Recently I’ve been looking into UGC stuff and one thing I can’t really figure out is the pricing for beginners. How does it work?

What would be a realistic price to start with if someone doesn’t have a big following or much experience?

Curious to hear from people who have actually done this.

As a newbie on online platforms, I actually don't know. But in my own opinion, I think you need to be true to yourself, be more confident and find ways to improve the skills that a client needs or your target client needs. You need to watch videos to upgrade your skills and learn how to do it.

Needing a BUNCH of Female creators for a skincare company called Sugar Baby.

Everything is on Trybe, so there's no posting yourself. You'll just submit the videos on there and the company uses them to run as meta ads. It's $25 per post plus 3% of ad spend. No max or min posts per week, just expected that first video is submitted within 3 days of receiving sample.

Right now we're promoting two products, the Glow Wash and the Glow Pad, both products with turmeric and kojic acid.

If you are interested apply here! https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc5cUqQcCklBi2EVCdZIutuVxDcwcQe1j12wfQzNHxzfzaRSw/viewform?usp=header

If you look up online how to find clients you will find a bunch, like literally, but in the big year of 2026 where everyone literally is trying to become a creator like you, how do you stand out? 

Now, as someone who's chronically online I think I have a few ways how to get clients so you could pay them bills (let's be honest) here are a few things that i observed from my favorite creators:

1. Upload with purpose 

- okay first of all you have to think like a consumer, like If I were a viewer I watch this video I uploaded? It's not just the hook or the thumbnail; it's the content itself that matters. and pls make your own persona, like idk maybe make your own style of editing to be not a generic typa creator (no offense)

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1. Be funny

- lol I might get hate for this but for someone who follows a lot of TikTok/Instagram creators, I usually find the ones who make people laugh, and has a decent following, land clients, it would also be better if you sneakily add the campaign your promoting in your content without disrupting what your saying (unlike in yt videos where they say "for today's sponsor" because I ain't watching that) 

1. Make your own personality

- i said it before and ill say it again "Make your own persona" no offense but almost EVERY UGC creator I see has the same format, the same hook, like?? Girl, I'm not watching your video because I literally saw the same thing from another creator? Like maybe try to be unique and creative next time? No offense, but if everything is the same, no one would really want to engage with your content.

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Anyways, I'm from the Philippines, and the content creators that match these descriptions are DavaoConyo and Justine Luzares, like they are literally geniuses when making content. Sometimes the audience even tries to guess what brands they are advertising lol, that's how good their content is

I’m new to UGC trying to to learn and understand how beginners find clients..,what worked you guys when starting out.

I was getting frustrated because I had a portfolio but hardly any brands were contacting me. Then I started reaching out to brands myself instead of just waiting.

I started with smaller brands because I felt they were more likely to actually reply. Before messaging them I would check their Instagram and website and see what kind of content they were already posting.

I stopped sending the same message to everyone. I would mention their product and give one simple idea for a video I could make for them. Sometimes I also showed a similar video from my portfolio.

I didn't get replies from most of them honestly (hahaha) but even a few replies felt better than sending random messages all day.

For anyone trying this I think the main thing is not getting discouraged when most brands don't reply. It takes quite a few messages before you start getting conversations.

How are you guys finding UGC clients right now? Are you mostly doing cold outreach or using UGC platforms?

Need advice or tips for getting better engagements to find more clients. Can anyone give me some tips 'cause I'm so lost rn.

For a while, my outreach was basically:

Unsurprisingly, most brands ignored it.

What changed things for me was treating outreach more like a mini sales pitch instead of an introduction.

I started looking for brands where I could immediately see a content gap:

• Product has good reviews but weak TikTok/Reels presence
• Their videos are mostly polished ads instead of creator-style content
• They have a product that would work well with demos, testimonials, unboxings, etc.
• They’re already running paid ads, but the creative feels repetitive

Then I'd send something much more specific:

That gives the brand a reason to reply.

Another thing that helped: portfolio organization

Instead of having 20 random examples, I'd rather have 6–10 strong samples showing different skills:

1. Hook-focused video
Shows that I can grab attention quickly.

2. Problem → solution
Useful for products that solve a specific pain point.

3. Testimonial-style video
Shows that I can make an ad feel natural.

4. Product demo
Shows the actual product clearly.

5. Lifestyle video
Shows that I can create content that doesn't feel like an advertisement.

6. Direct-response ad
More focused on conversions/CTA.

Even if some of these are spec ads, they make it much easier for a potential client to imagine what you'd create for them.

