UGC is a job: you make videos for brands, and they pay you for it.
UGC, short for user-generated content, means short videos in which a real person shows a product or service to camera, in the format of social media. The difference from influencer work is that the brand isn't paying you for your audience. It's paying you for the video, which it then uses on its own profiles and, above all, in its ads. That's why you don't need lots of followers to start. I do UGC full time, in English and Portuguese, I've worked with more than 45 brands, and in the community I support lots of creators who are exactly where you are now. This is the path I'd take if I were starting today.
The truth about starting
Plenty of people sell UGC as easy money. It isn't. It's creative and commercial work at the same time: you write, film and edit, and then you have to convince brands to pay you for it. For most people, the first few months involve more contacting brands than filming.
The good news is that the barrier to entry is low, and what separates those who make it from those who give up can be learned: good hooks, videos that show the product working, a clear portfolio, and the discipline to contact brands every week. Nobody asks you for a course, a studio or a hundred thousand followers.
The basics, sorted
- Phone. The one you have is enough, as long as it films in good quality on the back or front camera.
- Light. A window in front of you. Later, a ring light or a small panel.
- Sound. A cheap lavalier mic makes more difference than a new phone.
- Editing. CapCut or Instagram's own editor is enough to start. Learn to cut silences, add subtitles and get the pacing right.
- A tripod. So your hands are free to show the product.
Don't spend money on kit before you've made your first videos. What will change your work is practice, not the camera.
Your first three videos
Pick three things you already have access to: an app you use, a product you have at home, a service you know. Make one video of each, each in a different format:
- A demonstration. Show how it's used, step by step. If it's an app, record the screen.
- A before and after. What your routine was like without it, and what it's like with it.
- An answer to a doubt. Take a common objection ("isn't this expensive?", "isn't it complicated?") and answer it.
For each one, write the script first: a hook for the first few seconds, the problem, the demonstration and a clear final action. Then film the same opening two or three different ways. You'll quickly see which sounds most natural, and brands like to see that you already think about testing.
These videos are personal projects and should be labelled as such. I explain how to organise them in how to build a UGC portfolio brands choose.
How to charge
Every project is different, so there's no single right price. But there's a logic that helps you write proposals and stop undervaluing yourself:
- The video. It includes the script, filming and editing. The more work, the more it's worth.
- The usage rights. A video for the brand's profile is worth less than a video for paid ads, which will be seen by far more people for months. The term, the countries and exclusivity also count. I explain how it works in UGC usage rights.
- The extras. Alternative openings, raw files, versions in other formats, subtitles in another language, rush delivery. These are charged separately.
Two rules I follow and recommend. Don't work for free, not even "just this once, for the portfolio": that's what personal projects are for, and you control those. And don't accept product in exchange for a video. A brand that pays you in product is telling you what it thinks your work is worth.
The legal side, without the drama
To invoice brands, register as self-employed or as a sole trader in the country where you live, following your local tax authority's process. Keep a copy of every invoice you issue and every expense related to the work. Then check two things locally, ideally with an accountant before you register: whether you need to charge VAT or sales tax, and from what earnings threshold, and what social security or social contributions you'll owe as a self-employed person. Rules and thresholds differ from country to country and change over time, so confirm the current ones rather than relying on something you read online.
One more point: when you post paid content on your own profile, in most countries advertising rules require it to be clearly identified as advertising. Platforms have a "paid partnership" label for exactly this.
Having all this sorted isn't just an obligation. A brand that asks "can you invoice us?" and hears "yes" without hesitation immediately feels more at ease.
The professionalism nobody sees
Brands come back to the people who make their lives easier. Often what makes a brand return isn't the best video, it's the best experience:
- Replying within 24 hours, even if it's just to say "got it, I'll reply tomorrow".
- Sending the script before filming and only filming once it's approved.
- Meeting the deadline you set yourself.
- Asking questions about the product before writing, rather than guessing.
- Having everything agreed in writing: videos, deadlines, revisions, rights and payment.
How to deliver the videos
Deliver through a link that won't expire quickly, such as a Google Drive folder, with high-quality files and names that make sense: brand, video number, version, format. If you filmed several openings, keep each one as a separate, clearly named file. An organised delivery saves the brand half an hour and tells them they won't have to chase you for anything.
Where to find your first brands
- Direct contact. Choose brands that already advertise on social media, because they're already spending money on ads and need new videos. Write a short, specific email with a video idea for that brand, and send a message on Instagram too. I show you how in how to pitch your first brand.
- UGC platforms. They bring brands and creators together. There's a lot of competition, but they're a good way to land your first jobs.
- Small brands and local businesses. Many have never worked with creators. You can be the first, and that's an advantage.
Contact brands every week, keep a record of who you've written to, and follow up once, with something new to add. Many replies come on the second contact, not the first.
Where you start today
Choose the app or product for your first video and write the hook. That's all. Tomorrow you film. If you'd like to do this with support, the community is free and has creators at every stage, and the guide brings together the portfolio, first email, proposal and delivery templates I use in my own work.
