Make Money With a UGC Side Hustle

Are you ready to turn your passion for content creation into a profitable business and get out of that job that you hate? Becoming a UGC (User-Generated Content) creator can open up exciting opportunities for you to make money doing what you love.UGC can be a profitable career once you get going, but often, knowing how to become a UGC creator is a hurdle that many can't get over or tend to stop before starting. In this blog post, we'll walk you through 9 actionable steps to kickstart your UGC career and jump over those hurdles. Whether you're looking for a side hustle or want to go full-time with your business, these steps will help you start making a profit from UGC. So, let's dive in and unleash your creative potential!

Step 1: Research & Practice UGC

If you want to become a UGC content creator, you’re going to need to be able to create UGC content. Sure anyone can put together a quick video on Reels or Capcut but great UGC content that a brand will pay for has a strategy that converts. Organic vs. Paid strategies, types of UGC content (i.e. testimonials, unboxings, skits & more), and target audience are all concepts you want to be well versed on.

Start by brainstorming some of your dream brands you’d like to work with and do some research on them. What types of UGC video styles do they post? I like to save these examples so I can refer back if I need some creative guidance when filming. I suggest following some UGC creators, searching UGC on Instagram and TikTok will give an abundance of examples. Don’t just scroll, take notes, and analyze why you think it performed well. This is a great way to prepare some examples for your portfolio.

Content Shooting Tips:

• Remember to film in 1080HD & 60FPS: Adjust this in your iPhone’s settings > camera > record video. 
• Ensure HDR is turned off. This is a feature that can make your UGC look overexposed. 
• Use AI to help you write & conceptualize scripts for brands/campaigns. I use Bard and ChatGPT.
• Lighting is everything. I suggest investing in a ring light or clip-on light to ensure that every day you can create content regardless of the weather. 

Step 2: Create a Portfolio in Canva

A visually appealing portfolio is essential for showcasing your talent and securing paid deals with brands, it’s like a loaded resume. This is a great tool to show your value, provide examples, and include packages & relevant info for your dream clients. Canva is an excellent platform for creating a beginner UGC content creator portfolio, you need little to no design skills and there are a few templates to get you started. 

Here’s what you can include: 

• A short About/Bio with your city, demographic, experience, and more.
• Examples of your work - if you have none yet create sample videos and images for your dream clients and showcase them in your portfolio.
• Feedback & Reviews - a section that highlights the value you provided to past clients 
• Contact Information - This is one of the most important yet simple steps that I have seen so many creators miss. Always add an email, phone number & any other ways a brand can connect with you.
• Packages - I suggest both including bundles and a la carte pricing for your UGC services. For example, $150 for 1 organic UGC video or $500 for a bundle of 5 organic videos.
• It is optional to include your rates, you can also withhold the rates and have the client get on a call to customize a package for them specific to their needs.

Take the guesswork out of creating a portfolio + start signing paid brand deals! Our high-converting portfolio for Canva is highly optimized to ensure you land more clients and speeds up your UGC journey by weeks! Ready to make your passion your paycheck?

Step 3: Set Up a Professional Business Email

Establishing a professional online presence is crucial for gaining credibility as a UGC creator. Set up a dedicated business email address to communicate with brands, clients, and potential collaborators. A professional email address adds a touch of legitimacy to your brand and ensures that your communication is taken seriously. Most UGC creators we work with use Google Business or GoDaddy to create their email accounts.

Step 4: Create UGC Social Accounts

Instagram and TikTok are two powerful platforms for UGC creators to post their examples, when our agency hires UGC creators this is usually where we start. We look for creators with UGC in their usernames or bio and then watch their examples to see if they would be a good fit for our brand campaign.  You don't need to worry about a following or how many views you get, I like to think of these social accounts as extensions of your portfolio and arguably the most important part.

• Strive to film 2 - 3 UGC examples per week and post them to build a portfolio of examples for potential paying brands.
• Fill your page with multiple UGC styles of content to show your strengths: aka testimonials, unboxings, grwm, paid video v. organic video, etc.
• Make sure you include contact info in your bio (for brands to reach out)

Step 5: Find Your Niche

Finding your unique voice and niche can help you stand out in the UGC community and with brands. Identify your passions, interests, and expertise to create content that resonates with your target audience. Small businesses, women-owned businesses, sustainable organic products, beauty, or just choosing to work with brands whose products you actually use and love (I find that authenticity & honest reviews of products are always the best way to attract aligned clients that won't be headaches later).

Step 6: Pitch Yourself to Brands

Pitching to brands can significantly boost your visibility and paid collaborations as a UGC creator. Here are the platforms that our UGC creators find the most success with for paid deals.

• Email 
• LinkedIn 
• Twitter/X - a ton of brands use X to post their UGC job listing so this is not a platform to overlook. Spend 5-10 min a day scrolling relevant hashtags such as #UGC, #UGCCreatorWanted, #UGCCollab.
• Social Media DMs - Instagram and TikTok DMs have been a great resource for UGC creators to communicate directly with the brand's social media team.

