Helping Canadian Food Brands Understand the Value of User-Generated Content
What is UGC?
User-generated Content (UGC) refers to photos, videos, and reviews created by real customers who are already using your product. It might be a family sharing a dinner video using your marinade, someone gushing on social media about your delicious new juice flavour, or a shopper smiling in a selfie at your farmers’ market stand.
Instead of a polished ad, UGC is authentic proof that people genuinely love what you make. That authenticity builds trust and credibility, and it’s a powerful marketing tool for Canadian food businesses.
Why UGC Matters for Canadian Food Brands
- Social proof builds trust: People trust people. When your product shows up in the kitchens and pantries of real people, it signals credibility and sparks curiosity in new buyers.
- Expand your reach without ads: Every tagged photo, reel, or review gives your brand free exposure. Each new share introduces your product to fresh audiences, often outside your usual marketing channels.
- Storytelling in real time: UGC puts your product into everyday context: on the breakfast table, at family BBQs, or tucked into a backpack for a hike. These snapshots help future customers picture how your product fits naturally into their lives.
How to Encourage UGC for your Food Brand
You don’t have to wait for user-generated content to happen by chance. With a little encouragement, you can inspire your customers to share authentic stories about your brand. Here are a few simple ways Canadian food businesses can spark UGC:
- Ask directly: Add a friendly line in your newsletters or on your packaging, such as “tag us in your recipes” or “share your farmers’ market finds.”
- Create a hashtag: Keep it short, catchy, and easy to remember. A unique hashtag makes it simple to collect and reshare posts.
- Use farmers’ market QR codes: A quick scan can direct customers to follow you on social media, leave a review, or share their photos instantly.
- Host a recipe challenge: Invite customers to create a dish with your product and feature the winner in your newsletter or Instagram feed. Contests motivate participation and expand your reach.
- Celebrate customer posts: Reshare tagged content with a thank-you. When people see their stories highlighted, it motivates others to join in.
Build a Community with UGC
UGC helps build community, and for Canadian food businesses, that community is what keeps people coming back to your stand, store, or website week after week.
The key to building a genuinely engaged and supportive community is authenticity and appreciation. Engagement isn’t just about reposting; it’s about sparking two-way conversations on social media, responding to customer stories, and nurturing connections. When customers feel seen and valued, they remain loyal to your food brand as it grows.
Need help crafting messages that turn abundance into customer opportunities? Our team at Farm Food Drink develops marketing strategies that build brands while moving product.
Contact Us: hello@farmfooddrink.ca
Farm Food Drink is a team of food research, planning, marketing and training specialists who focus solely on Canadian farm, food, and drink businesses. We provide an integrated, 360 approach and are committed to working alongside our clients as they grow their businesses.
Further Reading
Marketing a Bumper Crop
You’ve got the abundance, now comes the part that separates successful food producers from those with barns full of produce: marketing.
How Canadian Agri-Food Producers Can Better Utilize Fall Bumper Crops
There’s nothing quite like the mixed blessing of a bumper crop. But what if it isn’t a problem to solve, but an opportunity?
