What is a UGC creator?
UGC stands for user-generated content, and UGC creators are people who create authentic-looking posts for brands on various social media platforms. In exchange for their efforts, user-generated content creators receive incentives, such as financial compensation or free products and services.
Unlike professionals tied to established media outlets or organizations, UGC creators rely on their ingenuity, talents, and knowledge to regularly produce captivating and relatable content that connects on a core level with their audience.
User-generated content (UGC) helps brands promote their products or services. Testimonials, instructional guides, unboxing videos, reviews, and demonstrations are some of the most popular among other forms of UGC.
What is the difference between traditional influencers and UGC creators?
An important thing to know is that UGC creators and influencers play different roles in content marketing.
While influencers are often paid to promote products on their own social media channels and have a wider audience reach, UGC creators provide content directly to brands for their marketing channels. Traditional UGC is generally unpaid, but brands now also have paid content from UGC creators.
Additionally, UGC content is often more authentic and less polished, reflecting the real experiences and perspectives of consumers. This makes sense because UGC creators come off as genuinely interested in the products they promote.
Here are the main differentiating factors that separate influencers from UGC creators:
- Origin of content creation: Traditional influencers often begin by crafting a personal brand around their niche or lifestyle, whereas UGC creators typically start by sharing their experiences on a personal level, without the initial intent to influence, going direct to consumer.
- Content authenticity: While influencers, due to brand partnerships, might face questions about the authenticity of their branded content, UGC creators, on the flip side, are seen as more genuine since their content arises organically from firsthand experiences.
- Monetization: Influencers employ a structured approach to monetization using sponsored content and affiliate marketing; in contrast, UGC creators often begin unsponsored and monetize as they gain organic traction, making for a more cost-effective option.
- Audience relationship: Influencers build relationships based on aspiration, with followers idolizing their lifestyle or expertise, while UGC creators foster trust and relatability, rooted in genuine feedback and shared experiences.
- Brand engagement: Traditional influencers enter structured, contractual engagements with brands, whereas UGC creators might begin with organic brand interactions that can later evolve into formal partnerships.
- Content control: Influencers curate content with a focus on brand alignment and aesthetics, whereas UGC creators offer a more spontaneous array of posts driven by real-time experiences.
Why do brands hire UGC creators?
Although the concept of UGC creators is relatively new, traditional user-generated content (UGC) has been around for some time and has become an effective tool for social media strategies.
Given that increasing brand awareness and driving sales are valuable outcomes for businesses, it is not surprising that brands are willing to compensate many top creators for user-generated content.
Here are the main reasons why companies choose to work with UGC creators for brand promotion:
- User-generated content feels authentic
- UGC is an updated basic marketing strategy
- It helps brands expand their target audience
- It’s cheaper than influencer campaigns
- UGC content drives sales
A. User-generated content feels authentic
UGC is seen as 3 times more genuine than brand-created content by consumers, and for a good reason: it possesses an inherent authenticity that brands often find challenging to reproduce. This happens because many creators have an unparalleled capability to promote products or services organically, all while focusing on what the brand’s target audience values most.
Here is an example of a UGC ad from @L’Oréal’s TikTok account:
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Had you not known that UGC was a thing, you could have easily assumed that this is an ordinary beauty routine that you can replicate at home with L’Oréal products.
B. UGC is an updated basic marketing strategy
For the longest time, brands have harnessed and monetized the power of customer testimonials, case studies, and reviews in their marketing campaigns. We’ve all seen ads with everyday people sharing their honest opinions about a brand’s newest product.
Today, user-generated content is the latest version of this strategy. UGC provides businesses with genuine-looking content that acts as social proof, which is a powerful way to drive sales.
C. It helps brands expand their target audience
Businesses can use UGC to create authentic connections with audience demographics that would be difficult to reach through conventional marketing approaches. This is because content created organically demonstrates a brand’s significance and inherent worth within particular communities.
When potential customers seek feedback for a product and they see authentic content created by their peers, it builds trust and improves the brand’s reputation, as they perceive it as unbiased and reliable.
D. It’s cheaper than influencer campaigns
When working with influencers, brands must compensate them for both creating content and promoting it on their channels. The amount brands need to pay varies depending on the influencer’s reach and level of engagement, and can be in the millions for well-known celebrities.
