UGC (User-Generated Content) videos are authentic content created by real users, not brands. They’re trusted by 84% of consumers and drive purchasing decisions for 77% of shoppers. The HTML rel=”ugc” tag tells search engines when a link was added by users, making it essential for clean SEO in forums and comment sections.
What exactly are UGC videos and why is everyone talking about them?
If you’ve ever watched someone unboxing a product on TikTok or Instagram and thought “wow, that looks really genuine,” you were probably watching UGC (User-Generated Content). These videos are created by regular people – not advertising agencies – and they pack a serious punch when it comes to influencing buying decisions.
84% of people are more likely to trust a brand if they use UGC in their marketing campaigns, and honestly, that makes perfect sense. When we see someone “normal” using a product, our first thought is: “if it worked for them, it might work for me too.”
The most common types of UGC videos include:
- Spontaneous unboxings (those “let’s see what came in” videos)
- Honest reviews filmed in someone’s living room
- Improvised tutorials showing how to use something
- Before and after videos with beauty products
- Genuine reactions to trying out a new app
The magic lies in authenticity. 92% of consumers trust organic, user-generated content more than traditional advertising, according to research by Absolute Digital.
How are UGC videos changing the marketing game?
Remember when you’d see a TV commercial and think “I wonder if it’s really like that?” Well, that skepticism is driving brands toward more authentic strategies. Purchasing decisions by 77% of people are influenced if a brand uses UGC, and that trust translates directly into revenue.
The results speak for themselves. 76% of consumers considered videos as the most trustworthy form of UGC in 2024, with images following at just 13%. This means a simple video of someone showing how they use a product can have way more impact than a million-dollar campaign.
Smart brands aren’t just encouraging this type of content – they’re building entire campaigns around it. Take E.L.F. Cosmetics, for example. Their campaign asking users to create videos with their products using the “Eyes Lips Face” song was simple but brilliant, generating millions of organic views.
The UGC platform market is booming too. The market size was valued at $5.7 billion in 2023 and is projected to grow to $57.92 billion by 2032, with a staggering 29.4% annual growth rate. That’s not just a trend – that’s a fundamental shift in how marketing works.
And what about this HTML ugc tag? What’s that for?
Now let’s dive into the technical side (don’t worry, I’ll keep it simple). The HTML rel=”ugc” attribute was introduced by Google in 2019 to help search engines understand when a link was added by a user, not the website owner.
The rel=”ugc” attribute is used to denote links that appear within user-generated content, like comments, forums, or review sections. In practice, it looks like this:
<a href=”https://example.com” rel=”ugc”>Interesting link</a>
According to Google’s official documentation, the UGC attribute is designated for user-generated content, while “sponsored” should be used for paid or advertising links.
Why is the ugc tag important for SEO?
Imagine you have a blog with a comment section. If someone leaves a comment with a link to a sketchy website, you don’t want Google to think you’re “endorsing” that link, right? That’s where rel=”ugc” comes in.
The UGC attribute tells Google that the link was embedded in user-generated content and works similarly to the nofollow attribute. This helps:
- Protect your site from spam links
- Maintain your domain’s “reputation”
- Avoid penalties from uncontrolled links
- Provide transparency to search algorithms
The ugc tag helps search engines distinguish these links from editorial links, preventing misuse and maintaining SEO integrity. It’s particularly crucial for sites with active user communities, forums, or review sections where you can’t manually vet every single link.
UGC and the future of digital marketing
Both UGC videos and the HTML ugc tag show how user-generated content has become central to the internet. On one side, we have people creating authentic content that drives more engagement than traditional advertising. On the other, we have technical tools that help the web function more transparently and reliably.
For anyone working in digital marketing, ignoring UGC today is like ignoring social media 10 years ago. 82% of consumers report being more likely to purchase from a brand that includes user-generated content in its marketing efforts, and these numbers are only growing.
UGC isn’t just a passing trend – it’s a fundamental shift in how we consume and trust online content. Authentic videos created by real users generate more engagement, trust, and conversions than traditional brand content.
Meanwhile, the HTML ugc tag ensures the web continues to function transparently, helping algorithms better understand link context. Together, these two applications of the UGC concept show how the future of marketing and the web is literally in users’ hands.
Around 78% of online content will be user-generated by 2033, so the question isn’t whether UGC will dominate – it’s whether your brand will be ready for it.
