How Our Agency Uses UGC to Build High-Converting Ad Campaigns

Aug 27

Written By Kat

Let’s talk about the ad game in 2025. Spoiler: the polished, overproduced ads with royalty-free music and cheesy taglines? They’re dead. Buried. R.I.P.

What’s working now?

✨ Real people. Real stories. Real connection. ✨

That’s where UGC—User-Generated Content—comes in. And no, we’re not talking about blurry testimonials or your cousin awkwardly demoing your product in her poorly lit kitchen. We’re talking strategic, high-converting UGC built by creators who know how to connect with your audience and convert them into buyers.

At Ivy House, we don’t just throw UGC into your ads for vibes. We use it with intention. Here’s how we build ad campaigns using UGC that actually sell.

First—Why UGC in Ads Works So Damn Well

If you’ve ever paused mid-scroll because someone was talking directly to camera about a product you were lowkey thinking about… you’ve already experienced the magic.

UGC works because:

It’s authentic. People trust other people more than they trust brands.
It feels native to the platform. Your ad doesn’t look like an ad—so people engage.
It lowers resistance. No one likes to be sold to. But everyone likes a good recommendation from a “friend.”
It gives proof of concept. You can tell people your offer is amazing, or you can show someone actually using and loving it.

And guess what? Audiences aren’t dumb. They can spot a stock photo or stiff ad script from a mile away. That’s why UGC crushes it.

Step 1: We Find the Right Creator (Not Just Someone With a Ring Light)

UGC is only effective if it matches your brand vibe and speaks directly to your ideal customer. That’s why we don’t just throw your offer to a random creator and hope for the best.

We match you with a UGC creator who:

Understands your industry
Speaks your dream client’s language
Can create content that’s natural but strategic
Looks, sounds, and feels like someone your audience trusts

Whether you're a coach, a skincare brand, a law firm, or a tech startup—we’ve got creators for every damn niche.

Step 2: We Script It Without Killing the Vibe

There’s a difference between a “natural-sounding script” and handing someone a novel to read.

We create content briefs that include:

The hook (the first 3 seconds that stop the scroll)
The transformation or story
The key benefits or pain points to mention
A clear CTA (call-to-action)

Then we let the creator bring it to life in their own voice. It’s not a commercial. It’s a conversation.

And that’s the difference between meh UGC and high-performing UGC that makes the money printer go brrrr.

Step 3: We Build Ads Around the UGC (Not the Other Way Around)

Most agencies slap UGC into a poorly built campaign and hope it lands.
Not us.

We build your ad funnel around the UGC:

One ad for awareness (introducing the problem + hook)
One ad for engagement (the creator talking about your solution)
One ad for conversion (testimonial, demo, direct CTA)

It’s a system. A journey. A strategic experience.

We also test different versions of:

Hooks (because if you don’t grab attention in 2 seconds, you’re toast)
Captions and overlays
CTAs and offer placements
Audiences, placements, and budget splits

Because what looks like a casual video? Is actually a finely-tuned ad machine under the hood.

Step 4: We Track What Converts (and Ditch the Rest)

We’re not here for vanity metrics. If an ad doesn’t get clicks, saves, or conversions—we kill it.

We optimize for:

CTR (click-through rate)
CPC (cost per click)
ROAS (return on ad spend)
Leads generated
Sales closed

And because we’re obsessive nerds about data (and proud of it), we’re constantly tweaking and testing to increase performance without burning your budget.

Real Talk: This Is Why Our Ads Work

Most ad agencies will write you a boring script, target cold audiences, and pray for results.

At Ivy House, we do it differently.

We bring the strategy of a CMO
The creativity of a content studio
The network of UGC creators
And the data nerd energy of a full-blown media buyer

That means you get ads that look native to the platform, feel authentic, and convert like magic—because they’re made by people who actually know what they’re doing.