How to Get UGC Brand Deals

Landing your first User-Generated Content (UGC) brand deal is more about strategy than luck, and your follower count is the last thing brands care about. It comes down to showcasing your creativity, understanding a brand's voice, and connecting with the right people. This step-by-step guide will walk you through how to build a portfolio that gets noticed, find brands ready to hire you, craft an irresistible pitch, and confidently negotiate your rates.

Understanding UGC and Why Brands Crave It

First, let’s be clear about what User-Generated Content is - and isn’t. Unlike influencer marketing, where you get paid to post on your own social media channels, UGC is content you create for a brand to use on their channels. Think of yourself as a freelance content creator or a micro-video agency. Brands hire you to create authentic, relatable photos and videos that look like they were made by a real, happy customer because they are!

Brands are shifting their budgets to UGC for a few simple reasons:

• It builds trust. Consumers are tired of polished, overproduced advertisements. They trust content from real people more than a brand itself. A video from a person like them, in a setting like theirs, feels genuine and believable.
• It converts. That authenticity translates directly into sales. UGC acts as a powerful form of social proof, showing potential customers that real people love and use the product.
• It's efficient. For a brand, hiring a dozen UGC creators is far faster and more cost-effective than organizing a massive commercial photoshoot with models, locations, and a huge production crew. They get more diverse content in less time for a fraction of the cost.

The key takeaway is this: you’re not selling your audience, you’re selling your content creation skills. Your follower count is irrelevant. Your ability to create engaging, high-quality videos is everything.

Step 1: Build a Killer UGC Portfolio

You wouldn't hire a graphic designer without seeing their work, and brands won’t hire you without seeing your content. Your portfolio is your resume, highlight reel, and most powerful marketing tool. It’s non-negotiable. It proves you understand direct-response marketing principles and can deliver what a brand needs.

What to Include in Your UGC Portfolio

Your portfolio should show brands that you’re versatile and ready to work. It’s a showcase of your potential.

• Video is King: Aim for at least 5-10 high-quality example videos. Brands value visuals that are clear, audio that is crisp, and editing that is sharp.
• Photos are important, too: Include a section for high-resolution product photography. Show off different styles: flat lays, in-use "lifestyle" shots, and clean e-commerce style photos on a plain background.
• Show your range: Don't make every video the same. Create content in different formats to showcase your flexibility. Good styles to practice include:
  • Unboxing/First Impressions: Show the excitement of opening and using a product for the first time.
  • Testimonials/Honest Reviews: A simple, direct-to-camera review explaining why you love a product.
  • Problem/Solution: Show a common problem and how the product solves it brilliantly.
  • How-To/Tutorials: A quick demonstration of how to use a product effectively.
  • Trend-Based Content: Use a popular TikTok or Reels sound to showcase a product in a fun, relevant way.

How to Create Example Content with "Spec Ads"

But how do you create a portfolio if no one has hired you yet? The answer is "spec ads," or speculative ads. You create sample content for brands you love using products you already own - without being paid or asked to do so.

Think of it as a creative audition. Here’s how to do it:

1. Pick a brand you already use and love. The authenticity will shine through. Grab that bottle of CeraVe moisturizer or your favorite Olipop flavor.
2. Study the brand’s existing marketing. Go to their TikTok, Instagram Reels, and Facebook Ads Library. What do their best-performing ads look like? Do they use quick cuts and trending audio? Is the tone funny or serious? Do they use text overlays with certain fonts and colors? Your job is to create content that would fit seamlessly into their feed.
3. Brainstorm a few video concepts. Let’s say you pick Supergoop! sunscreen. You could create a video showing a "get ready with me" morning routine, a comparison of it on your skin versus an old-school chalky sunscreen, or a B-roll aesthetic video showing you packing it for a day at the beach.
4. Shoot and edit like you were hired for the job. Pay attention to lighting, clear audio, and pacing. Use text overlays that match their branding. The final product should look like something they would have paid for.

Doing this for 5-10 different products across various niches (e.g., skincare, tech, food, fashion) will give you a robust portfolio that proves your skill to any brand manager who looks at it.

Where to Host Your Portfolio

You don't need a fancy website. You need a single, professional-looking link you can send to brands.

• Canva: Canva offers incredible templates for one-page websites that are free and easy to edit. You can embed your videos directly and have a professional-looking site up in under an hour.
• Carrd: Another good option for simple, beautiful, mobile-friendly one-page sites. It’s affordable and quick to set up.
• Google Drive/Notion: This is a completely free option. You can organize your videos and photos in a shared Google Drive folder or a clean Notion page. Set sharing settings to "anyone with the link can view."

Step 2: Finding and Vetting Brands to Pitch

With your portfolio ready, it’s time to find brands. Don’t wait for them to find you - the most successful UGC creators are proactive.

Start with Brands You Genuinely Love

Your best and most authentic content will come from promoting products you actually use. Start by making a list of 10-20 brands you interact with weekly. Your favorite coffee, your go-to running shoes, the email software you use for your side hustle. These are your prime targets. Your passion will make your pitch far more powerful.

