In Germany four platforms matter for UGC, and the fourth is what sets this market apart from every other in Europe: LinkedIn.

Instagram

The most mature platform for German brands, especially in beauty, fashion and food. Reels are the standard format, and brands buy 15 to 30 seconds designed both to post and to run as ads.

What you deliver: 9:16, tight pacing, centred captions, raw file without logo.

TikTok

Younger audience, lower tolerance for anything that looks like advertising. German brands arrived later than in France but are now widely present, often through Spark Ads.

What you deliver: a faster opening, conversational tone, and the authorisation code when Spark Ads are planned.

YouTube Shorts

Growing fast and covered explicitly by few creators. Suits products that need explaining, because watch time is rewarded.

What you deliver: the same vertical format, with room up to 60 seconds.

LinkedIn

The German specificity. B2B companies, the Mittelstand and recruitment use vertical video there with growing success, and almost no creator positions themselves on it. Anyone who handles employee videos, explainers and specialist subjects cleanly finds clients with budget and little competition.

What you deliver: a calmer tone than TikTok, clear structure, no overplayed staging, and wording cleared with the communications team.

What that means in practice

The base footage stays the same, pacing and opening change. So offer two edits of one shoot rather than two shoots. And always ask which platforms the video will run on: rights are negotiated per platform.

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Frequently asked questions

Does LinkedIn really work for UGC?

Yes, in B2B and recruitment, and that is where competition is lowest.

Which platform pays best?

None in itself. What pays is the ad right, negotiated per platform.

Does one video work everywhere?

The footage yes, the edit no.

What are Spark Ads?

The TikTok format that runs the ad through your account, using a code you generate.