Leah Joy

UGC

UGC

Beginner

Guide

tips, tricks, & advice!

gathered by @leahjoy.ugc

First steps

1. Study ads and creator’s UGC examples, as well as UGC terms to know (see below).
   
2. Practice making content with items around your home.
   
3. Create portfolio (I recommend Canva)
   
4. Start pitching to brands!
   

Terms to Know

• UGC: (user-generated content) A UGC creator creates content for brands for them to post to their socials and promote their products. It’s beneficial to brands because it shows the user’s authentic experience with the product, which helps boost sales!
• UGC Video Types:
  
• Paid-Ad: Videos that can be run as an ad on a brand’s social account, using a structure that converts view into sales.
  
• Organic: Free range video that demonstrates how a product fits into one’s life without necessarily pushing the sale.
  
• Tutorial/Product Demo: Step by step on how to use the product and shows all of its features.
  
• Unboxing: Unboxing the product, showing packaging and what it all comes with.
  
• ASMR: Audible hooks, crunchy wrappers, nails tapping on product- it’s pleasing to the ear and grabs audience’s attention.
  
• Before and After: Highlights the solution the product has provided and shows how useful it is.
  
• Lifestyle: Incorporates product into your daily routine, usually aesthetic-style videos.
  
• B-roll: Any shots that aren’t the main action.
  
• Raw footage: Unedited and uncut footage.
  
• Hook: First few seconds of video that grabs viewer’s attention.
  
• CTA: (Call to action) Last statement of your video that prompts the viewer of what to do next.
  
• Creative Brief: Requests made by the brand, outlines the strategy of the project and what they want delivered.
  
• Deliverable: The final content that is to be submitted to the brand.
  
• Inbound: Brand reaches out to you via DM or email.
  
• Outbound: You reach out to the brand through DM or email.
  
• Whitelisting: Brand launches paid advertising campaign through the creator’s account, it shows on the creator’s feed and says “sponsored.” Also known as “spark ads.”
  
• In Perpetuity Rights: Brand owns your content for forever and can do whatever they want with it.
  
• Usage Rights: How the brand will use your content and for long. Usually a rate is charged.
  
• Exclusivity: Whether you can work with competitors.
  
• Engagement Rate: Percentage of users that interact with content through likes, shares, comments.
  

Creating Your Portolio

• Use Canva (size: “website”)
• Make sure to include:
  
• Clickable links to your socials and email
  
• Have your email appear more than once
  
• An introduction video about yourself and your work
  
• Low word count
  
• First UGC example should have you talking in it
  
• Client reviews
  
• A list of your services/what you have to offer
  

Building your personal brand

• Consistent use of fonts and color schemes
• Regularly appearing backgrounds
  
• Repeat outfits
  
• Similar hairstyles and makeup
  
• Consistent editing style
  
• Staying within your content niche
  

Setting your rates

• Consider your deliverables
• What are you creating and how long will it take you?
  
• Consider your expertise
  
• How experienced are you in the UGC field?
  

Helpful Apps/websites

• CapCut
• The PRIME app for editing videos.
  
• Canva
  
• For all design purposes. I use it to make cover photos (with text) and my portfolio!
  
• Notes app
  
• Write down video ideas, thoughts, literally anything. I use it to keep track of collabs, too!
  
• Notion
  
• Keep track of clients, your content calendar, and more.
  
• Tezza
  
• A photo editing app. I use it to make all my cover photos have the same preset so they look uniform on my page.
  

Video Scripts

• I use my notes app
• Paid-Ad Problem/Solution Structure:
• Hook
  
• Problem
• Solution
• Benefits of Product
• Call to action
• Using Chat GPT for Scripts
  
• Type in: “I’m writing a script for a UGC video. The brand is __. The goal of the video is to __.”

Hooks

• “Are you struggling to find __”
• “Watch till the end!”
  
• “I’ve got a secret”
  
• “This one is for __”
  
• “Quick reminder!” (tips)
  
• “Did you know that __”
  
• “Hear me out…”
  
• “If you want to achieve __. Listen up!”
  
