Marketing · Updated June 2026
User-generated content (UGC) is authentic content created by customers — review photos, unboxing videos, social posts. UGC outperforms studio creative in ads and on product pages because it reads as proof rather than marketing.
Social proof is evidence that other people buy and endorse a product — reviews, ratings, UGC photos, sales counts, trust badges. It directly addresses purchase anxiety and reliably lifts conversion, especially for first-time visitors who don’t yet trust the brand.
Conversion rate is the percentage of website visitors who complete a purchase. It is calculated as orders divided by total sessions, multiplied by 100. A typical Shopify store converts 1–3% of sessions; top performers exceed 4%.