The Meta Ads Hack You Need to Use: How UGC Drives More Sales

As a paid search marketer working for a brand/business and a regular consumer of ads on social media platforms, you are privy to the fact that most ads are NOT scroll-stoppingly engaging. 

You scroll past them without a second thought, maybe with an exasperated eye roll at yet another OTT, overly polished, corporate-looking, salesy ad trying way too hard to be relatable.

Source

But every once in a while, an ad stops you mid-scroll. 

You watch, you nod, maybe even hit ‘like’ or gasp, and guess what? Sometimes, you actually hit the buy button!

Chances are that the thumb-stopping, scroll-haultingly worthy ad wasn’t your regular, run-of-the-mill brand USP flashing fare. 

It was real people talking about real experiences in a way that actually felt human.

That, my friend, is the power of User-Generated Content (UGC).

If you’re running Meta ads (Facebook & Instagram) and not using UGC, you’re probably leaving money, engagement, and conversions on the table.

With 13+ years of experience and expertise in catering to the paid ad needs of a rich repertoire of global clients, we at Mavlers have Himanshu Dwivedi, our in-house paid search expert, shedding value-adding insights on why UGC is a game-changer and how to make it work for your brand.

Understanding UGC and why it works so well?

To begin with, UGC or User-Generated Content is exactly what it sounds like. 

In simple terms, UGC refers to the content created by your actual customers, not your brand’s marketing team.

It could take various forms, such as:

• A selfie of a customer rocking your sunglasses
• A TikTok-style video of someone unboxing your product
• A before-and-after transformation from using your skincare brand
• A glowing review posted on Instagram

Unlike traditional brand ads, UGC feels genuine, relatable, and real because it is! And that’s exactly why it works. To quote some facts, 92% of consumers trust UGC more than traditional ads.

When people see real humans (not paid actors) talking about a product, they trust it more than a brand shouting about how awesome it is.

An insight into why Meta’s algorithm loves UGC (Much like your customers!) 

Truth be told, Meta’s advertising platform is designed to prioritize content that feels organic. 

But the magic of UGC doesn’t stop at the algorithm. It also taps into three key human behaviors that are impossible to ignore:

1. It builds instant trust (Without trying too hard)

As discussed earlier, people don’t trust brands, but they do trust other people.

If a random person online raves about how comfortable their new running shoes are, you’re more likely to believe them than if a brand says the exact same thing. UGC removes skepticism and replaces it with credibility.

2. It skyrockets engagement (Because it feels relatable)

People don’t just passively watch UGC, they engage with it. They comment, share, and tag their friends.

Wondering why? Well, that’s because UGC feels like a recommendation from a friend, not an ad. The more relatable an ad is, the more people interact with it, and Meta rewards high engagement with lower ad costs.

3. UGC saves you money 

Creating high-quality ad creatives requires a certain amount of investment. But with UGC, your customers are literally creating content for you, for free!

Less production cost, higher engagement, better conversions. 

What’s not to love?

Now, coming to the big question: How do you actually use UGC in your Meta ads?

How to effectively use UGC in your Meta Ads strategy without making it feel forced

Now that you are familiar with the benefits of UGC and the value it stands to bring to your brand, it’s important to know the kind of UGC that works best and how to use it properly.

Here’s how you may do that;

Step 1: Find UGC gold without spending a dime

So, your customers are already creating content about your brand. All you need to do is to go and grab it.

Wondering how to do that? Well, here’s how!

• Check your tags & mentions – People love posting about the things they buy, especially if they’re excited about them. Do a quick search on Instagram and Facebook; chances are, your customers are already giving you free ad content without even realizing it.

• Shoot them a friendly DM. If you see a great post, don’t overthink it. Just ask if you can use it!

“Hey [Customer Name]! We LOVE this pic of you rocking [Product Name]. Mind if we feature it in our ads? We’ll tag you and send you a little something as a thank-you!”

• Turn UGC into a fun challenge. Do you want more people to post? Give them a reason to. You could try the following:

 “Post a pic using [Product Name] with #[YourBrandHashtag] for a chance to win a $50 gift card!”

People love recognition and rewards, so the onus is on you to make it exciting.

Step 2: Match the right UGC to the right ad format

Okay, now that you’ve got a ton of amazing UGC, what’s next? Not all content works the same way in ads, so let’s put it in the right place.

• Carousel ads – They are perfect for showcasing before-and-afters, different ways to use a product, or multiple glowing reviews.

• Story & Reels ads – You may use them to highlight behind-the-scenes clips, testimonials, unboxing videos, and anything that feels casual and organic.

• Testimonial ads – Got a killer customer review? You could screenshot it, slap on a nice design, and boom! You’ve got an ad that instantly builds trust.

Step 3: Partner with micro-influencers (Because big influencers are overrated)

So, you don’t need big-name influencers with millions of followers; you need micro-influencers (1K–50K followers) who feel like real, relatable humans.

This is because their audience actually trusts them.

• They’re authentic. Their content feels natural, not scripted.
• They don’t charge crazy fees. Sometimes, they’ll create UGC just for a free product!
• Their engagement is real. People interact with their posts because they care, not because they’re being paid to.

Another benefit is that their content blends right into UGC ads, so when people see it, they don’t immediately think, “Ugh, another ad.”

Step 4: Make it so easy to create UGC that people can’t say no

To attract more UGC, it is important to make it effortless.

• Give people a simple prompt. Instead of just hoping they post, guide them! “Show us how you use [Product Name] in your daily routine!”

• Create a branded hashtag. Something catchy like #StyledBy[BrandName] makes it easy for people to join in.

• Show off real customers. The more UGC you feature, the more people will want to be part of the club.

The road ahead

Now that you know how to get the best out of UGC in your Meta ads strategy, you might now want to read ~ Avoiding Facebook Ad Fails: Top 10 Pitfalls You Didn’t Know You Were Making.