UGC(user-generated content)
Also called: community content
Definition
UGC, short for User-Generated Content, refers to content created by users rather than by brands: customer reviews, discussions on Reddit or specialist forums, Q&A, videos. Generative engines look there for first-hand feedback, which they consider more authentic than what brands say about themselves.
Its weight varies a lot between engines and over time. According to the Semrush AI Visibility Index 2026, Reddit was among the sources ChatGPT cited most in early 2026. Then, according to Promptwatch, its share of ChatGPT's citations went from 3.8% to 0.5% in August 2026, while it fell much less in Google's AI products.
Example
A question like “is this software worth it?” often brings up reviews on specialist sites, discussion threads and video tests, far more than the brand's homepage.
What it means for your AI visibility
You don't control UGC, but you can encourage it: ask your customers for reviews, reply under your real name in discussions, publish demos. And track engine by engine, because the weight of these sources changes fast.
Related terms
- Reference sourcesReference sources are the few sites AI cites by default in a category: review sites, comparisons, encyclopedias, specialist media.
- SentimentSentiment describes the way an AI talks about your brand: positively, neutrally or negatively, and with what arguments.
- Query fan-outQuery fan-out is the technique a generative engine uses to split a question into several searches run in parallel.
- Digital PRDigital PR gets a brand talked about in media and on third-party sites. In GEO, it's often what gets a brand into AI answers.
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