You know best: the merciless world of online advertising is a real headache. The flashy banners and polished videos that once crowned success no longer have the same resonance. Today, brands are coming up against a wall of fatigue and indifference.
The solution? Use UGC for Paid Media! How and why? Here we explain how paid advertising and UGC can boost your CPM.
UGC for Paid Media: what is the real impact of creative content?
Today’s consumers are increasingly wary of traditional advertising messages. They need the reassurance of social proof and identification.
It’s a major paradigm shift! UGC isn’t just a trendy tactic, it’s the cornerstone of an advertising strategy based on people and trust.
Why ?
- Campaigns using UGC achieve up to 50% higher CTR than traditional branded content.
- Authentic content reduces ad fatigue and lowers cost per acquisition (CPA) by around 30%.
- You can increase ROAS with UGC, a judicious combination of engagement and authenticity.
With UGC, you invest less for a higher return.
The content creator economy: a mature, structured ecosystem
If we also look at the economy of content creators today, we can clearly say that it’s a booming sector.
More professional and gradually integrated into marketing strategies, influencer marketing in particular offers concrete results.
- Over 40% of French people trust content creators.
- Nearly 75% of subscribers have already purchased a product after an influencer campaign.
- Advertisers invested nearly 519 million euros in influencer marketing in 2024.
- Creators, who are close to their community, have an average engagement rate of 6%, compared with 2.5% for macro-influencers.
- On average, influencer campaigns generate 11 times more ROI than traditional display advertising.
The content creator economy therefore offers you unique opportunities to connect with your audiences in an authentic way.
What are the steps to a successful UGC strategy for Paid Media?
Of course, to reap the benefits of UGC for Paid Media, you need to move from theory to practice, and that takes method.
Build your ecosystem of solid creators
Don’t dive headlong into Paid Media without a steady stream of quality content. Ideally? Surround yourself with trusted creators who have already become ambassadors for your brand.
How do you go about it?
- Target 5 to 10 micro-creators in your niche. Their proximity to their community is a precious asset for authenticity.
- Provide clear brand guidelines, but let the creators retain their unique voice. It’s their authenticity that makes the content interesting.
- Build permanent partnerships rather than one-off campaigns. Focus on the long term.
- Create content briefs that encourage collaboration, not simple execution of your instructions. Collaborate, not dictate.
Cultivate your network of designers like a secret garden!
Obtain rights of use
Is your ambassador network up and running? Is it generating more and more engaging content? Make sure you always obtain
Turn creative content into paying resources
Of course, it’s not just a matter of downloading the creative content and keeping your fingers crossed.
Paid ads with UGC are considered 30% more memorable.
- Harness the power of native formats. Stories, Reels, TikToks or feed publications, each format has its own codes for maximizing memorability.
- Multiply the variations of the same content. A TikTok video can be adapted for Reel or Facebook advertising, as long as you respect the specificities of each platform.
- Systematically test your content. Compare UGC and traditional branded content via A/B tests to identify which performs best.
Make the most of every platform
Your paid media optimization strategy with UGC must also be meticulously thought out for each platform.
- TikTok, the Eldorado of short, spontaneous content, is perfect for brand discovery and trend buzz.
- Instagram, the polished shop window with shopping integration, remains essential for telling a story and triggering direct purchase.
- YouTube, the home of long demonstrations, is proving very useful for convincing people about technical products or those requiring detailed use.
- Facebook, the power of retargeting and communities, remains a complementary channel for engaging those who already know the brand.
Orchestrate a multi-instrument score. Each channel plays its own note, but all must harmonize!
Make UGC an omnichannel conversion lever
UGC doesn’t just generate awareness, it becomes a fuel for conversion. The evidence is clear: over 60% of buyers are more inclined to take action after seeing customer content. Product pages incorporating UGC, meanwhile, show up to 29% more conversions.
It’s the magic of authenticity! How do you maximize this impact? Infuse UGC throughout the customer journey.
- Integrate UGC into your product pages. A customer photo or video can boost your conversion rate by more than 20%.
- Use UGC in your segmented e-mails. Each audience receives content that’s relevant to them.
- Add authenticity to your landing pages. A customer testimonial or video reinforces credibility and reassures before purchase.
- Rely on retargeting with social proof. Showing a satisfied customer to “hot” audiences can be the final push towards conversion.
Like pebbles along the way, this content reassures, guides and accompanies the consumer right up to the point of purchase.
What KPIs should be tracked to measure the effectiveness of UGC in Paid Media?
Once you’ve launched your campaign, it’s time to talk performance and tracking.
Performance indicators
To track the direct impact on your results, focus on :
- The click-through rate (CTR), which measures the ability of a piece of content to arouse interest. The higher the CTR, the more qualified traffic your ads will generate at a lower cost.
- The conversion rate, which shows how many visitors attracted by a UGC actually take action (purchase, registration, download).
- ROAS (Return On Ad Spend), which tells you how much each euro invested in your UGC campaigns brings in.
- Cost-per-acquisition (CPA), which allows you to evaluate the profitability of your campaign and better control your advertising expenses.
Beyond pure numbers, we must also analyze the creative dynamic:
- Engagement rates by designer level. Nano, Micro, Mid-tier or Macro, each has its own performance.
- Performance by format. A short video, a story or a static post don’t have the same persuasive power.
- Designer retention rate. If your best profiles continue to collaborate, it’s a sign of a healthy and effective relationship.
By monitoring these key indicators, you can decide whether your content is simply “pretty video” or truly sales-generating.
What are the common mistakes to avoid?
If you’re launching your first UGC campaign, it’s also very important to be aware of, but above all to avoid, the classic pitfalls that can ruin all your efforts.
- Treat content creators as advertising pitches. Co-created campaigns perform up to 35% better than 100% branded content.
- Focus solely on the number of subscribers. Micro-influencers (10,000 to 50,000 subscribers) generate on average 60% more engagement than industry stars. Quality beats quantity.
- Failure to plan for continuity of UGC flow. Without a long-term vision, your Paid Media campaigns will run out of steam before they even find their rhythm.
By avoiding these three main mistakes, you can turn your Paid Media campaigns into a real lever for sustainable growth!
Given the figures and the dynamic growth of the creator market, investing in UGC for Paid Media is a strategy that can breathe new life and authenticity into your campaigns. And you can choose the right creators and build a sustainable strategy with influencer marketing.
Would you like to implement an effective UGC strategy for Paid Media? Join Casaneo, the affiliation and influencer marketing specialist, and give your campaigns a new lease of life.
