If you think a polished 5-star review clipped into your ad is enough to win over parents today, think again. Reviews still matter on your product pages, but in ads, that single “perfect” testimonial just doesn’t cut through the noise anymore.
Parents scroll fast and they’re savvy. They’ve learned to spot overly polished content from a mile away, tuning it out like background noise. So what grabs their attention and builds trust? Real, raw, relatable content that feels like it’s coming from another parent, not a brand.
What UGC Actually Works
Studies show that ads featuring authentic, unfiltered user-generated content outperform highly produced ones by significant margins — sometimes increasing conversions by 20 to 30 percent. Here’s what that looks like for family brands:
- Casual, day-in-the-life clips: Short videos showing real parents juggling daily chaos while using your product- a mom applying your organic lotion while calming a toddler, a dad packing a lunchbox with your snack inside. These snippets feel genuine and relatable.
- Honest “in the moment” reviews: Instead of scripted testimonials, capture customers talking naturally about what they love or how your product solved a real problem. No perfect lighting or fancy edits, just authenticity.
- Screen capture stories: Sharing real texts, DMs, or social comments about your product is a newer but proven method. It’s like a friend sharing a tip- raw, unfiltered, trustworthy.
- Before and after or problem and solution clips: Parents respond well to content showing a quick problem such as a messy kitchen or toddler meltdown followed by how your product helped ease that. The clearer and more relatable, the better.
Where to Start Collecting This Content
If you or your team are unable to film what you’re looking for, start by reaching out to a handful of your high-repeat customers and ask if they would share a quick video or photo in exchange for a free product or discount. Keep it casual and low-pressure.
Incorporate easy UGC collection into your post-purchase flows. A simple “Show us how you use [product]” email or SMS asking for video replies can bring in real, unpolished content.
Use simple prompts instead of asking customers to “make a video.” Try “What’s your favorite way to use this?” or “Tell us one way this made your day easier.”
What to Avoid
- Overproduced, overly edited videos or photos that feel like ads.
- Generic, vague testimonials that don’t tell a story.
- Asking customers to post just for the sake of posting. It needs to be meaningful and organic.
Why This Matters
Parents want to connect with other parents, not brands pushing sales. Real content breaks down barriers and builds trust fast. The brands that lean into authentic UGC now are the ones winning their audience’s attention and loyalty.
If you want an expert audit of your ads, website, emails, and overall digital presence plus a no-fluff action plan to fix leaks, connect better with parents, and scale profitably, book a free strategy call today.