In today’s marketing battlefield, it’s no longer just a celebrity shoutout that gets the sales rolling. Real people — with real opinions and authentic voices — are giving influencers a run for their money. The lines between influencer marketing and user-generated content (UGC) have started to blur, but the differences in performance, cost, and trust are clearer than ever.

Let’s dive into who’s actually winning in 2025 — influencers or everyday users.

The ROI of Real People vs Celebs

Back in the day, brands would shell out thousands (sometimes millions) to get a celebrity to post a picture holding their product. It worked — for a while. But in today’s scroll-heavy, filter-savvy world, customers are skeptical. They don’t want perfect; they want real.

That’s where UGC comes in. Whether it’s a TikTok of someone unboxing a product or a selfie showing off a recent buy, content created by everyday customers now outperforms influencer content in many cases. Why? Because it feels authentic. UGC brings 3x higher engagement and can increase conversion rates by 29% when used on product pages.

On the other hand, influencer campaigns still matter — especially for visibility and reach. But the ROI often plateaus beyond a certain budget. Instead of going all in on one star, brands are now favoring volume over vanity, building communities that post organically.

Winner? UGC takes the crown for ROI, especially in D2C and lifestyle segments.

Legal Tips When Using UGC

Before you hit repost on that amazing customer video, know this: UGC is powerful but not free-for-all. You can’t just take someone’s content and run it in ads without their permission. That’s a fast track to a takedown notice or worse — legal trouble.

Here are three simple steps to stay safe:

1. Ask for explicit permission — a simple “Can we use this?” in the DMs is not enough for commercial use.

2. Use a UGC rights platform — tools like TINT, Pixlee, or Bazaarvoice can manage permissions at scale.

3. Credit properly — even if you have rights, acknowledging the creator builds goodwill and keeps your brand in a positive light.

Many brands now include UGC clauses in their post-purchase flows, asking customers to opt-in to share their content. That’s smart marketing and smart law.

Influencer Fatigue: Is It Real?

Yes. 100% yes.

In 2020, people flocked to influencer content. But fast-forward to now, and there’s a rising sense of influencer fatigue. Over-polished videos, too-perfect lives, and endless discount codes have started to feel... predictable. Audiences are tuning out — especially Gen Z, who value relatability over perfection.

That doesn’t mean influencers are done. It means their role has shifted. The most effective influencers in 2025 are those who act like friends, not billboards. They're less curated, more casual. Think: stories from their bedroom, not shoots in Santorini.

UGC creators have filled the gap influencers left behind — they're raw, often unpaid, and much more convincing.

Micro vs Macro: Who Delivers More?

Let’s talk numbers. Macro influencers (500k+ followers) bring scale, but their engagement rates are dropping — often below 2%. Compare that to micro-influencers (10k–100k followers) who regularly clock 5–10% engagement because their audience feels more personal.

Micro creators — and even nano influencers (<10k followers) — are winning for one simple reason: trust. They reply to DMs, they know their niche, and their recommendations feel genuine. They also cost less and often work on barter or affiliate deals.

More brands are building micro-influencer armies instead of hiring one big fish. It’s a strategy that’s scalable, cost-effective, and hyper-targeted.

Winner? Micro influencers (and UGC creators) are delivering more value than their bigger counterparts.

Final Verdict: Who’s Winning?

If we’re talking about authenticity, trust, and conversions, UGC is the clear winner in today’s content landscape. Influencers still have their place — especially for visibility and social proof — but the smart money is now on real peoplewith real opinions.

Brands that combine both — influencers to attract, and UGC to convert — are building the strongest pipelines. But if you’re choosing one, let the customer do the talking. The ROI, engagement, and impact speak for themselves.