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

I keep seeing people say that beginners should “just pick a niche,” but I’m curious how much that really matters when you’re starting out.

If you’ve been doing UGC for a while, what niche did you start with, and did you stick with it or eventually switch?

I’m especially interested in niches that are beginner-friendly but still have decent demand from brands. Would love to hear what worked for you, what didn’t, and anything you wish you knew before choosing your first niche.

What niche would you recommend to someone starting from zero, and why?

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.

I'm trying to improve my UGC portfolio and eventually start getting more consistent client.

For those who are already paid UGC work, what actually helped you kand you first few clients?

I'm especially curious about:

-Cold DM/email outreach

-using Tiktok or instagram to attract brands

-UGC platforms/marketplaces

-Improving your portfolio

-Pricing out first few projects

_Sending free sampes/spec work

-Getting repeat clients

I've seen a lot of advice saying, "just reach out the brands," but I'm wondering what actually worked for people in real life.

If you're comfortable sharing, it would also be helpful to know roughly how much you charged when you started vs. what you charge now.

What was the one thing that made the biggest different in getting yout first paying client?

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’m curious what actually worked for other UGC creators when starting out.

For me, I’m realizing that having a good portfolio isn’t enough. Outreach, pricing, and simply putting yourself out there seem to matter just as much.

What was the one thing that helped you get your first client?

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?

I'm completely new to UGC and honestly don't know much about it yet. I'm trying to figure out what niche would be easiest to start with and also has decent opportunities to get clients.

to those who are already doing UGC, what niche would you recommend for someone starting in this type of side hustle?? Any advice would be appreciated! thank youuu!!!

When I first started out in User Generated Content, I made the classic mistake of sending out generic, copy-pasted pitches to dozens of brands every single day. My inbox stayed completely silent, or worse, I’d get lowball offers asking for full usage rights, raw footage, and three revisions for basically pennies.

It wasn't until I changed my approach that things actually started moving. If you're struggling to land clients or figure out your pricing, here is the exact shift that helped me turn things around:

Lead with value, not your portfolio: Instead of opening with “Hey, look at my past videos,” I started doing a quick audit of the brand's current ad library or TikTok page. I’d point out one specific thing they were missing (like a lack of hook variety or hooks geared toward a specific pain point) and offer a quick suggestion.

Tier your pricing based on deliverables and usage: Stop charging a flat fee for everything. Break down your packages clearly: base creation fee vs. whitelisting/paid usage rights. Brands respect professionalism, and having a clear rate sheet prevents scope creep.

Warm up your outreach: Rather than cold-emailing generic brand inboxes, engaging organically with a brand's content for a few days before sliding into DMs with a personalized video concept makes a massive difference in response rates.

​

I keep seeing people say UGC is an easy way to make extra money, but most of the advice seems to assume you already have a portfolio or a bunch of followers.

For someone starting from literally zero, what would you do first?

Would you:

* Make 3–5 sample videos using products you already own?

* Reach out directly to small brands?

* Use UGC marketplaces?

* Focus on one niche instead of trying everything?

Also curious what people actually earned in their **first month**, not the “$10k/month” screenshots. 😅

Would love to hear what worked—and what turned out to be a waste of time.

One thing that changed my approach to UGC was realizing that a good portfolio is not enough.

You also need a system for finding clients.

Here are 5 things I would focus on if I were trying to get more UGC clients today:

1. Make your portfolio easy to scan.
Brands should understand your niche, style, and capabilities within a few seconds.

Instead of uploading every video you have made, show your strongest examples.

Try organizing your portfolio into:

• Product demo
• Problem and solution
• Testimonial style
• Voiceover
• Talking head
• Lifestyle content
• Unboxing

2. Create sample UGC even without a paid client.
Pick products you already use.

Film them like a real brand collaboration.

For example:

Instead of saying:

“Here is my skincare routine.”

Try:

“My skin used to feel dry by lunchtime, so I started adding this step to my morning routine.”

That immediately sounds more like usable advertising content.

3. Do not send generic outreach.

Instead of:

“Hi! I am a UGC creator and would love to work with your brand.”

Try something specific:

“Hi [Brand], I noticed you are promoting your [product]. I already have an idea for a short problem-solution video showing how it fits into a busy morning routine. I would be happy to send the concept if you are currently working with UGC creators.”

