5 UGC Ad Formats That Are Scaling Apps Right Now

Welcome to Growth Strategies for VC-Backed Startups.

Here’s today’s marketing insight in under a minute. Let’s dive in.

Okay, so you want to crush it with UGC content.

Let me start by saying this.

Not all UGC is equal.

You might see some videos and other videos that look very similar, but there's actually a key difference between them.

It comes down to the formats that you're trying within these ads.

If you can create formats that do really well, then you're going to drive more installs, lower your CAC, and ultimately even retain people better.

Obviously assuming your app is good, which hopefully it is!

1. Transformation Ads

This is something I talk about a lot.

Day 1 vs. Day 30.

You’ve probably seen YouTubers documenting transformations, like fitness influencer David Laid.

He started with transformation videos that helped him blow up.

The reason this works so well is that people crave progress and results.

They want to see change, not something that remains static.

If you can show this change in an ad, you can do really well.

For example, if you have a meditation app, you could say:

• • Day 1: My mind was racing.
• • Day 30: I actually feel calm.

Through a series of talking, voiceovers, and storytelling elements, you highlight the progress.

In less than 60 seconds you make them think what if that was me?

And then, they wonder how they can do it. And that’s where you plug in your app.

2. Screen Recordings & Voiceovers

This has been huge.

Some of the best ads we've seen for mobile apps are just a screen recording and voiceover.

Super simple to do.

Here’s how you do it:

• • Take screen recordings of the areas in your app where users spend the most time and gain the most value.
• • Have a creator (or yourself) do a voiceover explaining the value.
• • Start with a bold hook, like: Hey, I found this crazy hack that lets me do X!
• • Show the app in action with callouts.
• • End with a strong CTA.

You don’t even need to show the app at the start.

Just start with a personal hook then introduce the app as the solution.

If you structure it with a problem-solution story (more on this in our podcast), your ad performance will skyrocket.

3. Trend-Based Ads

Staying on top of what’s trending on TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook is key.

You can literally Google “best trends right now [month/year]” and find lists of what’s doing well.

Or just scroll through your For You page (you better know what that is!).

So once you find a trend:

• • See if other companies (even those outside your niche) are successfully using it.
• • Plug your app into the trend.
• • Time it right because trend-based ads work best when executed at peak trend popularity.

For example, the Chill Guy Meme was huge.

Some apps crushed it by incorporating it into their ads.

Jumping on trends at the right time can give you an edge.

4. Side-by-Side Comparisons

Split-screen ads work incredibly well.

They compare your app to an alternative in a visually engaging way.

How to structure it:

• • Top screen: “Me using [old app]” → Make it look black & white, dull, with the creator looking frustrated.
• • Bottom screen: “Me using [your app]” → Bright, colorful, creator looking happy.

This taps into FOMO (Fear of Missing Out).

People don’t want to be stuck with the worse option.

Tide detergent does this all the time in their YouTube ads, and it works just as well for mobile apps.

5. Testimonial-Style Selfie Videos

Surprisingly, simple, low-production testimonial videos perform extremely well.

Some brands come to us wanting high-production ads, but we’ve found that raw, authentic testimonials can often outperform them.

Things we’ve found to work well:

• • Keeping sentences super simple: “Hey, do you want to try this? Use this.”
• • Make it feel real and personal. People trust other people.
• • Have creators actually use and benefit from your app. This authenticity really shows.

One thing we started doing internally is demo days.

We basically sit with our creators and have them install our clients app.

They then use it fully and we have the creators who love it the most be a part of the project.

Authenticity can really crush.

Marketing insights in under a minute—delivered.

If you enjoyed this content, then you’ll love our podcast:

Growth Strategies for VC-Backed Startups

It’s your ultimate playbook for scaling smarter and faster.

Cheers.

- Srikar & Sai Karra