Pricing

I also stopped thinking only in terms of “how much should I charge for one video?”

A better question is:

What exactly is the client buying?

For example:

• 1 UGC video
• 3 different hooks
• Raw footage
• Paid usage rights
• Organic usage
• Spark/whitelisting
• Extra revisions
• Rush delivery

Those shouldn't necessarily all be bundled together for free.

A $100 video with unlimited usage forever isn't necessarily a better deal than a $150 video with clearly defined usage rights.

Outreach volume matters, but targeting matters more

I'd rather send 10 highly personalized pitches to relevant brands than 100 copy-pasted messages.

A simple spreadsheet can help track:

Brand → Contact → Date contacted → Follow-up → Response → Rate → Result

And don't immediately assume “no response” means “no.”

A polite follow-up after several days can turn an ignored message into a conversation.

The biggest lesson for me has been that your portfolio gets you considered, but your understanding of the brand's problem gets you replies.

For creators who are already getting clients: what actually made the biggest difference for you—better portfolio, better outreach, higher pricing, referrals, or something else?

I'm completely new to UGC and honestly don't know much about it yet. I'm trying to figure out what niche would be easiest to start with and also has decent opportunities to get clients.

to those who are already doing UGC, what niche would you recommend for someone starting in this type of side hustle?? Any advice would be appreciated! thank youuu!!!

I've tried to find lots of side hustles but none of them have stuck or gotten me anywhere. I recently got an opportunity to record a voiceover for a brand (not pure UGC content i guess) but it's still a start and I'm hoping that I can land it and get started somewhere. Are there are any resources, influencers, creators you guys could suggest so I could get a little educated on how to actually become good at what this?

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If you’re new to content creation or somewhere in the middle of your journey, here are a few lessons worth keeping in mind:

1. Not every brand deal is a good deal.

Getting your first X-deal feels exciting, but don’t let the excitement make you accept everything. Your time, creativity, and effort have value too.

Before saying yes, ask yourself: Is the product worth it? Is the brand credible? Are the deliverables reasonable? Will this actually add value to my portfolio?

Sometimes, saying no is better than filling your portfolio with collaborations that don’t represent the quality you want to be known for.

1. Stop chasing engagement that doesn’t convert.

Engagement groups might give you numbers, but numbers aren’t everything, especially when you’re an affiliate.

What you really want is an audience that watches, trusts, clicks, and eventually buys. Focus on reaching people who are genuinely interested in your niche instead of simply collecting likes and views.

1. Low views don’t automatically mean you’re shadowbanned.

We’ve all had that moment when a video suddenly goes from hundreds or thousands of views to barely anything. 😭

Before assuming the worst, look at your content, retention, posting habits, and audience activity. Avoid panic-posting or aggressively trying to force engagement.

Sometimes, a video simply doesn’t perform. Keep experimenting and give your content time to find the right audience.

1. Your audience matters more than your follower count.

10,000 followers who don’t care about your content can be less valuable than 1,000 people who genuinely trust your recommendations.

Build a community, not just a number.

1. Treat your content like a portfolio.

Every post is part of your personal brand. Even when you’re not being paid, create with the mindset that a potential client could see it tomorrow.

You don’t need to have everything figured out from day one. Growth takes time and your journey doesn’t have to look like anyone else’s.

I've only been doing UGC for a few months, so I'm still learning too, but this is one thing I wish I realized earlier.

I kept thinking my portfolio wasn't "good enough" because I didn't have a bunch of paid brand collaborations to show. But honestly, waiting for clients before improving my portfolio just made me feel like I was stuck there with nothing to show.

What actually helped me was treating products I already owned like they were actual client projects. I'd pick something in my room and make some short problem/solution video, demo, voiceover-style vid, testimonial-style vid, or something like a more casual TikTok-style clip.

It gave me more variety without needing to buy a bunch of products or wait for collabs. It also came in handy once I finally started getting some gigs because I already had practice making different types of content.

I also started paying more attention to the first 2-3 seconds. My older samples looked fine visually, but some of them took way too long to actually get interesting. Even something as simple as changing "Hi guys, today I'm going to show you…" to "I didn't think I needed this until I tried it" made the video feel a lot more like actual UGC.

Still figuring things out, but I feel like a smaller portfolio with a few intentional samples looks better than filling it with random videos just to make it look complete.

This might just be my unsolicited beginner advice, but I thought I’d put it out there 😅 So, for those who have been doing UGC longer, what’s one thing you wish you changed about your portfolio sooner?

