User-generated content (UGC) isn’t just a buzzword—it’s a game-changer. Thanks to social commerce, UGC has moved from a nice-to-have into a must-have for consumer brands looking to strengthen trust, drive purchases, and keep their social feeds fresh.
Why UGC? Because authenticity is everything.
In this guide, we’ll show you how to pick the right platform for generating authentic, on-brand, and performant UGC at scale.
We’ll walk through the key features to look for, highlight the best options, and help you land on the best solution for your brand.
First things first: not all UGC platforms are created equal. Each one has its own strengths. At Cohley, we built our platform to serve large consumer brands—but whether ours fits your needs or not, we want to arm you with the info you need to make a smart choice.
Before UGC platforms, rounding up creators was a scramble. You’d scour Instagram, DM potential fits, and pray they’d answer. Managing contracts got messy. And getting everyone aligned on the right creative brief was a shot in the dark.
UGC platforms changed all that. They’re software tools that let you generate, manage, and analyze user-generated content—whether it’s short-form video, photos, or reviews. With a solid UGC platform, you can tap into the real voices of your customers without all the guesswork.
Creators produce different types of assets.
Marketers generate UGC to get these jobs done.
The best UGC platforms empower brands with the tools they need to create high-quality content quickly and efficiently:
Here’s a comparison of top UGC platforms to help you decide which one fits your needs.
Cohley is a content generation platform that supports every important brand-to-consumer interaction throughout the customer journey. The platform helps brands with influencer activations and enables users to generate content ranging from short-form UGC, to professional photography, to product reviews. Cohley provides customers with elite customer success support as well as a fully managed offering to help with strategy and execution.
Cohley is perfect for: mid-market and enterprise brands that need a comprehensive solution for generating content that supports paid and organic social, e-commerce, and retail activations.
Cohley isn't a fit for: small brands looking to support one-off content needs or without seeking strategic support.
Billo is a self-service platform focused on UGC video, enabling brands to get creator-made videos for use across social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.
Billo is perfect for: brands seeking low-cost UGC videos on a short timeline to supplement their existing content generation efforts.
Billo isn't a fit for: brands seeking to scale UGC video generation, or to produce UGC video and reviews.
Insense is a platform that supports brands looking to work with content creators to make User-Generated Content (UGC). The platform helps brands find, hire, and manage creators to generate content for social media campaigns.
Insense is perfect for: small brands that want low-cost UGC videos quickly to supplement existing content generation efforts.
Insense isn't a fit for: brands seeking to scale UGC efforts with strategic guidance, brands looking to run influencer campaigns, and/or brands looking to generate product reviews.
Trend is a self-service platform focused on UGC video, enabling brands to get creator-made videos for use across social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.
Trend is perfect for: brands seeking low-cost UGC video to supplement their existing content generation efforts.
Trend isn't a fit for: brands seeking to scale UGC efforts, run influencer campaigns and/or product reviews, and/or are looking for strategic support.
Skeepers is a marketing platform with a suite of features designed to increase conversion rate, including UGC video, influencer marketing, reviews, and live streaming.
Skeepers is perfect for: brands experimenting with live video, scaling micro-influencer efforts, or generating UGC video.
Skeepers isn't a fit for: enterprise brands in need of advanced collaboration tools and a highly specific criteria for Creators.
Kale is a UGC platform that enables brands to recruit customers for content generation by promoting challenges. Unlike most UGC platforms, Creator compensation on Kale is contingent on winning a challenge and based on content performance.
Kale is perfect for: small and medium-sized brands seeking low-cost UGC videos for one-off marketing campaigns.
Kale isn't a fit for: enterprise brands seeking to scale content generation with ongoing Creator relationship or obtain rights to the content to use content across digital channels.
Short-form videos like Instagram Reels are only getting bigger, giving brands a fresh way to grab attention and spark engagement. AI-assisted content recommendations and creator matching will continue to evolve, helping you zero in on the most effective creators and formats without the guesswork.
At Cohley, we’re already leaning into the future with AI-driven briefs that take the pain out of ideation and streamline the entire content process.
In a world where authenticity is king, staying ahead with emerging UGC trends is non-negotiable. Embrace the power of AI, adopt smarter workflows, and get ready to ride the next wave of consumer-driven content.