TikTok User-Generated Content and Purchase Intentions

With the meteoric rise of TikTok as a short-form video platform, user-generated content (UGC) has become a powerful digital marketing tool influencing consumer decision-making. Unlike traditional advertisements, UGC often appears organic, peer-produced, and emotionally resonant—especially when disseminated through TikTok's algorithm-driven “For You” page. Consumers increasingly base purchase decisions on perceived authenticity, trust, and the relatability of creators. However, as UGC expands across diverse industries and demographics, its influence on purchase intentions becomes more complex and less universally understood. This research seeks to explore the nuanced relationship between TikTok UGC and consumer purchasing behaviors, with particular attention to product type, audience segmentation, and context of exposure.

Who Can Use These Topics

This research is ideal for students and professionals pursuing the following courses or strands:

College Programs:

• BS in Marketing

• BS in Digital Business and Innovation

• BS in Entrepreneurship

• BS in Communication

• BS in Tourism Management

• BA in Multimedia Arts

Senior High School Strands:

• Humanities and Social Sciences (HUMSS)

• Accountancy, Business, and Management (ABM)

• General Academic Strand (GAS)

Why This Topic Needs Research

Despite the growing number of studies on TikTok UGC, key research gaps remain:

• Effect of Tourism Type on UGC Influence: Prior studies confirmed that TikTok UGC influences purchase intent in tourism but did not differentiate among tourism types such as cultural, adventure, or wellness—each of which may shape user perception and trust differently (Ramos & Ramos, 2025).

• Demographic Variability in UGC Response: Existing research primarily focused on narrow demographics (e.g., young adult women), leaving a gap in how other genders and age groups perceive and respond to TikTok UGC in various industries (Selezneva, 2024).

• Product-Specific Moderators: Studies often generalize TikTok UGC’s effects without isolating the role of specific product categories like beauty, tech, fashion, or food. This limits insights into product–platform fit and UGC effectiveness (Minh et al., 2024).

• First-time vs. Repeat Purchases: While some research highlights UGC's role in repurchase behavior, there is limited exploration into how it affects initial buying decisions, which is critical for brand discovery and conversion (Hamid et al., 2024).

• Sample Size and Geographic Representation: Several studies use small or localized samples, making findings less generalizable. Broader quantitative research is needed to assess TikTok UGC effects across regions and socioeconomic classes (Sibulan & Limos-Galay, 2024).

• Industry-Specific UGC Performance: Current research confirms that UGC can drive purchases but does not clearly distinguish its effectiveness across industries like food, fashion, electronics, or hospitality, leading to a lack of strategy alignment for marketers (de Vera, 2024).

• Cultural and Generational Moderators: Studies limited to Gen Z and fashion contexts overlook how older generations or other sectors respond to homophily and perceived credibility in TikTok UGC (Pramesti & Alversia, 2023).

Feasibility & Challenges by Target Group

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References

de Vera, R. M. (2024). The Content Effectiveness of User-Generated Content to the Purchasing Decision of Consumers. Latin American Business and Sustainability Review, 1(1), 49-58.

Hamid, D. R., Satoto, E. B., & Sari, M. I. (2024). The Effect of User Generated Content, E-WOM, and E-Servqual on TikTok Application on Repurchase Intention. International Social Sciences and Humanities, 3(3), 577-589.

Minh, N. H., Hai, L. S., Phi, N. A., Duyen, L. B. T., & Giang, L. T. Q. (2024). The impact of TikTok UGC videos on online purchase intention: Mediating role of cognitive states. Pacific Asia Journal of the Association for Information Systems, 16(1), 7.

Pramesti, K. D., & Alversia, Y. (2023). The Influence of Attitude Toward User Generated Content (UGC) in TikTok on Purchase Intention. In 7th Global Conference on Business, Management, and Entrepreneurship (GCBME 2022) (pp. 630-639). Atlantis Press.

Ramos, E. C., & Ramos, C. M. (2025). User-Generated Content and Its Impact on Purchase Intent for Tourism Products: A Comparative Analysis of Millennials and Centennials on TikTok. Future Internet, 17(3), 105.

Selezneva, A. (2024). Influence of social media content on TikTok on consumer purchasing intention of beauty and cosmetic products.

Sibulan, F. C. T., & Limos-Galay, J. A. (2024). TikTok affiliate marketing: Factors influencing purchase intention of young professional consumers in Santa Cruz, Occidental Mindoro. International Journal of Research, 12(3), 47-66.

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