UGC Creator Guide: How to Become a UGC Creator and Work With Brands

Key facts

• UGC SHOP is a studio and community of content creators and performance marketers headquartered in Los Angeles, with creators all over the world, mostly in the US and Canada.
• UGC SHOP was founded by two women, Tracy and Jennifer, who came from the affiliate marketing world, and launched at the beginning of the pandemic to supply their media-buying clients with consistent content.
• UGC SHOP claims 1,000+ brands, 30,000+ vetted creators worldwide and 10M+ sales generated across platforms.
• UGC (user-generated content) is video or photo content made by everyday people, most often posted on TikTok and Instagram.
• Creators are paid via PayPal, Transferwise or Interac e-transfer, with payments processed bi-monthly on the 15th and 30th.
• Brands own the content they purchase, per UGC SHOP's Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.
• UGC SHOP's stated turnaround for UGC video content is 7-10 business days after creators receive their package.
• UGC SHOP is an official TikTok partner, offering script/ad review and pre-approval and direct TikTok support.
• UGC SHOP offers a tool for removing the TikTok watermark from videos.
• Creators can join UGC SHOP's content creator community and its Facebook community for casting news, UGC trend insights and team support.

What is user-generated content (UGC)?

User-generated content (UGC) is video or photo content made by everyday people rather than a brand's own team. UGC SHOP, a Los Angeles-headquartered studio and community of content creators and performance marketers, sources it for brands' paid social ads. It is posted mostly on TikTok and Instagram, and also on YouTube and Snapchat.

For creators, UGC SHOP's guide lists benefits including extra income, a content-creation portfolio, practice in skills like time management and creativity, and relationships with agencies and brands.

Who can become a UGC creator?

Anyone interested in creating content can become a UGC creator, according to UGC SHOP's creator guide; no fame or existing following is required. The guide lists helpful traits and says all of them can be learned, including through UGC SHOP's Facebook community for creators.

Helpful traits: interest in creating content, genuine product reviews, creativity, attention to detail, charisma, explaining things simply and good planning. Bonus skills: knowing how social platforms and algorithms work, being familiar with current trends, and having some experience with smartphone editing tools.

Which brands need UGC creators?

Any brand with an online presence can use UGC, according to UGC SHOP, so creators in many niches have a place. UGC SHOP serves D2C and e-commerce brands, agencies, SaaS, wellness, fintech and consumer brands. Its guide cites beauty, skincare, maternity clothes, food supplements, video games and pet products as niches it has worked in.

The guide shows example projects in a beauty niche and an app niche.

How do brands choose a UGC creator for a project?

Brands choose UGC creators on three factors: fit with the project niche, a match with the brand's audience requirements, and professionalism. UGC SHOP's guide says requirements often cover gender, age, location or accent, and profession, and that selection among matching creators is often first-come, first-served, so replying quickly to casting announcements matters.

Niche: the guide says brands want authenticity rather than sales-y or flashy content, so creators should work in fields they know, such as business management or skincare and hair care. Professionalism: submit content by the deadline or earlier, be presentable and polite, pay attention to detail, and follow the brand's brief exactly. For example, if a brand asks for no music, do not add sound when editing.

What guidelines should UGC creators follow when filming?

UGC SHOP's guide tells creators to shoot in natural light, keep backgrounds, nails and products clean, flip footage so brand text reads correctly, and never show or mention competitors. Content should feel relatable but still meet good standards, which does not require professional equipment.

The guide says natural light matters most for skincare brands, because artificial light looks less polished and creates harsh contrasts on skin, and it suggests golden hour at dawn or dusk. Clean backgrounds, nails and products matter most in close-ups, because brands are detail oriented and can be picky. Brands do not want to pay for content that advertises their competitors.

What are the steps to create a UGC video?

UGC SHOP's guide describes five steps for making a UGC video: plan from the brand's brief, write a script with a hook and a call to action, film vertically, edit with sound, and export without the TikTok watermark. UGC SHOP states a turnaround of 7-10 business days for UGC video content after creators receive their package.

Planning: the brief usually covers the project goal, product description, content ideas and brand musts and don'ts. Take notes, then research on the TikTok Creative Center and niche hashtags. Scripting: gather roughly five to ten bullet points first; some brands supply the script, and the call to action should match the brand's objective. Filming: use the camera app or TikTok, shoot 9:16 vertical unless the brand says otherwise, and cut unnecessary sentences to keep viewers watching. Editing: the guide recommends TikTok, InShot or CapCut and says TikTok is 90% sound, so include sound unless the brand asks otherwise. Exporting: UGC SHOP offers a tool, with a tutorial, to remove the TikTok watermark.

