How to Collect User-Generated Content Online and Offline

User-generated content (UGC) resonates more deeply with audiences than polished brand messaging. Yet sourcing this content consistently and legally can be a challenge for brands of all sizes.

You need a strategic mix of online and offline tactics to meet your audience where they live, both digitally and physically, and a tool to automate the required tasks, starting with collection.

In the sections that follow, we’ll explore why collecting UGC is crucial, the measurable benefits it delivers, and the top 7 best methods to gather it across the main online and offline channels.

Why Collect UGC

UGC turns passive viewers into active participants. By showcasing authentic customer experiences, you tap into the most trusted form of social proof: real people, real opinions.

This creates a powerful feedback loop—people see their peers enjoying your products, they engage, and you collect even more UGC.

Benefits of Collecting UGC

Here are some of the benefits of collecting UGC, especially if you are an eCommerce brand:

• Cost‑effective Content: Leverage your community’s creativity instead of scheduling expensive photoshoots. UGC is fresh, plentiful, and ready to publish.
• Enhanced Credibility: Shoppers trust fellow consumers over polished ads. UGC builds confidence and shortens the buyer’s journey.
• Higher Engagement: UGC drives more likes, shares, and comments than brand-generated content.
• Boosted brand reach: UGC often includes keywords, tags, and brand mentions that help improve organic visibility.
• Loyalty and Advocacy: Featuring customer stories makes people feel valued. Loyal fans become advocates, amplifying your message for free.

How to Collect UGC: Online and Offline Methods

Flowbox offers a flexible combination of automated social integrations, direct upload options, and offline-to-online tools that ensure no valuable content slips through the cracks.

From hashtags and mentions to QR codes and email campaigns, Flowbox centralises every UGC submission in one powerful dashboard—so your team can easily manage rights, moderate content, and publish across your digital channels.

Below are the most effective ways to collect UGC using Flowbox, both online and offline:

1. Social integrations

Connect Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube, X (Twitter), Tumblr, RSS and gather UGC via hashtags, mentions, tags—automatically imported into your centralised Masterflow inbox.

This is the most commonly used method for collecting content, as it enables your team to gather all content mentioning your brand, request media rights with a few clicks, and distribute the content across various brand channels.

Flowbox handles rights requests, pending approvals, and auto-moderation, ensuring everything is action-ready and legally compliant.

2. Media Uploader button

Not every customer is eager to post publicly on social media, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t excited to share their experience with your brand. Flowbox’s Media Uploader solves this by offering a frictionless, brand-safe way to collect content directly.

You can embed a stylish Media Uploader button on your homepage, product pages, or community gallery. When clicked, this button opens a custom upload form where customers can submit their photos or videos directly, without needing to tag or mention your brand on social platforms. Check the Beautiful Bride Shop’s button:

This is particularly effective for:

• Camera-shy or private customers who prefer not to post publicly
• Users who aren’t active on social media
• Reducing manual collection from email attachments or DMs

Each submission is automatically stored in your Flowbox dashboard, where your team can review, request rights, and redistribute the content across your website, product pages, social media, and more.

It’s a simple, scalable way to turn every happy customer into a content creator—without relying on social algorithms or external platforms.

3. Email campaigns

Include the Media Uploader Direct Link in your email campaigns to let your customers know that they can send direct submissions.

Email marketing isn’t just for promoting products or sales—it’s also a powerful touchpoint for engaging customers and encouraging content contributions.

By including the Flowbox Media Uploader Direct Link in your email campaigns, you can create a seamless way for subscribers to submit their own photos or videos directly to your UGC library.

Include the Media Uploader CTA in post-purchase emails, loyalty program newsletters, or follow-ups after events. Reward participation with visibility (e.g. “Get featured on our website!”) or incentives (discounts, loyalty points, or giveaways).

3. Ratings and Reviews link

Collecting product reviews is critical for building trust and driving conversions, but not every customer writes a review the first time they’re asked.

That’s where Flowbox’s Dynamic Review Link comes in: a powerful feature that lets you follow up with non-responders and seamlessly guide them back to the review form—without friction.

