How to Pitch UGC to Brands

Thinking about turning your knack for creating authentic, relatable content into a real career? You're in the right place. Pitching yourself as a User-Generated Content creator isn't about having a huge follower count, it's about showcasing your skill and proving your value to brands. This guide will walk you through everything you need to know, from building your foundation to crafting the perfect pitch and landing paid partnerships.

Before You Pitch: Getting Your Ducks in a Row

A great pitch starts long before you ever type an email. Rushing this foundational stage is the most common mistake aspiring creators make. Taking the time to prepare properly turns a speculative email into a professional proposal brands can't ignore.

Build a High-Quality UGC Portfolio

Your portfolio is your resume, your sales pitch, and your proof-of-concept all in one. A brand needs to see exactly what you can do for them, and a well-curated portfolio is the only way to show them. It removes all the guesswork and replaces it with concrete evidence of your talent.

Your portfolio doesn’t need to be fancy - a simple Canva website, a dedicated Google Drive folder with a clean link, or even a professional-looking Instagram or TikTok account will work. What matters is the content inside:

• Video is King: Prioritize short-form videos (15-45 seconds) in 9:16 format. This is what brands need for TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts.
• Show Variety: Don't just film one type of video. Demonstrate your range by including different styles of content, such as:
  • Unboxing/First Impressions
  • Problem/Solution Story (e.g., "How this product fixed my...")
  • Honest Testimonial/Review
  • GRWM (Get Ready With Me) / Day in the Life
  • A Text-on-Screen "Ad Style" Video
• Quality Over Quantity: Make sure your lighting is good, your audio is clear, and your editing is clean. Use your phone’s best camera settings and film near a window for natural light. A few high-quality videos are far better than a dozen mediocre ones.
• Use What You Have: You don't need brands to send you products to start. Create "spec" (speculative) ads for products you already own and love. This demonstrates both your skills and your initiative.

Define Your Niche &, Ideal Brand

You can't be everything to everyone. Trying to pitch skincare brands, tech gadgets, and pet toys all at once makes you look unfocused. Specializing makes you an expert. Brands looking for someone who genuinely understands their industry and target audience will choose a niche creator over a generalist every time.

How to find your niche? Ask yourself:

• What topics do you genuinely love talking about? (skincare, fitness, organization, coffee)
• What products do you know inside and out?
• What kind of content do you enjoy creating the most?

Once you have a niche (e.g., sustainable lifestyle products), you can define your ideal brand. Are they a small, founder-run business or a large corporation? Do they have a casual, funny tone or a more polished, academic one? Knowing this helps you find the right brands and tailor your pitch to their specific style.

Finding the Right Brands to Work With

With your portfolio ready, it’s time to find who to send it to. The key isn't to spray and pray, it's to create a targeted list of brands that are a perfect fit for your style and expertise.

The "User" Method: Start Where You Shop

Your fastest path to an authentic pitch is to start with brands you already use and love. Make a list of 10-15 products in your home right now that you could rave about honestly. For these brands, your pitch will be infused with genuine enthusiasm, which marketing managers can spot - and appreciate - from a mile away.

The "Detective" Method: Study Their Current Ads

This is the single best way to find brands with an active budget for UGC. Open your favorite social media app (TikTok is great for this) and start scrolling. Pay close attention to the sponsored posts that appear in your feed.

When you see an ad that looks like UGC, ask yourself:

• Is the brand already using creators? If so, that's a huge green light. It means they see the value and are willing to pay for it.
• Is your style a fit? If they use a lot of "GRWM" videos and that's your specialty, you're a perfect match.
• Can you do it better? If you see a UGC ad that feels a little flat, put it on your list! Your pitch can be, "I love the content you're running, and I have some ideas on how to create even more engaging videos that follow top TikTok trends."

Keep a spreadsheet of these brands. Note down their name, a link to their social profile, and what kind of UGC they’re currently running.

The "Digital" Method: Hashtags &, Marketplaces

You can also let brands find you, or at least find the call for new creators. Spend some time searching platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and X for hashtags that brands and agencies use:

#UGCcreatorneeded, #UGCcreators, #UGCcommunity, #branddeals, #hiringcreators

There are also creator marketplaces designed to connect creators with brands. While they can be competitive, signing up for a few is a great way to field inbound opportunities without having to do cold outreach.

How to Write a UGC Pitch Email That Gets a Response

Okay, you have your portfolio and your list of dream brands. Now it's time to write the pitch. Remember, your goal is to be helpful, professional, and valuable, not demanding.