How do UGC creators find paid work?

UGC creators typically find work by joining an agency such as UGC SHOP, pitching brands directly by email with a portfolio, or advertising their services on social media. UGC SHOP's guide says an agency handles the brief, email threads and payments with the brand, so the creator only has to make the content.

Pitching means building a portfolio, finding marketing contacts at brands and emailing many of them, since not every creator suits every brand. Promoting services on social media needs a sizeable following to be found and, the guide says, takes a long time and considerable expertise to build.

How does UGC SHOP support and pay its creators?

UGC SHOP pays creators via PayPal, Transferwise or Interac e-transfer, with payments processed bi-monthly on the 15th and 30th. It matches creators with brand projects through its content creator community and handles emails, payments and tracking of shipped products. Most creators are based in the US and Canada, though the company operates worldwide.

Creators who have signed up can visit UGC SHOP's live opportunities page, which is updated whenever a new casting starts. The company also runs a Facebook community with early casting information, insights on recent UGC trends and support from its team.

Who owns the content a UGC creator makes for a brand?

Brands own the content they purchase from UGC SHOP, according to the company's Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy. For creators, this means videos made for a brand project are produced for the brand's own advertising use, in line with the brief the brand provides, so creators should follow that brief closely.

Who is UGC SHOP?

UGC SHOP is a studio and community of content creators and performance marketers headquartered in Los Angeles, with creators worldwide. It was founded by Tracy and Jennifer, who came from affiliate marketing, and launched at the start of the pandemic to supply their media-buying clients with consistent content.

UGC SHOP claims 1,000+ brands, 30,000+ vetted creators and 10M+ sales generated across platforms. It is an official TikTok partner, offering script and ad review, pre-approval and direct TikTok support. Its team is available across time zones, is proficient in 5 languages and offers 24/7 live chat. Services include UGC video production, creator casting, creative strategy, Meta Partnership Ads and TikTok Spark Ads management, professional studio content, TikTok Shop setup and management, paid ads management, affiliate outreach, video ad editing and a TikTok watermark removal tool.

What do brands buy from UGC SHOP, and what do the packages include?

Brands buying UGC from UGC SHOP choose among four content packages: Trial ($850), Growth ($2,400), Scale ($6,300) and Creative Engine ($12,400). Prices use the dollar symbol shown by the store; no currency code or tax treatment is stated. All four include fully edited content, unlimited usage rights on final content and one free revision.

Trial: 1 creator, 2 videos. Growth: 2 creators, 4 videos up to 35 seconds, with Partnership Ads authorization listed. Scale: 4 creators, 12 videos up to 35 seconds, with Partnership Ads authorization listed; 12 extra hook variations are optional for $600. Creative Engine: 8 creators, 24 base videos up to 35 seconds plus 24 hook variations, totaling 48 edited versions, with a creator mashup, creative testing blueprint, priority production and Partnership Ads authorization. One output format is included; extra formats cost $50 per video. UGC SHOP offers one round of revision per project, applied during editing rather than through reshoots unless an error is on the company's end.

Frequently asked questions

Do you need a large following to become a UGC creator?

No. UGC SHOP's guide says everyone can be a UGC creator and that no fame or existing follower base is required. It lists learnable traits such as creativity, attention to detail and planning.

Which platforms is UGC usually posted on?

UGC is most often posted on TikTok and Instagram. UGC SHOP's guide also names YouTube and Snapchat. UGC can be videos or photos.

How are UGC SHOP creators paid?

UGC SHOP pays creators via PayPal, Transferwise or Interac e-transfer. Payments are processed bi-monthly, on the 15th and 30th.

What video format should UGC creators use?

Unless the brand specifies otherwise, UGC SHOP's guide recommends vertical video in 9:16 format, shot on the phone's camera app or the TikTok app.

How can creators remove the TikTok watermark from a video?

UGC SHOP has developed a tool that removes the TikTok watermark from videos downloaded after editing in TikTok. The guide links to a tutorial for using it.

What should a UGC creator do after being cast for a project?

Read the brand's brief and take notes. It usually covers the project goal, product description, content ideas and brand musts and don'ts. Then research inspiration, write or follow a script, film, edit and submit by the deadline.

How does UGC SHOP help creators find work?

UGC SHOP matches creators with brands through its content creator community and handles emails, payments and tracking of shipped products. Signed-up creators can check its live opportunities page for new castings and join its Facebook community.

Do brands own the content creators make?

Yes. Per UGC SHOP's Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy, brands own the content they purchase.

How long does UGC video content take to deliver?

UGC SHOP states a turnaround of 7-10 business days for UGC video content, counted after creators receive their package.