Using customer posts in your ads: rules and results

Key takeaways

Customer posts often make strong ads because they look real and show genuine results. But using them in paid ads needs written permission from the creator, because they own the copyright, and any identifiable people need to agree too. Claims in the post become your advertising claims, so they must be accurate.

• Get written permission before using customer posts in ads.
• The customer owns the copyright in their photo or video.
• Claims in the post become your advertising claims.
• Real customer content often outperforms polished ads.

Can you use customer posts in your ads?

Yes, with permission. Sharing a customer's post organically with credit is common practice, but using it in paid ads is commercial use. The customer usually owns the copyright, as GOV.UK's guidance on copyright explains, so you need clear written permission covering ads.

• Organic social media vs paid advertising: which to choose?
• User-generated content for UK small businesses

What permission do you need?

Get written permission that covers what you will use, where, for how long and whether you can edit it.

• Which post or posts.
• Which platforms and formats.
• How long you can use it.
• Whether you can edit or crop it.
• Consent from anyone identifiable in it.

• Creator usage rights: what paid reuse of content costs

Why does customer content perform well?

Customer content performs well because it looks like the feed and shows real results from real people. It acts as social proof. Ads built from it often feel more trustworthy than brand-made creative.

• Do buyers trust social ads or organic posts more?

What rules apply to claims?

Once used in an ad, a customer's claims become your claims and must be accurate and typical. Reviews and testimonials must be genuine; the CMA's guidance on consumer reviews applies. Do not edit content to change its meaning.

• Fake or edited testimonials on social media: the law

What about personal data?

If the content shows identifiable people, get their consent too. The ICO's guidance on valid consent applies if you rely on consent: it must be freely given, specific and easy to withdraw.

• GDPR and social media marketing in the UK

What does this look like in practice?

A pattern we see: a garden furniture retailer reposted customer patio photos organically, and they outperformed its studio images. With written permission from three customers, it used the photos in ads for summer, which lowered cost per sale compared with its studio-image ads.

• See client work
• Social Media Marketing for UK businesses

Customer content checklist

• Ask for written permission before ad use.
• Specify platforms, duration and edits.
• Get consent from anyone identifiable.
• Check claims are accurate and typical.
• Do not change the meaning by editing.
• Credit the customer where appropriate.

• Where organic and paid sit in the social funnel
• Comments on your ads: reply, hide or ignore?

Next step

Collect three customer posts you would like to use in ads and send each customer a short permission request covering ads, platforms and duration.