the clogs, shared her genuine thoughts, and showed how they fit into her everyday life.
It felt like a recommendation from a friend… a.k.a. absolutely priceless.
Rothy’s then turned that video into a Meta ad.
This approach blends the best of both worlds: authentic creator content with the targeting precision of paid ads.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through what paid media user-generated content (UGC) actually is, why it’s a no-brainer for brands that want to scale fast (and smart), and exactly how to do it right, from usage rights and creative tweaks to platform selection and performance tracking.
What is Paid Media UGC?
Paid media UGC is when brands use creator-made content as part of their paid advertising strategy.
So instead of using polished, studio-shot ads, you're running ads that look and feel like they were made by a real customer.
It works because people trust people.
Especially online, where audiences are savvy to traditional advertising and swipe past anything that doesn’t look organic and relatable.
And when you combine that authenticity with the targeting power of paid media, you get the best of both worlds: content that connects and converts.
Let’s say you have a skincare brand.
You partner with a few micro-influencers to create simple, honest videos showing how your serum fits into their nightly routine. They talk to the camera, show the texture, and give their genuine opinion. You take those videos, run them as Spark Ads on TikTok or Meta ads, and boom: instant credibility and reach.
This is exactly what beauty brand Glossier has done in its latest ad campaign. It’s partnered with beauty influencers to share UGC media across Facebook and Instagram.
Why Should You Use UGC in Paid Ad Campaigns?
Because… it works 🙌
Bold, but true.
UGC brings a human touch to your paid ads, so instead of polished brand messages that look like ads (and often get ignored), you’re serving up content that feels real, relatable, and trustworthy. And that makes a huge difference in performance.
Here’s why brands are doubling down on UGC ad campaigns:
- It builds trust fast. Real people talking about your product = social proof. It’s way more convincing than a branded voice saying, “we’re the best.” (because, duh, obviously you think that).
- It grabs attention. UGC blends in with the content people already consume on TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook. It doesn’t feel disruptive, so it doesn’t get skipped.
- It boosts conversions. Audiences are more likely to buy when they see content that mirrors their own experiences.
- It gives you variety. UGC is perfect for creative testing. You can run multiple versions of the same ad with different content creators, hooks, or formats and quickly double down on what works.
- It’s cost-effective. You get high-performing ad creative without the big production budget.
Did you know? 86% of customers prefer the authenticity of UGC when choosing products to buy. This is especially true for product lines like cosmetics, where 61% of shoppers prefer UGC over traditional media.
How to Do Paid Media UGC
Ready to turn creator content into your top-performing ad creative? Here’s how to build an effective paid media UGC strategy.
Find the Right UGC for Your Product
We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again: not all UGC is created equal.
The goal is to find content that feels authentic but still clearly communicates your product’s values.
Ask yourself:
- Does this content clearly show the product and how it works?
- Is the creator’s tone a good fit for your brand?
- Does the video highlight real benefits?
- Would you stop scrolling to watch this?
A strong piece of UGC will mirror your target audience’s vibe.
For example, if you’re selling a wellness supplement, you want calm, confident, wellness-focused creators, not high-energy pranksters or ultra-glam beauty influencers.
And don’t worry… We’ll show you how to find creators later on.
Acquiring UGC Usage Rights
Unfortunately, you can’t just swipe a piece of content from a creator and claim it as your own, especially if you plan to use it in paid ads.
You actually need explicit rights to repurpose UGC for advertising. This includes Spark Ads on TikTok, whitelisted ads on Meta, or editing raw clips into modular assets.
Of course, you can outright ask creators for their consent, but this feels a bit like putting the cart before the horse.
With Insense, getting usage rights is built in from the get-go 🎉
Our creative brief doubles as the content usage agreement, giving you full rights in perpetuity. So, you’re free to test, iterate, and scale without worrying about legal stuff.
Tweak It for Your Brand
Ideally, you want to keep paid UGC content as close to its original form as possible (that’s what makes it authentic, after all). But you’re free to give it a brand glow-up.
Before you hit publish, you might want to:
- Add your brand logo or product name
- Cut a 60-second video down into shorter clips
- Include captions for silent viewing
- Swap out the call-to-action (CTA)
Obviously, don’t tweak it beyond recognition. The aim is to keep it feeling real and raw, just slightly optimized for performance.
Pick the Best Platforms
Where your ad runs matters just as much as what it says.
You could have the most compelling UGC in the world, but if it’s showing up in the wrong place, it won’t get results.
So, how do you know where to show up?
Start by thinking about where your audience hangs out when they’re in discovery mode.
For beauty, fashion, and skincare brands, platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels are absolute gold. These are highly visual, trend-driven spaces where short-form video thrives. That’s perfect for showing off product transformations, routines, and quick testimonials.
If you’re in wellness, fitness, food and beverage, or pet care, you might do better on Facebook and Instagram Stories. These platforms still drive decent traffic, especially when your audience skews slightly older or is already in a buying mindset.
If you’re running an Amazon storefront or promoting a DTC product with a higher average order value, you might want to explore Meta placements (including Audience Network) to reach people closer to conversion.
And if you’re completely lost on where to start, that’s okay too.
Here’s how to make the first move:
- Check your organic performance. What platform already gives you the most engagement?