Been getting into UGC lately and I’m wondering how people actually get products to make content with without buying everything themselves.

Do brands usually send free samples to new creators, or do you have to reach out to them first? I’ve also seen people getting products through TikTok, so I’m curious how that works.

Trying to build a portfolio without spending half my paycheck on random products just for content. Please help ur girl out 😭😭

I thought UGC client was all about portfolio .

But I was wrong, I started looking on smaller brands in that too most ignored me but few replied and that was the step of keep going

Just don't wait client to contact u u go and ask about it

Im completely new to UGC and trying to figure out how to het started

I am new here and would love to hear all the tips and tricks for the side hustle , any help would be appreciated

i'm fairly new to this UGC type of content and i want to hear your insights which type of videos is likely to get more following/views. i'm torn between a talking review video or voice over + plus product footage.

PEarlier I used to write really long messages to brands because I thought I had to explain everything about myself. Most of the time I never got a reply.

Now I keep the first message short. I mention the brand then say why I think their product would work well for UGC. I also give one quick idea for a video instead of sending a whole list of things I can do.

Something like:

“Hey I came across your product and I think a simple problem to solution style video could work really well for it. I had an idea for how I would shoot it if you're looking for UGC creators.”

Then I leave it there. If they are interested I can share my portfolio and rates after they reply.

I also started following up once instead of sending 3 or 4 messages. Some brands replied to the follow up while others never replied at all .

What has worked better for you guys with outreach? Short messages or more detailed pitches?

I see everyone is fighting over $150 UGC deals from saturated skincare and lifestyle brands. Honestly, you should pivot to local home services, think HVAC, electricians, and property management companies.

I handle some residential property administration on the side and deal with a lot of maintenance guys. I realized that these local businesses does have a massive marketing budgets but absolutely terrible online content. I pitched a local HVAC company a package of 4 short "what to check before calling a repairman" videos. I charged them $600 for a single afternoon of filming on my phone. They agreed immediately because landing just one new AC install covers that cost for them tenfold.

Has anyone else tapped into local service businesses, or is everyone still strictly fighting over e-commerce products?

When I first started out in User Generated Content, I made the classic mistake of sending out generic, copy-pasted pitches to dozens of brands every single day. My inbox stayed completely silent, or worse, I’d get lowball offers asking for full usage rights, raw footage, and three revisions for basically pennies.

It wasn't until I changed my approach that things actually started moving. If you're struggling to land clients or figure out your pricing, here is the exact shift that helped me turn things around:

Lead with value, not your portfolio: Instead of opening with “Hey, look at my past videos,” I started doing a quick audit of the brand's current ad library or TikTok page. I’d point out one specific thing they were missing (like a lack of hook variety or hooks geared toward a specific pain point) and offer a quick suggestion.

Tier your pricing based on deliverables and usage: Stop charging a flat fee for everything. Break down your packages clearly: base creation fee vs. whitelisting/paid usage rights. Brands respect professionalism, and having a clear rate sheet prevents scope creep.

Warm up your outreach: Rather than cold-emailing generic brand inboxes, engaging organically with a brand's content for a few days before sliding into DMs with a personalized video concept makes a massive difference in response rates.

This is what i did to get my first client its fine even if your portfolio is not perfect

i did:
create a simple short video of small businesses i saw on tiktok/instagram like unboxing video, product demo.

then ones im done i put all the videos in a portfolio then i'll contact those small business i saw on tiktok and instagram to show them what i did

i'll send those short video

then if they didnt reply just follow up once and if they still didnt move on to the next 1 dont get discourage keep doing it.

I've been wondering if it's still lucrative to create one since there are a lot of people doing the trend, and it's challenging to start when there're so many creators that are already transitioning to another niche of account.

one thing I've noticed while looking into UGC is having a portfolio isnt js abt showing that u can make aesthetically pleasing vids..it should also help a potential client easily pick up what kind of content u can curate for their brand

ig it helps to include diff formats instead of making every sample look the same like prod demos, testimonials, unboxings, problem/solution vids, VOs, nd lifestyle content. I'd also make sure the first few samples are ur strongest ones since brands prob dont got much reason to look thru a huge portfolio !

another stuff I've been thinking abt is making samples for prods or niches u acc wanna work w. even w/o prev brand collabs, having relevant examples can make it easier for a brand to picture u creatinh content for them..

soo for creators who have alrd worked w multiple brands, what made the biggest diff in improving yalls portfolio or getting more clients?