Atreyee Poddar
Brands have shifted their budgets away from polished commercials and toward phone-shot videos that are known as UGC (User-Generated Content). And the creators making that content? They're not influencers. They don't need a single follower. They just need to know how to play the game. Here's exactly where to start.
Stop waiting to be discovered
The first move is choosing 2-3 categories you can talk about convincingly for e.g., skincare, gadgets, pet products, whatever you already have opinions on. Brands aren’t hiring generalists; they’re hiring someone who can say “I've used seventeen serums and this is the one that worked” and mean it.
Find your people before you find your clients
UGC is a solo hustle, so join the community first. Facebook groups, Discord servers, and Instagram threads packed with other UGC creators are where the real intel lives. Brand leads get shared, ghosting horror stories get swapped, and someone's always posting what a 30-second TikTok is actually going for these days.
Build a portfolio that takes 10 seconds to "get"
Brands are scrolling through dozens of pitches a day, so your portfolio needs to make its case instantly. A simple one-page site, a labeled Google Drive folder, or even a dedicated Instagram grid works — as long as it's got your best 3-5 clips, your niches, and a way to contact you, front and center.
Slide into DMs like you mean business
The creators making real money are cold-pitching. Find smaller, direct-to-consumer brands in your niche (they hire UGC constantly) and send a short, confident message with your reel links and your rate attached. No fluff, no "just checking if you're interested" energy. Treat it like a business proposal, because it is one.
Get on the creator platforms
Marketplaces like Creator Marketplace, Billo, Aspire, and JoinBrands exist specifically to match creators with brands looking for content. No relationship-building is required, just apply and go. It's the closest thing UGC has to a job board.