These user-generated content statistics explain why you should take advantage of UGC in your marketing campaigns.

As of August 2023, the age group most reliant on user-generated content (UGC) worldwide during challenging times were individuals aged 25 to 34. Over half of shoppers within this age bracket utilized UGC, a trend mirrored by consumers aged 18 to 20. Conversely, consumers over 65 exhibited the lowest reliance on UGC, with 18 percent of respondents using such content.

These are the key user-generated content statistics you need to know.

As of August 2023, the primary aspect sought by shoppers in user-generated content (UGC) was value for money. Over 20 percent of respondents prioritized this criterion, while fewer than 10 percent focused on accurate sizing information within UGC.

In March 2024, the video platform YouTube reported around 32.5 billion visits from global users. Meta-owned Facebook.com reported around 16.1 billion visits from global users, as Instagram.com and Twitter.com followed, each with 7 billion and 6.1 billion visits from users worldwide during the examined month. Wikipedia.org, which hosts users-generated encyclopedic entries, recorded around 4.4 billion visits, while news aggregator and community platform Reddit.com saw approximately 2.2 billion visits during the examined period.

Statistics on student enrolment in UGC-funded programmes

In 2023, interactions with visual user-generated content (UGC) exerted the most significant influence on conversion rates, revenue per visitor, and average order value. Notably, engagement with photo galleries on the site saw a staggering 190 percent increase in revenue per visitor. Reviews experienced the second-highest growth, closely trailed by shopper interactions with the Q&A section.

Hong Kong Number of Enrolled Student: University Grants Committee Funded Inst(UGC) data was reported at 188,079.000 Person in 2016. This records a decrease from the previous number of 189,484.000 Person for 2015. Hong Kong Number of Enrolled Student: University Grants Committee Funded Inst(UGC) data is updated yearly, averaging 82,771.000 Person from Sep 1985 (Median) to 2016, with 32 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 196,800.000 Person in 2012 and a record low of 44,401.000 Person in 1985. Hong Kong Number of Enrolled Student: University Grants Committee Funded Inst(UGC) data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Census and Statistics Department. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Hong Kong – Table HK.G118: Education Statistics.

Hong Kong Number of Enrolled Student: UGC: Part Time: PTG: Taught Postgraduate data was reported at 22,468.000 Person in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 22,822.000 Person for 2016. Hong Kong Number of Enrolled Student: UGC: Part Time: PTG: Taught Postgraduate data is updated yearly, averaging 9,034.000 Person from Sep 1985 (Median) to 2017, with 33 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 28,806.000 Person in 2010 and a record low of 2,266.000 Person in 1985. Hong Kong Number of Enrolled Student: UGC: Part Time: PTG: Taught Postgraduate data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Census and Statistics Department. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Hong Kong – Table HK.G118: Education Statistics.

Statistics on number of graduates (headcount) of UGC-funded programmes

A March 2024 survey found that three in ten adults in the United States who were aware of user-generated virtual content for video games had also used a service or platform to create such content themselves. About 45 percent of the respondents aged 35 to 54 stated having done so.

In the United States, Gen Z consumers were the ones giving the highest importance to user-generated content when willing to purchase fashion items.While 99 percent of them looked for ratings and product reviews when purchasing clothes, another 98 percent of them did the same when shopping footwear.

Hong Kong Number of Enrolled Student: UGC: Full Time: PTG: Taught Postgraduate data was reported at 16,596.000 Person in 2016. This records an increase from the previous number of 16,395.000 Person for 2015. Hong Kong Number of Enrolled Student: UGC: Full Time: PTG: Taught Postgraduate data is updated yearly, averaging 1,469.000 Person from Sep 1985 (Median) to 2016, with 32 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 17,312.000 Person in 2014 and a record low of 602.000 Person in 1988. Hong Kong Number of Enrolled Student: UGC: Full Time: PTG: Taught Postgraduate data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Census and Statistics Department. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Hong Kong – Table HK.G118: Education Statistics.

