People trust people. That’s been true forever, but the gap is widening on social. Nielsen continues to find that recommendations from people remain the most trusted influence channel globally, outpacing paid media by a wide margin. Pair that with consumer research showing a clear preference for real-person content (known as user generated content or UGC) over brand/“official” creative, and you’ve got the creative direction baked in.
This means campaigners need to treat authentic, handheld, first-person content as a core asset and then scale it with targeted, paid promotion.
Voters Trust UGC
Supporter-generated content works because it feels real. Research shows that 92% of people trust recommendations from other people—even strangers—over official messaging. That same dynamic holds in politics, where voters tune out polished ads but rely on word of mouth from friends and family.
For campaigns, that trust is priceless. It transforms everyday supporters into credible messengers who can carry your story further than any staff-made graphic ever will. Authenticity isn’t a nice-to-have—it’s the entry ticket to being heard.
UGC Gets Results
Trust alone would make UGC valuable, but the performance data seals it. Ads built from user-generated content consistently deliver 4x higher click-through rates and cut cost-per-click in half compared to traditional creative. On social, UGC is shared at twice the rate of brand posts, compounding reach without extra spend.
This isn’t theory—it’s campaign math. More clicks, lower costs, and wider organic spread make UGC one of the most efficient creative bets you can make. For teams stretched thin on time and budget, supporter content doesn’t just punch above its weight—it changes the equation.
How To Collect UGC from Supporters
The best supporter content won’t come from one-off asks—it comes from creating simple, repeatable ways for people to share their voices. Start with a story bank: a quick landing page where supporters can upload a selfie video or short quote about why they back your campaign. Make the process frictionless with mobile-friendly forms, a few prompts (“Why are you voting?”), and built-in media release language so you have the rights to use it later.
You can also source content in the field. Set up a “story station” at events, encourage volunteers to record short clips during their shifts, and recruit a small ambassador group that gets weekly prompts. The goal isn’t slick production—it’s volume and authenticity. By lowering the barrier to entry, you’ll build a steady pipeline of supporter-generated content ready to power both organic posts and paid creative.
Using UGC in Paid Ads
Once you’ve collected strong supporter content, the next step is putting it to work in your paid program. The safest and most effective approach is to run the creative directly through your campaign’s accounts with all required disclaimers. That means taking a supporter’s video or testimonial, adding captions and branding, and uploading it as an ad on Meta, YouTube, or other platforms.
This approach keeps you compliant while still harnessing the authenticity of supporter voices. Voters see a real person telling their story, but the ad carries your campaign’s disclaimer, targeting, and call to action. It’s the best of both worlds: content that looks organic and trustworthy, scaled with the reach and precision of paid media.
Conclusion
Supporter-generated content isn’t a gimmick—it’s one of the most effective tools a campaign can deploy. Voters trust it more, it performs better in ads, and it gives you a steady stream of authentic stories that no studio shoot can match.
The playbook is simple: make it easy for supporters to share, build a pipeline you can draw from, and put the best pieces to work across both organic and paid. Do that consistently, and you’ll end up with content that not only resonates but also scales—turning your base into your most persuasive messengers.