How to test UGC and EGC ads in Meta campaigns

To keep your Meta Ads performing at their best, it’s essential to regularly test new ad formats.

This article explores the role of UGC and EGC ads – and how to effectively test them in your Meta campaigns.

Understanding UGC and EGC ads

User-generated content (UGC) refers to videos typically created by actual users of your product or service, often testimonials or a series of testimonials edited together. 

In some cases, UGC may even come from the company founder, recorded casually on a phone or using other non-professional methods.

These videos are often recorded on a phone – or styled to look that way, even if professionally produced – to create an intentionally unpolished, organic feel. 

This helps them blend seamlessly into users’ social feeds and encourages engagement before viewers realize they’re watching an ad.

UGC can also be replicated through influencer-created content. 

It’s common to pay an influencer to review a product or service and then obtain permission to repurpose their video as an ad.

Employee-generated content (EGC) is content created by employees, such as the well-known “what it’s like to work at Amazon” ads. 

These videos typically highlight positive employee experiences and how the company has impacted their lives. 

EGC ads are usually part of a long-term branding strategy to enhance a company’s reputation and ultimately drive sales, even when the ad doesn’t promote specific products or hiring initiatives. 

While EGC can support recruitment efforts, it’s often used purely for brand storytelling.

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How to test UGC ads

UGC ads can be tested using various formats, such as:

• Influencer product demos or reviews.
• Customer testimonial videos.
• Even the owner or creator recording a product walkthrough. 

The most common formats include:

• Product-in-use demonstrations.
• Review-style videos. 
• “Unboxing” videos where someone opens the product packaging to show what’s inside.

When testing UGC ads, you’ll often see an increase in view rates or CTR. 

However, it’s important to track whether that engagement leads to meaningful outcomes like sales or high-quality website traffic. 

This can be monitored through Meta Ads, Google Analytics, or third-party tracking tools. 

Higher views and clicks are only valuable if they translate into actual results.

UGC vs. standard ads

UGC ads typically run alongside standard formats, such as image ads or professionally produced videos.

It’s best to test both types simultaneously and simply keep whichever performs best – regardless of whether it’s UGC.

One reason to continue testing traditional, polished ads has to do with how the brain filters information – a concept rooted in the reticular activating system (RAS). 

This part of the brain helps determine what you pay attention to versus what gets ignored. 

For instance, if you’re shopping for a car, you suddenly start noticing and engaging with car ads, but when you’re not in the market, those same ads fade into the background.

This effect explains why a conventional ad that looks like a car ad might outperform a UGC-style video that blends in like a friend’s social post. 

There’s no one-size-fits-all approach – performance will vary month to month – so it’s worth consistently testing both formats. 

UGC remains a strong contender, especially on Meta, YouTube, and TikTok.

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Using AI to make UGC video ads with characters

A newer form of UGC uses AI-generated avatars or characters instead of real people. 

These videos follow the same casual, testimonial-style format but feature animated or AI-created figures to present or review the product. 

This approach helps the ad stand out – similar to how Geico has long used its animated gecko. 

Thanks to advancements in AI, even smaller brands with limited budgets can now experiment with this type of content to promote their products or services.

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How to test EGC ads

EGC ads are a strong addition to your Meta Ads strategy as a long-term branding campaign.

While they typically don’t drive direct sales, they help strengthen your brand’s reputation and communicate your company’s values. 

These ads are often used by large brands with bigger budgets.

Amazon, Walmart, and Goodwill, for example, have created EGC ads highlighting their offerings to employees and how they’ve positively impacted their lives.

That said, EGC ads aren’t just for major corporations. 

If you have extra budget, you can test this format by running a separate Meta campaign with its own budget and objective. 

Instead of optimizing for conversions, you’d likely choose a goal like engagement, clicks, video views, or impressions. 

Rather than promoting a specific product or service, the landing page should align with the message of the ad, focusing on:

• Employee stories.
• Company values.
• Charitable efforts.
• Other reputation-building content.

This format can also extend to ads featuring charitable initiatives. 

For example, TOMS promotes its giving model:

• “For every pair of TOMS shoes purchased, a pair of new shoes is given to a child in need.”

This could be used as EGC, UGC, or general branding content. 

These types of ads help showcase a company’s values and impact, rather than focusing solely on what they sell.

Maximize your Meta Ad results: Test UGC, EGC, and more

As with all Meta Ads (and other platforms), consistently testing a mix of formats – UGC, EGC, and traditional ads – helps maintain performance and keeps your creative strategy fresh.

Each format offers unique strengths: UGC brings authenticity, EGC builds brand trust, and traditional ads provide polish and clarity.

By regularly experimenting and analyzing results, you’ll be better equipped to adapt, optimize, and grow your campaigns over time.

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