- Review your customer data. Use Shopify, Google Analytics, or built-in insights from Meta and TikTok to see where your most valuable users are spending time.
- Look at past ad performance. If you’ve run ads before, dig into the data. Which channels gave you the lowest CPM or the best ROAS?
- Run small tests. Launch similar UGC creatives across multiple platforms and compare performance. You’ll quickly see where your content shines brightest.
There’s no “winning formula” for getting user-generated content advertising right. It’s all about showing up in the right feed, at the right time, with the right creator voice.
Choose the Right Influencers
UGC hits different when it’s created by someone your audience relates to.
It can be tempting to go straight for the big-name, viral accounts that promise “millions of views”, but does that really tie into what you want to achieve?
Spoiler: Sometimes, smaller is better.
Micro-influencers or niche influencers with fewer followers can slay just as much as generic accounts with millions of followers because they feel more like friends than ads and often have higher engagement rates.
These small but mighty creators are often experts in their niche and know how to connect with their communities.
Here’s the “but”... finding these creators can take a ton of time if you don’t have the right tools.
That’s where Insense comes in.
Our creator marketplace gives you instant access to 68,500+ pre-vetted creators across 35+ countries. You can filter by:
- Platform (TikTok, Instagram, YouTube Shorts, etc.)
- Industry or niche (beauty, wellness, food, pets—you name it)
- Audience size, engagement rate, and even demographics
- Creators with Amazon Storefronts or enrolled in the TikTok Shop Affiliate program
Test, Measure, and Optimize for next attempts
The best-performing UGC ads didn’t just happen. They were tested, tweaked, and improved over time.
This is the beauty of paid media UGC… you have tons of room to experiment because you’re working with a diverse library of content.
The possibilities are endless.
So don’t be afraid to mix things up. Test:
- Multiple creators with different tones or styles
- Various content hooks (emotional, educational, funny, aspirational)
- Different formats and lengths (15-second Stories vs. 60-second Reels)
- CTAs depending on your goal (clicks, sales, app installs, etc.)
Then it’s time to measure.
Keep a close eye on key metrics like:
- CPM (Cost Per Mille): How much you're paying for 1,000 views
- CTR (Click-Through Rate): Are people taking action after seeing the content?
- Engagement rate: Are people liking, sharing, or commenting?
- Conversion rate/ROAS: Is the content actually driving results?
Look for patterns, too. If a certain creator’s video consistently drives down your CPM while lifting conversions, that’s your creative sweet spot.
The good news is that with Insense, you don’t have to manually pull data from five different dashboards. Our platform’s built-in analytics help you track campaign performance in one place, so you can make quick, data-backed decisions for your next round.
Paid Media UGC vs. Organic UGC: Making the Right Choice
You’ve got two main paths when it comes to growing your brand with creator content: organic UGC and paid media UGC.
Both have their place, and both can drive results; you just need to know when (and how) to use each one.
Organic UGC to Build Awareness
Organic UGC is when creators post content about your brand on their own channels, without it being boosted or turned into an ad.
Benefits:
- The content comes directly from the creator’s account, so it feels trustworthy and unbiased.
- Helps grow a loyal fanbase and sparks conversations around your product.
- If the creator’s audience aligns with your target market, their followers are likely to engage and explore.
- You don’t need an ad budget, just the right creator partnerships.
Limitations:
- You're relying on the creator’s own audience. If they don’t have a huge following or the algorithm doesn’t pick it up, performance can be hit or miss.
- You won’t be able to tweak the post, change the CTA, or target a specific demographic.
- Once it’s posted, that’s it. You can’t retarget or reuse it in paid media UGC campaigns (unless you get usage rights).
Paid Media UGC to Drive Action
Paid media UGC is when you take that creator-made content and run it as an ad through your own channels, or use tools like Meta whitelisting or TikTok Spark Ads to boost it from the creator’s account.
Benefits:
- Run the content to exactly the right audience, in the right place, at the right time.
- UGC-style ads consistently outperform traditional ad creatives because they feel native.
- You choose the format, the targeting, the CTA, and the copy.
- Easily test multiple versions of content to see what drives the best results.
- When done right, paid media UGC delivers high engagement and conversions.
Limitations:
- You can’t just take a creator’s content and run it as an ad – you need their permission.
- You’ll need some ad spend.
- Not every piece of UGC will perform well as an ad. You’ll want high-quality, goal-oriented content.
Final Thoughts: Next Steps for a Winning Paid Media UGC Strategy
Paid media UGC is a smarter, faster, more scalable way to connect with your audience.
When you combine authentic creator content with the targeting chops of paid advertising, you can build campaigns that perform well and look good (hello, double whammy).
From choosing the right creators and platforms to acquiring usage rights and testing different ad variations, every step of your UGC journey can be optimized to deliver better engagement, better trust, and better ROI.
And the best part is, you don’t have to figure it out alone.
With Insense, you get everything you need to launch and scale high-performing UGC campaigns:
- A global marketplace of 68,500+ creators
- Built-in tools for creator management, contracts, and payments
- Automatic usage rights in perpetuity
- Performance tracking and creative testing features
- Options for both self-serve and fully managed-services
Ready to launch your next winning UGC campaign? Book a demo today and let’s make it happen.
