ugc vs influencer content: which is right for your nz brand?
they’re not the same thing
brands often use “ugc” and “influencer content” interchangeably. they’re not the same — and using the wrong one for your goal will waste your budget.
influencer content is posted on the creator’s own channels to their audience. you’re paying for their reach and credibility.
ugc (user-generated content) is content created by real people but used on your brand’s channels or in your ads. you’re paying for the content itself, not the creator’s audience.
the difference matters because it changes what you’re optimising for, what you pay, and how you measure success.
when to use influencer content
choose influencer marketing when you need:
- reach and awareness — you want new audiences to discover your brand
- social proof from trusted voices — their endorsement carries weight with their followers
- organic engagement — comments, shares, saves on the creator’s post
- community alignment — you want to be associated with a specific niche or lifestyle
influencer content works best when the creator has genuine audience trust and the product fits their content naturally. forced integrations perform poorly regardless of follower count.
typical nz influencer campaign:
- 5-10 creators post about your product on their channels
- budget: $5,000-$15,000 nzd
- results: 100k-500k impressions, 3-8% engagement rate, direct sales via tracked links
when to use ugc
choose ugc when you need:
- ad creative at scale — you need 10-50+ videos to test different hooks and angles in paid ads
- authentic-looking content for your own channels — real people using your product
- cost-efficient content production — ugc is cheaper per piece than professional production
- content variety — multiple creators means multiple perspectives on the same product
ugc works best when you have a strong paid media strategy and need a pipeline of fresh creative to feed your ad accounts. the content doesn’t need millions of organic views — it needs to convert in ads.
typical nz ugc campaign:
- 5-15 creators produce video assets (they don’t post)
- budget: $2,000-$8,000 nzd
- results: 15-45 unique video assets for ad testing, lower cpa in paid campaigns
the hybrid approach
the most effective nz brands use both. here’s how:
- run an influencer campaign for awareness and social proof — creators post on their channels
- negotiate usage rights on the best-performing content — now you have proven creative
- run ugc production in parallel — get additional ad-format content from ugc specialists
- feed everything into paid media — spark ads from influencer posts + ugc ads on your brand account
this gives you organic reach from influencer posts and a content library for paid amplification.
cost comparison in nz
| factor | influencer content | ugc |
|---|---|---|
| cost per piece | $300-$3,000+ nzd | $150-$500 nzd |
| what you get | post on their channel + content | raw content files only |
| best for | awareness, social proof | ad creative, paid media |
| audience required | creator needs real audience | no audience needed |
| typical volume | 1-3 pieces per creator | 2-5 pieces per creator |
how to decide
ask yourself these three questions:
- do i need organic reach or ad creative? organic reach = influencer. ad creative = ugc.
- what’s my budget? under $5,000 nzd = ugc gives more volume. over $10,000 = consider both.
- do i have a paid media strategy? if yes, ugc feeds your ads. if no, influencer content gives you organic distribution.
need help figuring out the right mix?
yuma runs both influencer campaigns and ugc production for nz brands. we’ll help you figure out the right strategy based on your goals and budget.
start a campaign or check out our ugc campaign checklist for a step-by-step guide.
faq
can the same creator do both influencer and ugc work?
yes — and many do. you can hire a creator to post on their channels (influencer) and also produce additional raw content for your ads (ugc). just negotiate both deliverables upfront.
is ugc cheaper than influencer marketing?
per content piece, yes. ugc typically costs $150-$500 nzd per video versus $300-$3,000+ for an influencer post. but ugc doesn’t come with organic distribution — you need paid media budget to get it in front of people.
how many ugc assets do i need for ad testing?
we recommend starting with 10-15 video assets. this gives you enough variety to test different hooks, angles, and formats across platforms like tiktok and meta ads.