5 Best Ways to Get UGC From Your Customers
October 7, 2026
A customer buying your product is the beginning of a content opportunity. The next step is giving that customer a clear reason and an easy way to share their experience.
These five methods are ranked by how directly they connect a real purchase with a specific content request. The order is our recommendation for ecommerce brands starting a customer content program; the best choice depends on your product and customers.
1. Offer a Creator Price at purchase
A Creator Price lets shoppers choose a lower price in exchange for agreeing to create and post content about their purchase. Disclout is built around this model.
The practical advantage is clarity before the customer commits. State the platform, format, deadline, and deliverable in the offer. A request such as “Show the bag on your shoulder and demonstrate the main compartment” gives shoppers a concrete starting point.
Start with a small product selection and a simple brief. Track how many shoppers choose the offer and how many complete it. Treat the discount as a marketing cost when evaluating results.
2. Send a specific post-purchase content request
Ask customers after they have had enough time to use the product. The right timing depends on the item: an outfit can be tried on immediately, while a gardening product may need longer before there is anything useful to show.
Avoid a vague “Tag us!” message. Ask for one action, such as uploading a photo of the product in use or sharing a short demonstration. Give an example and explain how the brand hopes to use the content.
This method suits brands that want to test demand before building a larger incentive program. Watch the response rate and the usefulness of submissions separately.
3. Collect photo and video product reviews
Visual reviews are a practical way to capture content alongside customer feedback. A shopper can explain sizing, show the product in a real room, or demonstrate a feature that is difficult to describe in text.
Keep the submission process short. Ask for an honest experience and offer prompts that help customers describe specifics. “How did it fit?” is more useful than “Tell us why you love it.”
A product review and a public social post are different deliverables. Decide which one you need, and establish permission before reusing content beyond the original submission.
4. Build a customer community around a recurring prompt
A community gives customers a reason to participate repeatedly. A cookware brand could invite a weekly recipe, while a running brand could ask customers to show their favorite route.
The prompt should relate to the customer's activity, rather than simply asking them to advertise the product. Start with an email group or existing social channel before adding a separate community tool.
This approach needs consistent moderation and responses. Its value is ongoing participation, so evaluate repeat contributors as well as the total number of posts.
5. Invite standout customers into a small ambassador program
Some customers naturally produce useful content. Invite those people into a focused program with clear expectations, a defined term, and a manageable schedule.
Choose participants based on product relevance and content quality. A strong demonstration from a small account may be more useful to your asset library than a large account with little interest in your category.
Begin with a few contributors. Expand once you know how much coordination the program requires and which deliverables your team actually uses.
What makes a customer content request work?
It should answer four questions: what to create, where to submit or post it, when it is due, and what the customer receives. Incentivized endorsements should clearly disclose the connection to the brand, including discounts or free products. The FTC's disclosure guidance explains that these benefits can create a material connection. See the FTC Disclosures 101 guide.
For a program tied directly to purchases, explore how Disclout's Creator Price model can fit your store.