Customers can initially click “Write a Review” via the Flowbox widget on your product pages. This opens a dedicated Product Review landing page, tailored to that product and designed to collect the ratings and reviews.

Some users may skip the on-site review or abandon the process post-purchase. Instead of letting that UGC opportunity go cold, you can follow up with a Flowbox Dynamic Link.

Trigger your Dynamic Link review emails 3–7 days after delivery, while the product experience is still fresh. You can even A/B test incentives (like discounts or loyalty points) to increase review completion rates.

4. QR Codes

Link printed QR codes directly to your Media Uploader page (via Flowbox’s “Direct Link” feature). Place them on table displays, packaging, event booths, or gym lockers to allow instant content submission.

Andrew Martin included a QR code on post-purchase flyers, directing customers to upload content that will be featured on their website.

Printed QR codes are a smart and simple way to turn physical spaces into content collection points. When linked directly to Flowbox’s Media Uploader page, they allow customers to easily submit photos and videos, turning real-world experiences into valuable marketing assets.

The advantages of this method are as follows:

• Instant submission: Customers scan the QR code with their phone and are taken straight to a mobile-optimised Media Uploader form.
• No need for social media: People can contribute even if they don’t want to post publicly or tag your brand online.
• Encourages authentic reviews: Combine your visual UGC prompt with a short form that allows users to rate the product, describe their experience, or provide feedback—all in one place.

5. Brand flyers/posters

Distribute flyers with instructions like “share your moment with #YourBrand”, and Flowbox captures tagged posts. Encouraging the use of your hashtag enhances auto-collection accuracy and legal compliance.

Green Comfort include a flyer in every order, inviting customers to tag the brand on social media when showcasing their purchases. The flyer offers an incentive: an online gift card, which further encourages customer participation.

This strategy taps into the unboxing moment, a highly shareable experience while aligning with the brand’s sustainability ethos.

Even in a digital-first world, physical brand materials—like flyers, posters, and product inserts—can be incredibly effective tools for generating user-generated content. When paired with Flowbox’s powerful hashtag tracking and collection tools, they help bridge the gap between offline interactions and online engagement.

Don’t miss the unboxing moment—it’s one of the most personal and high-emotion interactions a customer has with your product. Including a branded insert card inside your packaging can nudge customers to share their experience.

6. Physical store announcements

Your retail spaces, gyms, cafés, or showrooms aren’t just points of sale—they’re immersive brand environments that spark emotions and experiences worth sharing. With on-site signage and simple staff-led prompts, you can encourage customers to capture and post those moments, fueling your UGC engine via Flowbox.

Check how TrainMore installed digital screens in their gyms that display member-generated photos and videos, from workout milestones to class highlights.

Display clear signage on-site, leverage QR codes for direct uploads, and train staff to encourage UGC. The advantages of this method are as follows:

• Right place, right moment: Customers are already interacting with your brand in an environment designed to look and feel good, perfect for photo-worthy moments.
• Social proof in real-time: Seeing signs about others being featured builds FOMO and motivates action.
• High submission rates: Combining in-person prompts with visual reminders dramatically boosts engagement, especially when paired with a strong CTA or incentive, such as giveaways or loyalty points.

7. Event photo corners

Live events—whether it’s a pop-up shop, product launch, in-store activation, or brand workshop—are ideal opportunities to generate fresh, authentic user-generated content. By setting up a branded photo corner at your event, you invite attendees to capture the moment, share it online, and become part of your visual brand story.

The advantages of this method are as follows:

• Builds community buzz during and after the event
• Generates high volumes of high-quality content in a short time
• Captures content in a brand-controlled environment, meaning everything from lighting to logos is optimised
• Makes your brand memorable and shareable

Scale your content collection with Flowbox tools

Collecting user-generated content is no longer optional — it’s essential for building trust, fostering loyalty, and staying competitive in today’s crowded digital marketplace.

With Flowbox, brands have all the tools they need to collect high-quality UGC both online and offline, empowering them to create authentic, community-driven marketing at scale.

By strategically leveraging Flowbox’s collection suite and offline activation methods, you can turn everyday customers into your most powerful content creators. Ready to harness the full potential of UGC? Request a demo and start collecting where your customers are — everywhere.