The internet is growing, which affects the business industry's ability to keep up with its development by doing live streaming marketing. Live streaming marketing makes consumers make impulsive purchases because consumers can interact with sellers in real time and see people's reviews through comments, making consumers' buying intentions higher. The aim of this study is to explain how user-generated content in live-streaming marketing acts as an impulsive buying factor. It can also be referred to as user-generated content. Other consumers create user-generated content to give their honest review of a product in a video, photo, or other format. This research uses quantitative methods. The data was collected through a questionnaire distributed in June–September 2024 to 154 customers who buy via live streaming. The data collection method used is purposive sampling; the data is then processed using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) with Smart PLS as tool. There are six variables in this research, there are: user generated content, content authenticity, social interaction, emotional appeal, pleasure, and impulsive buying with seven hypotheses. The results showed that the value of user-generated content, social interaction, and content authenticity in live-streaming marketing has a significant effect on pleasure and emotional appeal so that it can impact impulsive buying for users.

Keywords: user generated content, live streaming marketing, impulsive buying, UGC, e-commerce

A 3.2 percent conversion rate was observed in the 1,200 e-commerce websites analyzed running user-generated content (UGC) technology in 2022. Additionally, once visitors scrolled to a point where they encountered UGC, their likelihood of conversion increased by an average of 3.8 percent. Although UGC influenced conversion, the real impact was notable when visitors actively engaged with the content. During that year, users who interacted with UGC experienced a 102.4 percent increase in conversion.

Statistics on staff in UGC-funded univerisites

Hong Kong Number of Enrolled Student: UGC: Full Time: Sub-Degree data was reported at 29,266.000 Person in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 29,255.000 Person for 2016. Hong Kong Number of Enrolled Student: UGC: Full Time: Sub-Degree data is updated yearly, averaging 13,830.000 Person from Sep 1985 (Median) to 2017, with 33 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 43,140.000 Person in 2012 and a record low of 7,117.000 Person in 1995. Hong Kong Number of Enrolled Student: UGC: Full Time: Sub-Degree data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Census and Statistics Department. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Hong Kong SAR – Table HK.G118: Education Statistics.

The User-Generated Content (UGC) platform market, valued at $381.81 million in 2025, is poised for significant growth. This expansion is driven by several key factors, including the increasing adoption of social media, the rising popularity of online video and streaming, and the growing demand for personalized and authentic content. The diverse range of platforms, encompassing blogs, websites, social media networks, and video-sharing sites, caters to a broad spectrum of users, from individuals sharing personal experiences to large corporations using UGC for marketing purposes. Segment analysis reveals strong growth in the e-commerce and retail sectors, leveraging UGC for product reviews and influencer marketing. The government and public sector are also increasingly adopting UGC platforms for citizen engagement and public information dissemination. Geographic analysis suggests that North America and Asia Pacific currently hold the largest market shares, fueled by high internet penetration and a tech-savvy population. However, growth in other regions, particularly in emerging markets with rising smartphone adoption, presents significant future opportunities. Competition is fierce, with established players like Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter competing with newer platforms focusing on niche audiences or specific content formats. The market's future trajectory depends on factors such as evolving user preferences, technological advancements, and regulatory changes concerning data privacy and content moderation. Future growth will likely be influenced by the increasing sophistication of UGC tools and analytics. Platforms are continuously improving their algorithms to enhance content discovery and user engagement. The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) is expected to further personalize the user experience and improve content moderation capabilities. Challenges include maintaining content quality, addressing issues of misinformation and harmful content, and ensuring data security and user privacy. Despite these challenges, the UGC market shows a robust outlook. Continued innovation in platform features, improved monetization strategies, and expanding user bases across various demographics will contribute to sustained growth over the next decade. This dynamic market offers substantial potential for both established companies and emerging players who can adapt to evolving user needs and technological trends.

This layer shows the statistics on student enrolment (headcount) in UGC-funded programmes by University, Level of Study, Mode of Study and Sex in Hong Kong. It is a set of the data made available by the University Grants Committee Secretariat under the Government of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (the "Government") at https://portal.csdi.gov.hk ("CSDI Portal"). The source data has been processed and converted into Esri File Geodatabase format and then uploaded to Esri’s ArcGIS Online platform for sharing and reference purpose. The objectives are to facilitate our Hong Kong ArcGIS Online users to use the data in a spatial ready format and save their data conversion effort.For details about the data, source format and terms of conditions of usage, please refer to the website of Hong Kong CSDI Portal at https://portal.csdi.gov.hk.