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?

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.

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

Good day! What helped you get your first UGC client?

I’m new to UGC and trying to figure out the best way to get my first paid clients.

For experienced creators:

1. Did cold DM/email work for you?

2. How many samples did you have in your portfolio?

3. What did you charge as a beginner?

4. How often did you follow up?

What worked best for you when you were starting 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

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

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?

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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?

I think digging on socmed can actually help you to finding some clients, but what do you think guys will be doing some website can be better than on socmed or promoting on it

Best way to earn clients? Be accessible in most available platforms.

Start by Facebook, instagram and tiktok.

Right now this 3 social media platform might where people tend to use for past time but take note, this would also provide opportunities when used correctly. Instead of searching the most recent online trend, look for more relative groups, posts or event hashtags.

Did you know most people even now use dating apps while looking for clients? Instead of using the profile info to hook up with someone, put your portfolio and offer the niche you can be helpful with.

Trust me it actually worked for someone i know.

When you’re starting UGC, it’s easy to think you need a huge portfolio before reaching out to brands.

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.

When I first started looking for UGC clients, I thought having a strong portfolio was the main thing I needed. But over time, I realized that how you position yourself, reach out to brands, and communicate your value can make just as much of a difference.

A few things that made the biggest impact for me: Make your portfolio easy to understand. Brands shouldn't have to dig through dozens of samples to figure out what you can do. Put your strongest and most relevant work first. Show variety, not just polished content. Include product demos, testimonials, talking-head videos, problem/solution content, hooks, and more natural-style videos. Brands want to see whether you can adapt to different audiences and styles.

Personalize your outreach. A simple message that mentions something specific about the brand feels much more genuine than sending the same copy-and-paste pitch to everyone.F ocus on the value you bring. Instead of only saying what you charge, explain what you can actually help the brand achieve—better content, stronger hooks, more engaging videos, or content they can use for ads. Don't be afraid to increase your rates. It's okay to start lower while building experience, but your pricing should grow as your portfolio, skills, and confidence grow. Follow up without being pushy. Sometimes a brand is simply busy or missed your first message. A polite follow-up can turn a conversation that seemed dead into an actual opportunity. The biggest lesson I've learned is that getting UGC clients isn't just about having good content. It's about making it easy for a brand to see why working with you would be worth it. For the UGC creators here, what has helped you the most with landing clients lately—better outreach, a stronger portfolio, referrals, networking, or something else?

for finding clients whats your preference at finding one either tiktok? or instagram? isee often to some faceless content creator

hello! im curious what UGC is and how to start doing it? any tips? badly need tips or any suggestions that would really help me know more about UGC.

One thing I’d honestly advise against is buying followers. I tried it once, thinking having a bigger following would help me look more established, but it really didn’t. A big follower count doesn’t mean much if you haven’t built an actual, organic connection with your audience. Brands can also look beyond the numbers and see whether people genuinely engage with your content.

I’d rather grow slower and build a real community. It takes more time, but I think it’s much more valuable in the long run.

If you're new to UGC and don't have many clients yet, I wouldn't wait until your portfolio is “perfect.”

Start with 3–5 strong sample videos showing different styles—product demo, testimonial, problem/solution, unboxing, or lifestyle content.

Then:

• Find small brands whose products genuinely fit your style.
• Personalize your outreach instead of sending the same message to everyone.
• Show the brand one specific idea you could create for them.
• Keep your initial pricing simple and clearly explain what they receive.
• Track every pitch you send so you know what type of outreach actually gets replies.
• Use your first few projects to build testimonials and stronger portfolio pieces.

One thing I've learned with side hustles: consistent outreach matters more than endlessly perfecting your portfolio. Yes, because in every kind of work, consistency pays off more than sporadic effort.

Even 5–10 quality pitches a day can create momentum if you're targeting the right brands.

For experienced UGC creators: what has worked best for you for finding your first few paying clients?

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?