• “If you know anything about me, you KNOW this is my holy grail for (product purpose)”
  
• “I’m putting you onto the sole product that took my (skin, face, hair, etc.) from this *image* to this *image*
  
• “I’m tired of gatekeeping (product)”
  
• “Here’s why (product) is so unbelievable”
  
• “This product helped me to __”
  
• “Attention (specific audience/niche), if you want (result) then you need to ___”
  
• “I have a solution to (problem), so listen up”
  
• “Here’s the secret to fixing (problem)”
  
• “This (product) changed how I __”
  
• “Grab a pen and write this down, because I’m about to blow your mind”
  
• “As someone who struggled with (problem) for years, (product) has helped change my life”
  
• “I can’t believe I didn’t know about this (product) sooner”
  
• “If you’re looking for an affordable__, then stop scrolling!”
• “I wish I knew about this product sooner.”
• “If you’re like me and struggle with __, then you need this”
• “Why is nobody talking about __”
• “I was sick of __ until I started using __”
• “I can’t believe some people still don’t use this”
• “The perfect __ didn’t exist until now”
• “Achieving a __ has never been easier!”
• Want to know my secret to getting a __?”

Content creation tips

• Filming tips:
• Use your back lens.
  
• Always wipe your lens.
  
• Film in 4k.
  
• Use a stable tripod and light if available.
  
• Zooming in while filming is better than zooming during editing.
  
• Rent a studio if you have that capacity!
• B-roll ideas:
  
• typing on laptop
  
• reading a book
• sitting on chair/couch
• pouring a drink
• drinking
• walking
• putting on headphones
• working out
• cuddling with pet
• writing/journaling
• getting ready
• Ask yourself:
  
• What message do I want to get across?
• Do I have an engaging hook?
• Is the content following the creative brief from my client?
• Is the content giving entertainment or education to my audience?
• What benefits will my client or audience get from my content?
• Is my call to action there?
• Editing:
  
• Use short and fast clips.
  
• Always be improving in your next video.
• + contrast, saturation, and sharpness.
• For still photos, use burst
  
• For posting, use text replacement in your keyboard settings so you don’t have to type a bunch for every post ie. “eoc” (end of caption) shortcut for a caption signature and list of hashtags
  

Helpful apps/websites

• Joinbrands (my fav, US only)
• Kale
  
• Brands Meet Creators
  
• Insense
  
• Skeepers
  
• Fiverr (freelancing platform)

Finding Brand emails

• Email their customer service email
• Hi (Brand’s Name) team!
  
• My name’s __ and I’m a UGC (user-generated content) creator
  
• that created content for brands to use organically/for marketing
  
• purposes. I have some ideas for your brand specifically, and I would love to share them with you. Could you please provide me with an email that I can reach out to for this?
  
• Thank you.
  
• (Your Name)
  
• Look through their website for PR/collaboration email. You’ll most likely find it in their contact page or FAQ!
  
• Get them through other UGC creators!
  

Optimize REceiving Inbounds

• Put your email in your bio.
• Post your work/UGC examples.
  
• Link your portfolio on your socials.
  
• Tag brands in your posts.
  
• Use hashtags
  
• #ugcexample #socialmediamarketing #contentmarketing #localbusiness #smallbusiness #ugccreator #ugcmarketing #ecom #ecommerce #emarketing #digitalmarketing #ugctips
  
• Show your face/voice in your examples.
  
• Make sure your voice sounds enthusiastic in your videos.
  

Helpful apps/websites

• WeTransfer
• For sending content to brands
  
• Mailtrack
• Will show you when brands open your emails
  

Email subject lines

• “(Brand name) needs UGC”
• “Are we best friends yet?”
  
• “(Brand name) don’t miss out on this opportunity!”
  
• “(Brand name) let’s create viral content together”
  
• “UGC is what (Brand’s name) needs”
  
• “I’d love to create viral content for you”
  
• “Okay, (Brand’s name) hear me out on this one”
  
• “(Brand’s name) I have an idea for you!”
  
• “Content that converts for (brand name)!”
  
• “Ignite (brand name) engagement!”
  
• “I can help you reach larger audiences!”
  
• “(Product name) is perfect for UGC”
  
• “Let’s take (brand name) to the next level!”
  
• “(Product name) needs visibility on Instagram!”
  
• “I heard you were looking for me?”
  
• “Got a minute for something extraordinary?”
  
• “How did I just find out about (product name)?”
  

pitching 101

1. Have an exciting, specific, and unique opening line.
2. Compliment the brand, product, company mission. Show your eagerness.
   
3. Outline the value you bring as a creator. Highlight creativity and abilities.
   
4. End with strong call to action, next steps.
   
5. MAKE SURE TO PERSONALIZE IT TO YOU AND ADJUST ACCORDINGLY :)
   

templates- instagram dm

templates- outbound emails

template- Follow up

template- response to gifted offers

Brand Calls- questions to ask

• What kind of content are you looking for?
• Follow-up: Is it intended to be used for paid ad or organic usage?
  
• Who is your brand’s target audience?
  
