In a feed dominated by AI-generated posts, User-Generated Content (UGC) ad format continues to outpace other formats because consumers crave authenticity more than ever. UGC remains one of the most effective ways to satisfy that craving, consistently attracting buyers and loyal customers.
Iveta Makedonska, Founder of MakeItClick, unpacked why in her podcast interview with Affiliate Grand Slam’s COO, Matej Cechvala. UGC has been a fixture in every brand’s creative suite for years. What nobody talks about, she says, is how to actually do it right.
UGC ad format remains one of the best-performing content styles across brands and niches. “People want something they believe in, something that resonates with them.” Makedonska said. Getting there comes down to two things: knowing your customers inside out, and finding the content style that resonates with them.
That means understanding pain points, motivations, and the main reasons customers buy. The more brands know their audience, the more precisely they can target and trigger a response.
Many advertisers produce one or two pieces of content and call it a day. But consumers respond to different formats and styles instead of a single approach. The fix is constant diversification, both in creative format and in the pool of creators producing it.
Makedonska works with around 700 content creators across several brands and niches. To protect authenticity, her team avoids assigning creators to competing brands or products. They match each creator with products that fit their niche and personality. Finding new faces and training them to embody a specific persona keeps the roster varied without sacrificing consistency.
Influencers do not fit the same model. Makedonska sees UGC and influencer marketing as serving different purposes: influencers bring their own vision and tend to freestyle, and straying from the script can hurt performance on paid ads.
Managing 700 creators is no small task, and replacing them with AI avatars might sound appealing. “We’re not there yet.”, Makedonska said, wary of overusing AI to the point of reputational risk for brands.
Where AI does help is in data. It supports more strategic decision-making and helps creative strategists understand what is actually working, giving teams fewer excuses for failing to find winners
Makedonska runs a UGC agency that produces and scales ads for eight- to nine-figure brands across 20 markets. At AGS, she will share more of that framework, including how to track the right data to optimise for winning ads, insights affiliates and performance marketers can apply directly to their own teams.
Get your ticket today and hear more from Iveta Makedonska and other industry leaders at the newly launched Affiliate Grand Slam, bringing 50+ expert speakers to Rome, 02–05 November 2026.
