3 Mistakes Brands Still Make with TikTok UGC (and How to Fix Them)

Introduction

TikTok UGC has become the backbone of modern e-commerce marketing. Scroll through the app and you’ll see countless everyday creators casually showing off products — and selling them. Buyers trust it, algorithms reward it, and brands rely on it.

But here’s the truth: a lot of brands are still fumbling UGC. After managing campaigns across TikTok Shop and coaching brands on creator partnerships, I keep running into the same three mistakes. They waste money, burn goodwill, and stop videos from converting.

Let’s break them down - and talk about what actually works instead.

Mistake #1: Judging Creators by Follower Count

When brands start with UGC, the first question they ask is: “How many followers does this creator have?” It sounds smart, but on TikTok, it’s almost irrelevant.

I worked with a small craft kit company that tested two creators side by side. The first had 180,000 followers. The second had only 3,200. Guess who drove 80% of the sales? The smaller creator. Her video felt like a friend showing off a weekend project. The “big” influencer’s video looked polished - but also like an ad.

That’s how TikTok works: content performance beats audience size every time.

Look for signs of trust and engagement. Do their comments sound like real buyers? Do people ask “Where did you get this?” or “Link please?” That’s your green light - not follower numbers.

Mistake #2: Giving Creators No Guidance - or Way Too Much

I’ve seen brands send products with zero instructions, expecting creators to magically nail the message. I’ve also seen brands send a 10-page script, dictating every word. Both backfire.

When creators get no direction, they might miss your key selling points. When they’re micromanaged, the content feels stiff and fake. And fake gets scrolled past in half a second.

One beauty brand I advised learned this the hard way. They gave a creator a rigid script about ingredients and percentages. The result? A dry, 60-second monologue that bombed. Later, they let the same creator shoot naturally, just highlighting how easy the product was to use. That casual clip hit 100k views and sold out a SKU.

Give creators a simple framework - two or three product benefits, one call-to-action you’d like mentioned, and let them put it in their own words. The best TikTok UGC feels like a recommendation from a friend, not a commercial.

Mistake #3: Treating UGC Like a One-Off

This is the mistake that leaves the most money on the table. Brands post a UGC video once, then move on. That’s like running a TV ad for one day and then shelving it forever.

I worked with a brand that almost made this error. They had one UGC video that was outperforming everything else. Instead of just posting it once, we turned it into a Spark Ad, clipped it into shorter versions for Reels, and embedded it on the product page. That single video ended up generating more than $12,000 in tracked sales.

Treat UGC like a content library. One video can power Spark Ads, boost your TikTok Shop listing, live in your emails, and get repurposed across every short-form platform. The more ways you use it, the higher the ROI.

Final Thoughts

TikTok UGC is powerful, but only if you approach it the right way. Stop chasing vanity metrics like follower count. Stop smothering creators with scripts. And above all, stop treating UGC like disposable content.

When you get this right, UGC becomes more than just content - it becomes an asset that fuels sales across every channel. I’ve seen brands go from zero traction to consistent daily orders simply by fixing these three mistakes.

If you’re serious about making TikTok Shop work, start here. Get these basics right, and you’ll already be ahead of most brands.

FAQs About TikTok UGC

What is TikTok UGC?

TikTok UGC (user-generated content) is content made by creators or real customers that showcases a product in an authentic, relatable way.

Does follower count matter for TikTok UGC?

No. TikTok promotes videos based on performance, not audience size. A creator with 2,000 followers can outperform one with 200,000 if their content resonates.

How should I brief a creator?

Give them a light framework: 2–3 benefits you’d like covered, maybe a suggested call-to-action, and then let them create in their own style.

Where can I reuse UGC?

UGC can be repurposed as Spark Ads, TikTok Shop listing videos, Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts, Facebook ads, emails, and even embedded on your website.