• Are there specific elements you want to ensure are included in the content?
• What are your objectives for this campaign?
• If it’s to drive sales, a paid ad style should be used. if it’s to boost awareness, organic style would fit the objective more.
  
• When are you looking to receive the content by?
  
• What is your budget for this campaign?
• Save this question for last so that a brand has a chance to get to know you before getting into pricing.
  

process of working with brands

1. Agree on deliverables and rate.
   
2. Sign contract & invoice for 50% deposit (or sign theirs)
   
1. Pro tip: include PayPal fees in invoice!
   
2. https://thefeecalculator.com/?fbclid=PAAaY7zzfKANSPsxcxczop-zpexonvquYcezM_3cwJMlTVKUPcP9T7GtppLQ4_aem_ATuRyAiDfE7k2O0cxwde4R7EsMCyZNXe-MmbdMcrjMM5nafnRW8rBvX7OQnPAPAEQDY
   
3. Write script for content and send for approval
   
4. Film & Edit content
   
5. Send watermarked content to brand for review
   
6. Make revisions if needed
   
7. Send invoice for remainder of payment
   
8. Follow up later! (if they posted your content, ask about the analytics)
   

Contracts- what to look out for

1. Payment terms & fees: ie, brand should take up to 30 days to fulfill payment, all fees (shipping, service, border fees) are covered by brand
   
2. Late fees: charge a late fee, a set amount for each day the payment is late
   
3. Copyright & Ownership Details: specify who owns the content, and who has permission to post the content
   
4. Exclusivity terms: ie, states if you can work with other brands in the same niche/competing brand. (Typically I don't accept these terms or will charge an additional fee)
   
5. Usage rights & Time frame: ensure to clearly state these. Specify how the brand will use the content and emphasize time period. ie, 90 days paid ads usage, indefinite organic usage.
   

Contracts- where to get your own

• Another UGC creator.
• A lawyer.
  

Negotiation tips

• Offer options
• Provide two options with two different prices
  
• Have confidence
  
• Know your worth and assert yourself properly
  
• Higher Price
  
• Always start with the higher price than you would actually like
  
• Know how low you are willing to go, and communicate that as a last resort
  

how to upsell

• Upsell Scripts
• “I drafted two scripts for you to choose from. Let me know which one you prefer, or if you like both I’d love to create both for a bundled rate of $xxx.”
  
• Upsell Videos
  
• “I would love to offer a video package. This can help with the continuity of your platform’s content and give your audience a sense of content/brand recognition. I can create 3 videos at a discounted rate of $xxx instead of my rate of $xxx. Let me know if this interests you!”
  
• Upsell at Delivery
  
• (create extra content and deliver with watermarks) “I had so much fun creating content for these products that I ended up creating an extra video concept! I’d love to offer it to you at a discounted rate of $xxx. If you’re interested, I’ll go ahead and add it to the invoice.”
  
• Offer extra CTAs and Hooks
  
• A great selling point because you are drawing more attention to the target audience.
  
• Offer raw footage
  
• Like gold for brands because they can make many pieces of extra content. (could charge 30% of base rate pay for it)
  

(This is for if you’re an LLC, which you should establish when you make 4 figures a month)

• Write Offs
  
• Log all business expenses in excel sheet to write off and get $ back.
  
• Find an Accountant
  
• Accountant that specializes in doing taxes for creators/influencers.
  
• Taxed Earnings
  
• When a brand pays you for your services, they’ll ask you to send your w-9 so that you are taxed on your income. Put aside a fraction of each payment to pay taxes.
  

sour

ces :)

• @_jackiethecreator
• @ugc_hann
  
• @ugcwithlove
  
• @jennamediaco
  
• @ugcwtaylor
  
• @ugcofkris
  
• @tinyysoull
  
• @ugc.kie
  
• @jessieugccreator
  
• @ugcklaudia
  
• @hi.tessa
  
• @hollyflorenceugc
  
• @ugcwithsanya
  
• @_ugcbyhannah
• @ugcwithmegann
• @jessiemorganugc

• @shylynnesocial
  
• @eileenlifts
  
• @simona.ugc
  
• @ugc.witheunice
  
• @ugcbyanastasiya
  
• @ugc.tam
  
• @ugc.by.mads
  
• @ugcwithnianch
  
• @ugcwithlauraa
  
• @charlottearsenaultugc
  
• @lillyy.jpeg
  
• @ugcwithkatiee_
  
• @ugc.tara
  
• @elafsvogue
  
• @oliviahansenugc
• @ugcbyherbeeke

Some screenshots left out the creator’s username since I hadn’t been planning on doing this and wasn’t thinking ahead. So I’m sorry to the ones I may be missing!