Campaigns
Running UGC Campaigns with College Creators: A Playbook
Step-by-step guide to launching user-generated content campaigns that feel authentic to Gen Z audiences.
The Yard TeamJanuary 14, 2025
|9 min read
Step-by-step guide to launching user-generated content campaigns that feel authentic to Gen Z audiences.
The Yard TeamUser-generated content has gone from a nice-to-have to the backbone of modern brand marketing. And for good reason — UGC ads generate 4x higher click-through rates than traditional branded creative, and consumers are 2.4x more likely to view UGC as authentic compared to brand-created content.
But here's what most brands get wrong about UGC: they treat it as a content format when it's really a strategy. And the best UGC strategy for brands targeting Gen Z starts on college campuses.
College creators are hungry for brand partnerships, naturally skilled at creating relatable content, and embedded in the exact communities you want to reach. This playbook breaks down how to run UGC campaigns with college creators — from goal-setting to amplification — so you can stop guessing and start executing.
User-generated content is any content — videos, photos, reviews, testimonials — created by real people rather than the brand itself. In practice, UGC for marketing purposes usually means short-form video content (TikToks, Reels, Shorts) that feels native to the platform and looks like organic content rather than an ad.
UGC works because it triggers social proof. When a real person recommends a product in a casual, relatable way, viewers process it differently than a polished brand ad. It feels like a friend's recommendation, not a sales pitch. The production quality is deliberately lo-fi — phone-shot, natural lighting, conversational tone — because that's what reads as authentic on social media in 2025.
UGC is also incredibly cost-effective. A single piece of UGC can be repurposed as a TikTok ad, an Instagram Reel, a Facebook ad creative, a website testimonial, and an email asset. Compare the cost of commissioning 20 pieces of UGC from college creators to producing a single professional brand video, and the economics are staggering.
Not all UGC creators are created equal. College students bring a unique combination of traits that make them ideal partners for UGC campaigns:
They're digital natives. Gen Z grew up creating content. Most college students have been making TikToks, editing videos, and building social media presences since high school. They intuitively understand what works on each platform — the pacing, the hooks, the trends, the editing style. You don't have to teach them; you just have to point them in the right direction.
They bring diverse perspectives. College campuses are some of the most diverse communities in the country. Working with college creators means getting content from a wide range of backgrounds, aesthetics, and viewpoints — which means your UGC library will resonate with a broader audience instead of all looking the same.
They're hungry for opportunities. Professional UGC creators with established portfolios charge premium rates. College students are eager to build their portfolios, gain brand experience, and earn money while doing something creative. This means you get high-quality, enthusiastic content at a fraction of the cost.
They're already in context. If your target audience is college students, having your UGC come from actual college students — in dorm rooms, libraries, dining halls, campus quads — creates an immediate connection with viewers. The content doesn't just look authentic; it is authentic.
Before reaching out to a single creator, get crystal clear on what you want this campaign to achieve. Different goals lead to different briefs, different creator selections, and different success metrics.
Brand awareness? Focus on high-volume content that introduces your brand to new audiences. Product launch? Prioritize unboxing, first-impression, and review content. Social proof for ads? Optimize for testimonial-style content you can run as paid creative. Community building? Look for creators who can spark conversation and engagement.
For UGC campaigns, you generally want nano creators (1K–10K followers) and micro creators (10K–50K followers). They produce content that feels relatable and authentic — which is the whole point of UGC. Mega-influencer content tends to look too polished and “sponsored” for effective UGC.
Look at their existing content style. Do they create the kind of content that aligns with your brand aesthetic? Are they comfortable on camera? Do they have a natural, conversational tone? Campus fit matters too — a creator at a school that matches your target demographic will produce more relevant content. Platforms like The Yard let you filter creators by school, involvement, and content style to find the right match.
The best UGC briefs are specific about the message and flexible about the execution. Tell creators what your product is, what makes it special, and what key messages to hit. Then let them decide how to present it in their own voice and style.
Include: product details, 2–3 key talking points, any must-mention features or CTAs, examples of content styles you like, and any hard restrictions (things they shouldn't say or do). Don't include: a word-for-word script, overly specific shot lists, or requirements that would make the content feel robotic. Remember, the whole value of UGC is that it feels real.
Ambiguity kills UGC campaigns. Be upfront about everything: how many pieces of content you expect, the format and length (15-second TikTok? 60-second review?), the deadline, the payment or compensation structure, and most importantly — content usage rights.
Usage rights are where brands and creators most often misalign. If you plan to use the content as paid ad creative, whitelist it on the creator's account, or repurpose it on your website, that needs to be agreed upon upfront. College creators are typically very flexible on usage rights, especially when it's communicated clearly from the start.
Once content comes in, review it promptly. Give constructive feedback if revisions are needed, but resist the urge to over-polish. Minor imperfections are what make UGC feel authentic.
The real magic happens when you amplify the content. Run the best-performing pieces as TikTok Spark Ads or Meta paid creative. Feature them on your product pages. Include them in email campaigns. Share them on your brand's social channels. A single UGC video can have 5–10 different lives across your marketing funnel, making the per-use cost incredibly low.
Over-scripting the content. If you hand creators a word-for-word script, you'll get content that looks and feels scripted. The audience will notice, and the whole point of UGC — authenticity — goes out the window. Give talking points, not monologues.
Choosing creators based on follower count alone. A creator with 2,000 highly engaged followers will produce better UGC than one with 50,000 disengaged followers. For UGC, content quality and relatability matter far more than reach.
Not getting proper usage rights. This one can come back to bite you. Always have a clear agreement that specifies how you can use the content, on which platforms, and for how long. It protects both you and the creator.
Creating one piece of content and calling it a campaign. UGC works best in volume. One video is a test; twenty videos is a campaign. The more content you have, the more you can test, optimize, and scale what works. That's another reason college creators are so valuable — you can work with many of them simultaneously at accessible price points.
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