45M views, 49 videos, 3 audios, 2 hooks, 1 format, 1 account.
This is how I got here as someone who had never created content before November.
I’m currently Chief of Staff at Alta, an AI personal stylist app backed by the LVMH family office and Anthropic. Alta has been featured in Vogue, Elle, TIME Best Inventions 2025, TechCrunch, Forbes, Fast Company, and more.
We all know consumer apps often leverage UGC to fuel growth.
Aware of this, I started posting and experimenting after researching on Twitter and reading resources like Social Growth Engineers. What actually worked came from treating content like a science, not an art. And once one format clicked, it became repeatable across videos, amassing 45M views over 49 videos on my account.
Here are my biggest takeaways if I had to start over:
1. Find a format that’s unique to your product
In a saturated UGC space, the content that wins is the content that shows the product’s value without feeling like an ad. It has to feel native to how someone would actually discover something.
Strong formats usually come from having someone in-house who can lead content ideation and clearly translate the product into visuals (reposting Daniel, ex-CMO of Cluely below on this). Your UGC creators can’t be guessing how to show your product, you need to give them clear examples.
Here’s what worked for us:
2. Audio actually matters
Find audio that sonically fits the content. If you watch my posts, you’ll notice the beats match when I swipe through the Alta app UI.
This is not accidental; you need to find ways to make your content riveting and satisfying to watch. Short-form content is a viewer retention game. Bonus points if the artist comments on your video (thank you Laufey)!!
3. Don’t be precious
Create with the assumption that most people will not care. They’re scrolling fast and trying to understand everything at 2x speed.
We cut way more than felt comfortable and just kept doubling down on what worked. Kill your darlings, distill fluffy copy, iterate quickly!
4. Use the comment section
People feel special when a creator responds. They’re more incentivized to engage (and maybe even download an app) when someone has taken the time to tell them about the app.
5. Interact like a real account
For your UGC account to get healthy views, you need the account itself to be in good shape.
That means consistently leaving relevant comments on videos in your niche, following new people you come across on your FYP, making sure you scroll periodically. A lot of creators will post on the app and disengage immediately.
Think like an influencer trying to grow, and act like one!
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