What is UGC? A plain guide for a brand
UGC is short for user-generated content. It is content made by people other than your brand. Think of a review, a customer photo or a video of your product. Shopify puts it as "any content created by your customers rather than your brand" (Shopify, user-generated content, 6 November 2026).
Shopify's definition covers customer content only. Brands also use the word for a second group: content a creator made because you paid for it, in the style of customer content. Customer content splits again into unasked and asked. That makes three kinds. The split is our own.
The three kinds of UGC
| Question | Unasked | Asked | Paid |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | A customer posts about you on their own | You ask a customer for a photo, video or review | You pay a creator to make it |
| Example | A tagged photo of your bag | A review request email with a photo prompt | A 30-second unboxing video for your ads |
| Who owns it | The customer | The customer, unless you agree otherwise | The creator, unless the deal gives you rights (our reading) |
| What you need | Permission to reshare | Permission to reshare | Usage rights, in writing |
| Disclosure | Depends on any gift or payment | Needed if you give something for it | Needed if the creator posts it |
The "what you need" row and the ownership row for customers come from the same Shopify guide. It says customers keep ownership of photos they share. That holds even when they tag your brand. So ask before you repost. For a paid creator, you need usage rights to run their content in your own ad accounts (Shopify, 6 November 2026).
Who owns UGC?
Usually the person who made it. For paid work, a written deal can change that, and we have no source that sets one rule. Shopify says customers keep ownership of photos they share. The US Copyright Office adds that your work is under copyright protection "the moment it is created and fixed in a tangible form" (US Copyright Office, FAQ, checked 9 November 2026). That page does not say who owns paid work, or whether a tag or a credit is enough to reuse a post. So don't assume it is. Ask first.
A usage right is permission to use content, for a set time and in set places. For paid UGC it is the main thing you buy. Agree on it before the creator starts. Our guide to finding UGC creators lists the rights to ask for and what they cost.
How to ask for permission
Keep the ask short. Shopify suggests a direct message for a simple social repost, and keeping the reply as proof of consent. For paid ads or email, it suggests written permission that says where and how you will use the content (Shopify, 6 November 2026).
Copy this message:
Hi Sam, love your photo of the tote on your trip. Can we share it on our Instagram and credit you? If you say yes, we'll use it there only. Thanks!
If you want to use it in an ad, say so in the message. A yes to a repost is not a yes to an ad. Shopify also suggests crediting the maker, for example by naming their handle in the caption.
What do you have to disclose?
In the US, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) cares about a material connection. That is a link between a person and a brand that could sway how viewers trust a post. The FTC says it includes "the brand paying you or giving you free or discounted products or services." For video, the disclosure should be in the video. It should be there "not just in the description" (FTC, Disclosures 101, November 2019).
Three points follow for UGC.
- Paid or gifted UGC that a creator posts needs a disclosure. You gave something of value.
- Your company is responsible too. The FTC says "your company is ultimately responsible for what others do on your behalf" (FTC, Endorsement Guides questions, checked 9 November 2026). Put a disclosure line in your brief.
- Reviews need care. The FTC page says you can't condition an incentive, such as a discount, on a review being positive (same page). Do not present a paid creator's video as an ordinary customer's review. Say it is an ad. A rule announced on 14 August 2024 also bans fake reviews, even AI-made ones. It bans reviews bought for a set sentiment too (FTC press release, 14 August 2024).
For wording to hand creators, see our affiliate disclosure examples. This is US guidance, not legal advice. Other countries differ.
Can you turn a creator's post into an ad?
Yes, with the maker's permission. TikTok's Spark Ads are one example. TikTok says you can run another creator's organic post as an ad, but only with that creator's authorization. It also says you can set how long the code lasts (TikTok Ads Help, Spark Ads, last updated June 2026).
Check each platform's help page for current steps.
UGC, influencers and affiliates
UGC is a kind of content. An influencer is a person with an audience. An affiliate is paid a commission, a cut of each sale, on sales they send you. One person can be all three, as our affiliate, influencer or ambassador guide shows. To see which to work with first, read UGC creators, influencers or affiliates.
Where RecruitAffiliates.ai fits
RecruitAffiliates.ai doesn't make or license UGC. It finds the people already covering shops like yours: websites, blogs, review sites, podcasts, YouTube channels and creators. It looks up each person's email and shows whether the address was checked (what each result means). AI drafts a personal first email, you approve it, and it goes out from a mailbox you have connected (Mailroom).
The 7-day free trial includes 20 email lookups and needs no card.
Frequently asked questions
What does UGC stand for?
User-generated content. It means content made by people other than your brand, such as reviews, photos and videos. Brands also use it for content a creator was paid to make in the style of customer content.
Is UGC free?
Content a customer posts on their own costs nothing, but you still need their permission to reuse it. Content from a creator you hire is paid, and usage rights are part of the deal.
Can I repost a customer's photo if they tagged me?
Ask first. Shopify says customers keep ownership of photos they share. That holds even if they tag you. Shopify suggests a direct message for a simple repost, and keeping the reply as proof of consent.
Do I have to disclose paid UGC?
If a creator posts it, yes. The FTC treats free or discounted products and payment as a material connection. For video, put the disclosure in the video itself.
Is UGC the same as an influencer post?
No. UGC describes who made the content. An influencer post goes to the influencer's own audience. A creator can make UGC for your ads without ever posting it. If so, you run it as your own ad and label it as one.
Sources
- Shopify, User-generated content (6 November 2026)
- US Copyright Office, General questions
- US Federal Trade Commission, Disclosures 101 for Social Media Influencers (November 2019) and FTC's Endorsement Guides: What People Are Asking
- US Federal Trade Commission, final rule banning fake reviews and testimonials (14 August 2024)
- TikTok Ads Help, Spark Ads (last updated June 2026)