Two of the biggest shopping events of the year – Black Friday / Cyber Monday are here once again. Offering brands a unique opportunity to engage with eager shoppers, these events are popular to drive significant sales. With the surge in online traffic and growing competition, standing out from the crowd is important this year....
Two of the biggest shopping events of the year – Black Friday / Cyber Monday are here once again. Offering brands a unique opportunity to engage with eager shoppers, these events are popular to drive significant sales. With the surge in online traffic and growing competition, standing out from the crowd is important this year. That’s where User-Generated Content (UGC) becomes a powerful tool.
UGC—content created by your customers—builds trust and authenticity in ways that traditional marketing cannot. 75% of consumers are more likely to trust the opinions and experiences of real people, especially during high-demand periods when purchasing decisions are made quickly. Whether it’s reviews, social media posts, or unboxing videos, UGC gives potential buyers confidence, ultimately driving sales.
In this blog, we’ll explore five actionable UGC strategies that will not only help you build trust but also position your brand for success during Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
1. Encourage Early UGC from Loyal Customers
Your most loyal customers are your brand’s biggest advocates. Black Friday/Cyber Monday is the perfect time to tap into their enthusiasm. By running early promotions exclusively for them, you can encourage these dedicated fans to share testimonials, reviews, and other UGC before the shopping rush begins. Offering them sneak peeks of upcoming products or early access to sales will not only make them feel valued but also motivate them to contribute content that can influence others.
Incentivize this early UGC by providing exclusive discounts or bonuses in exchange for customer reviews, photos, or videos. For example, you can ask customers to share their favorite products on social media or submit video testimonials of how your brand has positively impacted them. In return, offer them a special Black Friday discount code or early bird access to limited-time offers.
This strategy helps generate a buzz around your products, showcasing authentic content that resonates with potential customers. By building a library of UGC before the big event, you’ll have powerful, trust-building assets to use in your marketing when Black Friday and Cyber Monday arrive.
2. Curate and Feature Customer Reviews on all Brand Channels
People trust people. They are buying products based on what others are saying about it. During high-stakes shopping events like Black Friday and Cyber Monday, reviews become drivers for increased sales. When potential buyers see real feedback from other customers, they gain confidence in your brand and its products. Featuring authentic reviews on your product pages and ads can be a game-changer, helping to boost conversions and increase overall sales.

Mac Cosmetics gathered reviews for the launch of their MacStack Mascara through Skeepers’ Gifted Reviews solution. The campaign successfully collected over 60 reviews, which were featured on their retail site, earning an impressive 4/5 star rating. The brand’s objective increase the production of UGC and feature more authentic and organic content on their brand channels. Mac Cosmetics was able to tap into the benefits of authenticity and credibility through UGC and nurture a community of loyalists.
What are the Best Practices for Collecting and Displaying Reviews?
Before the holiday season kicks into full gear, take the time to reach out to customers who’ve purchased from you in the past. Encourage them to leave honest reviews, especially on key products you plan to feature during Black Friday/Cyber Monday. This can help build a strong collection of testimonials to display as shoppers research and make purchasing decisions.
Place customer reviews prominently on product pages where they can be easily seen. Highlight detailed and relevant reviews that showcase various aspects of your product, from quality and functionality to customer service and shipping. Consider using a mix of text, photos, and video reviews for added authenticity.
Use snippets of glowing reviews in your social media ads, email campaigns, or even on your landing pages. Featuring real customer voices in your paid advertising enhances social proof, making your brand stand out amid the competition.
3. Collaborate with Micro-Influencers for Authentic Content
If you want to create genuine and relatable content for your brand, partnering with micro-influencers is one of the most effective ways. They typically have a smaller, but highly engaged audience within a specific niche. Their followers tend to trust their opinions and recommendations because of the influencer’s authenticity and relatability. This makes micro-influencers ideal collaborators for your Black Friday and Cyber Monday campaigns.
Why Micro-Influencers?
Unlike larger influencers who may work with a wide range of brands, micro-influencers often maintain a more personal connection with their followers. Their content feels less commercial and more like genuine recommendations from a friend. Partnering with micro-influencers in your industry or niche will get you a highly targeted UGC that speaks directly to your ideal customer.