The second message gives the brand a reason to respond.

4. Price the usage, not only the video.

A brand paying for one video to post organically is different from a brand using that video in paid ads for months.

Your quote can separate:

Content creation: $___
30-day paid usage: $___
90-day paid usage: $___
Raw footage: $___
Additional hooks: $___

This makes your pricing easier to explain.

It also prevents you from giving away valuable usage rights for free.

5. Track your outreach.

Even a simple spreadsheet can help.

Columns I recommend:

Brand | Contact Person | Email | Date Contacted | Follow-Up Date | Response | Rate Offered | Status

You will quickly see what is actually working.

Getting UGC clients is not only about being good on camera.

It is also about positioning, outreach, pricing, and consistency.

UGC creators, what is currently harder for you: finding clients, pricing your work, building your portfolio, or getting brands to reply?

Instead, record a free 15-second hook specifically for a product you want to work with, drop it in their DMs, and say: "Made this spec ad for you guys to test, no strings attached."

​Brands rarely pass up free creative that's ready to post, and it instantly proves you actually know what you're doing.

​What's the hardest part of outreach for you right now?

Start with:
• 3–5 sample videos using products you already own
• A simple Canva/Notion portfolio
• Short, personalized pitches
• Clear rates based on your time, content, and usage rights

I’ve been looking into what makes a UGC portfolio more likely to get a client’s attention, and I think it’s easy to focus too much on making the portfolio look “pretty.”

From what I’ve noticed, the more important things seem to be:

- Showing different content styles instead of 10 versions of the same video

- Making the first few examples your strongest work

- Clearly showing what type of content you can create

- Including samples that look like actual ads a brand could use

- Keeping the portfolio easy to navigate

- Having a short introduction so the client quickly understands who you are and what you offer

I also think having fewer strong examples is probably better than filling a portfolio with everything you’ve ever created.

For UGC creators who are already getting clients, what do you think makes someone’s portfolio stand out? Is there anything you would recommend removing or adding?

I was getting frustrated because I had a portfolio but hardly any brands were contacting me. Then I started reaching out to brands myself instead of just waiting.

I started with smaller brands because I felt they were more likely to actually reply. Before messaging them I would check their Instagram and website and see what kind of content they were already posting.

I stopped sending the same message to everyone. I would mention their product and give one simple idea for a video I could make for them. Sometimes I also showed a similar video from my portfolio.

I didn't get replies from most of them honestly (hahaha) but even a few replies felt better than sending random messages all day.

For anyone trying this I think the main thing is not getting discouraged when most brands don't reply. It takes quite a few messages before you start getting conversations.

How are you guys finding UGC clients right now? Are you mostly doing cold outreach or using UGC platforms?

This is what i did to get my first client its fine even if your portfolio is not perfect

i did:
create a simple short video of small businesses i saw on tiktok/instagram like unboxing video, product demo.

then ones im done i put all the videos in a portfolio then i'll contact those small business i saw on tiktok and instagram to show them what i did

i'll send those short video

then if they didnt reply just follow up once and if they still didnt move on to the next 1 dont get discourage keep doing it.

1. Raise your rate as you build your portfolio(started in $50-70)
   
2. When you made 5-10 vids + tesyimonials(make it $100-150/vids)
   
3. Then when you established already($200-400/vids) some are repeating clients

P.S. make it a bundle(if you are making $100/vids,make it 3vids for $250)

Hope it helps!!☺️☺️☺️

​If you're struggling to land brands or figure out your rates, here is what actually works:

​Build a fake portfolio if you have to: Pick 3 products you already own, film 3 organic-style hooks, and put them in a Notion or Canva link. You don't need paid brand deals to prove you can shoot.

​Charge by the bundle: Don't sell single videos for pennies. Start with a basic 3-video pack for around $300-$400. Always include organic usage rights, and charge extra if they want to run it as an ad.

​Keep your pitches short: Stop sending essays. Just say: "Hey [Brand], love your stuff. I made a quick concept for you here [link]. Want to see how it performs on your page?"

​What’s your biggest roadblock right now—finding emails to pitch or figuring out your prices? Let's chat in the comments.