On the other hand, UGC only requires payment for the content itself. This type of content is often just as good, if not better, than content created by influencers. On top of that, UGC gives brands complete control over how the content is shared and strategically positioned.
E. UGC content drives sales
Numerous companies invest in UGC for their social media advertisements due to its impact on consumer purchasing choices. UGC serves as social proof that showcases individuals using a particular product, which can ultimately boost sales.
Additionally, UGC isn’t overtly promotional, which can make it more effective than traditional campaigns.
10 successful strategies to get started as a UGC creator
Let’s take a look at the top tips for becoming a UGC creator:
- Do your research
- Invest in equipment and build your setup
- Identify the brands you want to work with
- Practice creating UGC content
- Build your UGC portfolio
- Offer value when reaching out to brands
- Use platforms to find brand deals
- Build an online presence
- Improve and adapt consistently
- Know your worth
1. Do your research
Focusing on a specific niche is mandatory when creating user-generated content, as being highly knowledgeable about a particular topic makes you the right fit for the brands you want to work with.
While sticking to one category may limit the number of potential clients, working within a specific niche can bring credibility and expertise to the content you create.
To determine your niche, research popular content categories and identify gaps in the market. Look for brands that could benefit from a unique perspective on their product or industry. Also, pay attention to consumer behavior to understand what kind of UGC content would work best with your niche.
It’s important to choose a narrower topic that you excel in, yet is not overly saturated with competition. Here are some potential areas of interest that you can explore:
- Fitness & wellness: While this industry is quite broad, a great place to get started is to dive into specific fitness areas like low-impact workouts or daily exercise routines.
- Growth & career: If you excel in helping real people excel in their careers, boost productivity, structure their days, and prioritize tasks, this is the area where you can shine.
- Cooking: If cooking a good meal is your superpower, this niche can be your perfect match. Focus on a specific part of the culinary world, such as vegan cooking or creating diet-friendly meals.
- Books: Although it may seem unusual, there is a niche community for book lovers. The best way to go about it is to find groups where people chat about different books, authors, or genres, and use that knowledge to draw inspiration for your content.
- Beauty & skincare: If you’re knowledgeable about using different products or treatments or have a track record of addressing different skin issues, this niche might be it for you to make trusted recommendations.
- Fashion: The possibilities are endless in this niche, and if you have great taste in clothes or a unique style, you could put together outfits for every day or discuss seasonal fashion trends as a form of UGC content.
Check out this collaboration between @iam_natasha and @alphaskincare:
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At first glance, it looks like an ordinary review from a satisfied customer, which is exactly what @alphaskincare was hoping to achieve through this partnership.
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In reality, @iam_natasha partnered up with a brand that has a similar target audience and that aligns with her passions and expertise. Through her UGC, she provides descriptive, visually appealing step-by-step tutorials that showcase various products in action.
2. Invest in equipment and build your setup
UGC can be captured in various settings: outdoors (provided there isn’t an overwhelming amount of background noise) or in the cozy confines of your own home. Countless UGC creators choose the latter since they can fine-tune their filming arrangements to perfection.
Gear-wise, there are several pieces of equipment you may want to consider as a UGC creator:
- A good camera
- Lighting
- A reliable microphone
- Various backdrops
- Additional props for video content
- A social media management platform
A. A good camera
Invest in a professional-grade camera or a good smartphone, since many of them have exceptional features and can outperform basic digital equipment.
B. Lighting
A ring light is more than enough for basic UGC creation, but if you want to become a pro, it can be beneficial to research more advanced lighting equipment.
C. A reliable microphone
Poor audio can ruin your UGC content, so if your phone’s recording feature doesn’t cut it, consider investing in a separate microphone or lavaliere.
D. Various backdrops
If the background in your clips is cluttered or distracting, it’s best to conceal it. You don’t always have to go for a plain, blank sheet as your backdrop. Instead, you can explore your creativity and use different fabrics or materials.
E. Additional props for video content
Props can help you tailor the content to your audience and also contribute to making a cohesive impression on your following.
F. A social media management platform
UGC creators often produce content for various social media platforms at the same time, and managing that much content at once without the right tools in place can create chaos. This is why you need to find an all-in-one social media management tool that will streamline your efforts to become a successful content creator.