Bare Home garnered 1.8M impressions by gifting their products to Micro-influencers. The brand prioritizes seasonal and festive campaigns such as Halloween unboxings and winter-themed home content showcasing sheets and flannel duvets, which strongly resonates with their community.
For a Valentine’s Day campaign, influencers embraced the idea of showcasing their Valentine’s bedroom décor, bringing creative flair to the campaign. The brand quickly recognized the power of themed campaigns in inspiring influencers and boosting engagement through creative concepts.
Collaborate with Micro-Influencers for Authentic Content
Choose influencers who share your brand’s aesthetic and values. Their audience should closely match your target demographic for maximum impact. While it’s difficult and time-consuming to carry out this activity manually, solutions such as Skeepers help you effortlessly match with influencers based on your brand and campaigns.
Consumers resonate with the authenticity that influencers bring to your products. Thus, give influencers the freedom to create content that feels natural to them. Giving them the space to craft their own narratives will result in more engaging and relatable UGC.
Collaborating with micro-influencers ahead of Black Friday and Cyber Monday will provide you with an array of high-quality, authentic content to use across your marketing channels.
4. Use UGC in Paid Ads to Boost Social Proof
Authentic customer photos, reviews, and testimonials can add a layer of social proof that traditional advertising often lacks. When potential buyers see real people using and enjoying your products, it builds trust and makes your ads feel more relatable and genuine. This can have a significant impact on both click-through rates (CTR) and conversions.
Why UGC Works in Paid Ads?
UGC feels more authentic and less like a hard sell. Consumers today are more likely to respond to content that reflects real experiences rather than polished, brand-produced ads. By integrating UGC into your paid ads, you create a connection with your audience that feels personal and trustworthy, which is especially important during Black Friday / Cyber Monday when shoppers are bombarded with endless promotions.
To begin with, plan your ads with photos, videos, or quotes from real customers who’ve shared their positive experiences with your products. These could be Instagram posts, product reviews, or unboxing videos. Seeing other shoppers rave about your products will encourage potential buyers to trust your brand and take the next step.
Retargeting ads are crucial during holiday shopping seasons. Incorporating UGC in these ads, such as customer reviews or lifestyle images, can be especially effective at converting people who’ve previously shown interest in your products but haven’t completed a purchase.
Video content is highly engaging, and using UGC in the form of customer testimonial videos or reviews can create a compelling narrative. A short video showing happy customers using your product can resonate more deeply with potential buyers than a highly produced commercial.
This can significantly increase your ad performance during Black Friday / Cyber Monday, leading to higher click-through rates and ultimately driving more sales for your brand.
5. Create a UGC Gallery on Your Website
UGC gallery is a great addition to your website before, during, and even after Black Friday / Cyber Monday. It keeps your website content fresh, new, and evergreen. By regularly showcasing and updating the gallery with real customer photos, videos, and reviews directly on your product pages, you can build social proof right where it matters the most. Shoppers are far more likely to trust the opinions and experiences of fellow customers, and seeing authentic UGC can provide the final nudge they need to complete a purchase.
Why Should You Have a UGC Gallery?
Featuring customer content on your website helps create a sense of community. It signals that your brand values customer feedback and participation, encouraging more people to engage and contribute their own content.
Photos and videos submitted by customers provide an honest, real-world view of your products in action. This helps shoppers visualize how the product fits into their own lives, making the decision-making process easier.
Build Social Proof Where It Matters the Most: Your Website
A well-curated UGC gallery strengthens your brand’s trustworthiness by offering a steady stream of real customer testimonials and experiences. This is especially effective during Black Friday / Cyber Monday, when shoppers are making quick decisions and looking for reasons to trust one brand over another. By placing UGC on key product pages, you’re reinforcing the value of your products through the lens of customer satisfaction.
Ultimately, this kind of visual and testimonial social proof can have a direct impact on your sales, turning casual browsers into confident buyers.
Conclusion
As we’ve explored, By leveraging the trust and authenticity that UGC offers, you can build stronger connections with your audience and drive higher conversions during black friday and cyber monday. These strategies are designed to build trust, create a sense of community, and turn potential buyers into loyal customers. Now is the time to start planning—get your campaigns in place, engage your customers, and curate the UGC that will set your brand apart.