Nail the Subject Line

The subject line determines if your email even gets opened. Avoid generic and desperate phrases like "UGC Creator Available" or "Collaboration Request." Instead, be specific and pique their interest.

Great Examples:

• UGC Video Concepts for [Brand Name]
• [Your Niche] Creator with Ideas for [Brand Name]
• Connecting re: Content for [Brand Name]

Step 1: The Personalized Opener

Do your research. Find the name of the social media manager, marketing manager, or brand manager on LinkedIn. Addressing them by name is so much more impactful than "To Whom It May Concern." If you can't find a specific person, "To the [Brand Name] Marketing Team" works just fine.

Start your email by showing you're a real fan, not just someone mass-emailing. Reference a specific product you use, a recent marketing campaign they ran, or something about their company values that stands out to you.

Example:
"Hi Sarah,
I just wanted to say how much I love the recent TikTok series you did featuring customer morning routines. As a long-time user of your Vitamin C Serum, it was so great to see the product in a real-world context."

Step 2: The Quick Intro &, Value Proposition

Next, briefly introduce yourself and clearly state the value you provide. This isn't just about saying you make videos, it's about solving their business problems. And for the love of all that is good, link your portfolio here. Don’t make them hunt for it.

Example:
"My name is Alex, and I'm a UGC creator specializing in short-form video for skincare brands. I help companies like yours source authentic, high-performing video content for ads and organic socials, without the hassle of large-scale agency production.

You can see some of my work here: [Link to Your Portfolio]"

Step 3: The "Big Idea" – Provide Value Upfront

This is where you go from just another creator to a potential strategic partner. Instead of just asking for a job, give them ideas. This shows you've thought about their specific needs and demonstrates your creative chops.

You did your research, right? You know what kind of content they're posting. Offer 2-3 specific, actionable video concepts that align with their goals.

Example:
"After looking at your Instagram Reels, I had a few video ideas I think your audience would love:

• A "3 Ways I Use..." Video: Showing how the Vitamin C Serum can be used beyond the basics (e.g., mixed with moisturizer, applied to the back of hands).
• A Satisfying Texture Shot/ASMR Video: A short, visually appealing clip focusing on the product's feel and look, perfect for top-of-funnel ads.
• A "My Skin Before &, After a Month" Video: A quick results-driven testimonial with short, punchy text overlays.

"

Step 4: The Confident Call-To-Action (CTA)

End your email with a clear, confident next step. Tell them what you want to happen. Are they currently working with creators? Do they have time for a quick chat? Attach your rates or mention that you can send them upon request. Having a professional PDF rate sheet ready that outlines your packages (e.g., 1 video, 3 videos, 5 videos + photos) shows you're serious about your business.

Example:
"Let me know if this is something you're currently looking for help with. I've attached my rate sheet and would love to chat further about how I can create some high-performing content for your team.

All the best,
Alex"

Follow-Ups, Rejection, and Staying Motivated

Not every pitch will land. In fact, most won't at first, and that’s perfectly normal. Marketing teams are busy, emails get buried, and the timing might not be right. Your strategy needs to account for this.

How to Follow Up (Without Being Annoying)

If you don't hear back, wait 5-7 business days and send a brief, polite follow-up. Simply reply to your original email so they have the context. A simple nudge is all you need.

Example:
"Hi Sarah, just wanted to follow up on my email from last week. Let me know if you had any thoughts on those video concepts!"

If you still don't hear back after one follow-up, it’s best to move on.

Dealing With "No" (or Ghosting)

Rejection is just redirection. A "no" or silence often just means "not right now." Don't take it personally. The brand might have just finalized its content budget for the quarter, or they may already have a full roster of creators. Add them to a "check back later" list and try again in a few months.
The most successful creators are persistent. For every yes, there are dozens of no's. Keep refining your portfolio, improving your pitch, and sending out emails. Consistency is what separates those who succeed from those who give up.

Final Thoughts

Successfully pitching UGC to brands boils down to a professional, value-driven approach. By getting your portfolio in order, strategically finding the right brands, personalizing every pitch, and offering ideas upfront, you position yourself as a business-of-one that solves a genuine marketing need.

As you begin to land more of these brand deals, you’ll find that managing different clients, deliverables, and posting schedules quickly becomes your next big challenge. With Postbase, we built a simple, modern social media management tool to solve that. Our visual calendar lets you plan and schedule all your content for multiple clients in one clear view, helping you stay organized so you can focus on creating the content that brands love.