Pitching Do's 

✅ Do your research & present the brand with a solution.

Only pitch to brands that you truly believe you can bring value to. We see plenty of creators send out the same generic message to 200 contacts a day but remember, quality & authenticity > quantity for long-term results. Each pitch should be personalized to the brand's goals or pain points — what is their problem and how are you the solution?

✅ Find the right person to contact, the decision maker.
This is often a creative director, brand/social media manager, or influencer marketing manager and make sure you use their first name!

✅ Showcase your strengths & examples.

Highlight your most successful campaigns, engagement metrics, and your impact on previous brand partnerships. This can be a link to your UGC portfolio in an email, adding a client testimonial, or linking your social media accounts to showcase the work you have done for other brands! If you haven't worked with brands yet, create examples for your favorite brands that you already own & love to show your skill and creativity. 

✅ Be professional & approachable. 

Maintain a professional yet friendly tone in your pitch with the use of proper grammar, spelling, and formatting (get Grammarly installed, it seriously is a lifesaver).

✅ Follow Up

Don't get discouraged if you don't receive a reply to your first email. Most people are busy and receive a ton of emails a day so I always suggest following up after 3 days - 7 days.

Email Pitch Example

Hey [brand name] team 👋

Happy Monday, I know you probably get tons of emails a day so I’ll get straight to the point.

My name is [name], and I’m a [Gen Z, mom, millennial, etc] UGC content creator who just happens to use & love [brand and your experience with the product or service].

I instantly went to find you on [Reels, TikTok, etc] and I noticed that you have a page, but you do not have any videos currently posted on the platform. 

I would love to help you grow a following on [social media platforms] and connect more with your target consumer. I know all things [social media platforms] and can implement the latest trends.

Attached is my portfolio if you would like to see some of my references and examples I have created for other brands like [ name some brands].

I look forward to collaborating with you! 

[your name]

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Step 7: Set Your Rates

As a UGC creator, it's essential to value your time and talent. Set your rates based on factors such as your experience, niche, and the value you provide to brands. You’ll quickly work out what brands are willing to pay for your content & what you’re comfortable charging, you can also adjust your prices at any time.

Rates should be negotiated, don’t be shy in confidently communicating your worth and the unique value you bring to the table, but also remember that there is no shame in lowering your rates if you love the brand, need more experience, or just need the money right now. 

When we hire UGC creators for brand campaigns through VITMAMINC, we tend to pay the creators their asking rate if they can back up their value claims with great examples & reviews, as long as they are reasonably priced according to the average of other creators. Other factors that affect rates are your quality of content, your professionalism & timely delivery, the engagement rates you have received on past examples & more.

Here is a rough guideline on rates that I have encountered when interacting with hundreds of UGC creators and also what agencies/brands are willing to pay. 

• 1 video - 1 concept = $100-200 per video
• Bundle 5 videos - 5 concepts = $450 - $800
• Usage rights = 10% - 25% the base rate
• Monthly retainers = $1,500 - $4,000 depending on how many assets are needed, the workload & time invested.
• I have seen creators also adding on other product offerings like raw footage, selling multiple hooks, and whitelisting which are additional upsells.

Step 8: Find Opportunities On UGC Platforms

While pitching is one of the best ways to get UGC work, there are many platforms & agencies out there that help put creators in touch with brands. Explore these platforms to find more UGC opportunities.

Some of the UGC Platforms include:

• Trend
• Tribe
• Collabster
• UGC Shop

Also, don't sleep on freelancer platforms that have emerged as valuable hubs for creators to receive paid work. Platforms like Fiverr & Upwork tend to offer less than the average, but as a new creator, it’s a great way to get over the hurdle of finding your first paying brand deals.

Step 9: Join a networking group: VITAMINC Creator Club COMING SOON

To supercharge your UGC career, join our exclusive community created just for girlies in the marketing and social media world! Are you a girl boss looking to connect with like-minded individuals in the industry? Look no further, because our community is here to provide you with an amazing opportunity to network, learn, grow & read together.

Surround yourself with other women working in the social media spaces who share your passion for content creation, marketing, reading & personal growth. In our community, you'll gain access to valuable resources, networking opportunities, and exclusive insights to help you grow your business, we meet once a month and read a self-help, business, or marketing novel together.

Becoming a successful UGC creator is an exciting journey that can transform your passion into a profitable business or side hustle. By following these actionable steps, you'll be well on your way to driving conversions, booking brand deals, and achieving your UGC career goals. Don't wait any longer to take the leap – start your side hustle or career in UGC today. Want to learn more? VITAMINC is launching our UGC Creator Masterclass - a deep dive into becoming a creator in 2024 and we hold your hand the entire way to get your business off the ground. Stay tuned for a course announcement next month! 

By Maddy Heller | Creative Director @ VITAMINC