UGC creator vs influencer: what is the key difference?

What is UGC?

In short, user-generated content (UGC) is any content created by a customer or user about a product or service. This includes reviews, photos, videos, social media posts, and more.

The UGC we are talking about here is videos and photos on social media. These are often short videos, not produced by the company itself, but by “the customers” - and that makes them extra authentic.

What are UGC creators?

Although user-generated content is created by customers, UGC creators are not the same as those customers. UGC creators place themselves in the role of the customer and have the basic skills needed to create marketing content that companies cannot always expect from their customers. For example, they can:

• Develop concepts: They write simple but catchy scripts that grab attention and feel authentic, while secretly still being aimed at conversion.
• Film: They know the basics of videography, such as lighting and positioning, and have access to equipment such as phones or cameras that produce quality footage.
• Edit: They edit short-form videos, often with tools such as CapCut or Adobe Premiere Pro, so the videos match the intended style and target audience.

What is the difference between a UGC creator and an influencer?

Depending on your marketing goals, both types of content creators can play a valuable role in your strategy. These are the biggest differences:

1. Content placement
   
   • UGC creator: Creates the content and delivers it to the company, which then uses it in ads or on its own social media.
   • Influencer: Creates content and shares it on their own social media account, directly addressing their followers.
2. Goal and audience
   
   • UGC creator: Creates authentic content that customers recognize themselves in, without immediately realizing it is an ad.
   • Influencer: Creates direct promotional content in which they very clearly recommend a product to their own audience and followers.
3. Costs and accessibility
   
   • UGC creator: Generally cheaper and priced in a more standardized way across the industry, with the rights to the content usually fully transferred to the company.
   • Influencer: Prices can vary greatly based on their audience and follower count. The rights often remain with the influencer unless agreed otherwise.
4. Marketing use
   
   • UGC creator: The content is optimized for conversion and used by the company in marketing campaigns, where the company manages the reach itself through ads, for example.
   • Influencer: The content matches the influencer's personality and reaches their followers. Visibility depends on the influencer's profile and can often only be used once per collaboration.

Conclusion

Although the medium has the same form in both cases (content), the goals differ considerably. For an influencer, it is not so much about the content itself, but about the connection with their followers. When a brand works with an influencer, the content matters less; it is mainly about the relationship the influencer has built with their audience. These collaborations focus on brand awareness, engagement, and conversion through sales to the influencer's audience.

For UGC creators, the focus is precisely on creating authentic content that is suitable for use in ads. While an influencer might give a quick update about a product they are promoting (“Buy this dress with 20% off through my link!”), a UGC creator is more focused on sharing a customer experience.

Many influencers now also create UGC, especially when they are enthusiastic about something and are not being paid for it. But the difference is that the content of these videos feels less commercial, which makes them come across as more natural and trustworthy.

Fun Fact: UGC has, on average, 8.7 times more impact than influencer content. While influencer content can feel unbelievable to some people because of the clear commercial interest, UGC feels more sincere, and that makes it a powerful marketing tool.

Looking for UGC creators to promote your brand authentically? Create a free account with Hyred, the UGC platform with more than 1200 screened creators, ready to give your brand a boost.