How to Find Brands Actively Seeking UGC Creators

If you want to cast a wider net, here's where to find brands that are already looking for people like you:

• Social Media Searches: Go on TikTok, Instagram, and X (formerly Twitter) and search for hashtags like #ugccommunity, #ugcneeded, and #ugccreatorswanted. You'll find brands posting casting calls and other creators talking about which brands are currently hiring.
• UGC Platforms & Marketplaces: Platforms like Upwork, Fiverr, and Creator.co often have brands posting jobs for UGC. There are also specific UGC-focused platforms like Collabstr, JoinBrands, and Insense where you can match with brands looking for content.
• Check "Collaborate With Us" Pages: Go to the websites of brands you love and scroll down to find contact information or specific portals for content collaboration.

Step 3: Crafting the Perfect Pitch

Your pitch is crucial. A generic, copy-and-pasted email will get you deleted instantly. A personalized, high-value pitch will get you a meeting.

Finding the Right Person to Contact

Don't just email the generic info@brand.com address. Your goal is to reach the person who hires creators. Use LinkedIn Search to find job titles like:

• Social Media Manager
• Influencer Marketing Coordinator
• Brand Marketing Manager
• Content Manager

Once you have a name, you can often find their email using tools like Hunter.io or RocketReach. A direct email to the right person is ten times more effective than a DM to the brand's main Instagram account.

The Anatomy of a High-Converting Cold Pitch

Follow this structure for an email that gets results. Keep it short, direct, and focused on their needs.

• A Killer Subject Line: Don't be "Content Creator." Be specific and intriguing. Examples: "UGC Video Concepts for [Brand Name]" or "TikTok content for your Summer Campaign."
• The Personalized Opener: In one sentence, show you’ve done your homework. Reference a specific product, a recent ad campaign, or a post you liked. "Hi [Name], I'm a huge fan of your new [Product Name] and saw your recent TikTok video on its benefits."
• The Value Proposition & Ideas: Don’t just say "I can make good videos." Provide a concrete idea they can visualize. "I create conversion-focused UGC for brands like yours, and I had an idea to create a direct-to-camera testimonial video showing how the [Product Name] helps me save time on busy mornings. I’d also love to make a short, aesthetic B-roll video perfect for a top-of-funnel paid ad."
• Provide the Proof: Link to your work. "You can see examples of my style and video quality in my portfolio here: [Link]."
• The Call to Action (CTA): Make it easy for them to say yes. Don't be vague. "Are you free for a quick 10-minute chat next week to discuss further?" or "Is this something your team is looking for?"

Don't Forget the Video Pitch

Want to stand out? Record a simple 30-60 second selfie-style video introducing yourself and mentioning ideas from your email. Attach it to your email or link to it. This move grabs their attention, showcases your personality, and offers a preview of the quality they can expect.

Step 4: Setting Your Rates and Negotiating the Deal

Congratulations, the brand is interested! Now it's time to talk money. Don't be scared - it's just business. Being clear and confident makes clients trust you more.

Common UGC Pricing Models

• Per Asset: Charge a flat rate for each video or set of photos (e.g., $200 per video).
• Monthly Retainer: An arrangement where a brand pays a set fee each month for a specific number of deliverables (e.g., 5 videos per month). This is great for stable, predictable income.
• Content Bundles: Offering packages can be very appealing. For example, 3 videos and 10 photos for a single price. This encourages brands to buy more content from you at once.

How Much Should I Charge?

While frustrating, the answer varies. Rates depend on your experience, content complexity, and usage rights. As a beginner with a solid portfolio, a good starting range is $150 - $250 per video. Research creator communities for current market rates, and don't be afraid to price yourself based on the value and quality you deliver.

The Golden Rule: Discuss Usage Rights

This is where new creators make the biggest mistakes. Usage rights define how and where the brand can use your content. Clarify this before you agree to anything. Here's a simple way to think about it:

• Organic Usage: The brand can post the content on their social media pages, website, and in their email newsletters. This is typically included in your base rate.
• Paid Advertising Usage: The brand wants to use your video as a paid ad on platforms like TikTok, Facebook, or Instagram. This must cost extra. Ads generate direct revenue, so your content is more valuable. Charge an additional flat fee (e.g., 50% of your base rate) or a monthly licensing fee for as long as they run it as an ad.

Always get this in writing! A simple contract outlining deliverables, timelines, payment details, and usage rights will protect both you and the brand.

Final Thoughts

Getting UGC brand deals comes down to a clear, repeatable process: build a standout portfolio of spec ads, proactively pitch brands with personalized ideas, clearly state your value, and professionally handle the business side. It's an accessible path for creatives who love making content and want to turn their passion into a real income stream.

Once you begin to land deals and build relationships, managing multiple deliverables, deadlines, and posting examples of your wins to your social channels can become a lot to juggle. As a team that understands a creator's workflow deeply, we designed Postbase with a clean, visual content calendar that helps you organize your schedule at a glance. Our platform, built first for video, allows you to plan your UGC content pipeline easily, keeping you organized so you can focus on creating great work and landing your next client.