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Beginner guide

How to become a UGC creator: 7 steps to your first paid job

No followers, no course, no special gear. Your phone and a few hours a week are enough to start.

See the 7 stepsIs UGC legit?

Written by Marta Dexnis, UGC creator. Updated September 2026.

In short

The short answer

To become a UGC creator, film 3 short sample videos on your phone, put them in a free portfolio and pick a starting price. Then email brands that already pay creators for video, and agree on the details before you film.

What you need

  • The phone you have
  • Daylight from a window
  • 3 products from your home
  • A free Gmail and a free editing app

What you don't need

  • Followers
  • A paid course or “starter kit”
  • A ring light or a camera
  • Your own website

The steps

From zero to your first paid job

Do them in this order. Each one ends with one thing to do today and a free tool for it.

UGC means short videos you make for a brand to post on its page or run as an ad. The brand pays for the video, not for your followers. New to the word? Here's what a UGC creator does.

  1. Step 1: Film 3 short sample videos

    Brands decide by watching your videos. Three good samples are enough to start.

    Do this today

    Pick 3 things you already have: a snack, a skincare item, a kitchen tool. Film each one by a window, phone upright, 15 to 30 seconds. Show the product in the first 2 seconds, use it, and say one honest thing you noticed. Easy first types: a quick demo, an unboxing, or a problem and how the product fixes it.

  2. Step 2: Put them in a free portfolio

    A brand needs one link that opens on their phone without a login. If it asks them to sign in, they close it.

    Do this today

    Make one Google Drive folder or a free Canva website. Add your 3 videos, one line about your niche and your email. Set sharing to “Anyone with the link”, then check the link.

  3. Step 3: Pick your starting price

    “What's your rate?” often comes in the first reply. Having a number ready helps you answer calmly.

    Do this today

    Open the rate calculator and answer a few questions about the job. In it, one first video starts at $100. If the brand runs your video as an ad, the price goes up. Then turn your price into a one-page rate card.

  4. Step 4: Find brands that already pay creators

    Writing to a brand that never buys videos wastes your evening. Look for signs that they pay for videos now.

    Do this today

    Write down 10 brands in your niche whose products you'd use yourself. Check each one for the signs below.

    • They run video ads right now
    • Their ads show real people, not only product photos
    • They have a creator, ambassador or affiliate page
    • There's an email you can write to

    We check these signs for every brand, on a schedule. Today in our catalogue:

    brands in our catalogue
    4,400+
    running ads right now
    2,500+
    have run ads with creators
    880+
    with an email you can write to
    4,100+
    Browse brands free

    See why each brand fits: niche, country, ads with creators and a contact.

  5. Step 5: Email them

    A lot of brands never post a UGC job. Writing to them yourself is how you reach those.

    Do this today

    Send 5 short emails. Use the brand's name, say why you like the product, add the one sample that fits them best, and ask if they need videos this month.

    Example email. Swap the [brackets] for your own words.

    Subject: Videos for [Brand]

    Hi [Name],

    I'm [your name], a UGC creator. I've been using [product] and I love [one real detail].

    Here's a short video I made in the same style: [link to one sample].

    Do you need new videos for [Brand] this month? I'd be happy to send ideas.

    Thanks, [your name]

    Many brands won't answer, and that's normal. Send a few emails every week and one polite reminder after 4 days. On ugcjobs.io you can tap “Write it for me” for an email written for each brand, send it from your own Gmail and let us send the reminder.

  6. Step 6: Agree on the details before you film

    A reply is not a job yet. Get the details in writing, even in a simple email.

    Do this today

    When a brand answers, reply with these questions before you start. Paste their message into our rate checker if you're not sure the offer is fair.

    • How many videos, and how long each one is
    • The deadline
    • How many rounds of changes are included
    • Where they'll use it: their page, or ads, and for how long
    • Your price, and when you get paid
    • Whether you keep the product

    “Free product only” is gifting. You can say yes to it, as long as you know it won't pay you.

  7. Step 7: Deliver on time and get paid

    A job counts as done when the money reaches your account. A “love it!” from the brand comes one step earlier.

    Do this today

    Send the videos by the deadline with a short invoice: what you made, the price and how to pay you (bank transfer, PayPal or the platform). If payment is late, send one friendly reminder. Then ask if they'll need more videos next month.

Around your kids

Your first week, one piece a day

One step a day, all from your phone. Short on time? Take two weeks. The order matters more than the speed.

  1. Day 1Film and edit your first sample.
  2. Day 2Film and edit sample 2.
  3. Day 3Film and edit sample 3.
  4. Day 4Make your free portfolio and check the link.
  5. Day 5Work out your price and make a rate card.
  6. Day 6Pick 10 brands that show signs they pay.
  7. Day 7Email the first 5 of them.

Editing takes longer than filming at first. Our rate calculator counts about 3 hours for one finished short video, so plan a nap time or an evening per sample. Brands can take days or weeks to answer. That's normal.

Honest answers

Before you start

What people ask before they start, answered straight.

Is UGC legit?

Yes. Brands pay creators for videos. In our catalogue, 880+ brands have run ads made with creators.

What isn't legit: anyone who asks you to pay to get work. The US Federal Trade Commission says honest employers “will never ask you to pay to get a job”, and warns about paid starter kits and training (FTC, Job Scams, updated March 2023). You don't need a course. Every step on this page is free.

How much do UGC creators make?

Brands pay UGC creators per video. There's no salary. In our rate calculator, a first video starts at $100, the low end of public 2026 UGC rate guides (checked September 28, 2026). Ads and longer use add more.

Your income is videos sold times price. 4 videos a month at $100 is $400 before fees and tax. Nobody can tell you how many brands will say yes, so treat that as plain math.

Can you do UGC without showing your face?

Yes. Hands-only demos, voiceovers, unboxings and recipe videos don't need your face. Talking-to-camera reviews do, so you'll fit fewer of those jobs. If you want to stay off camera, film your 3 samples that way too.

Do you need followers?

No. Brands post UGC on their own page or run it as an ad, so they pay for the video itself. Followers matter only if a brand also wants you to post it on your page, and that costs them extra.

Is UGC worth it as a side hustle?

It can be, if you like filming and can keep writing to brands every week. It isn't passive income: each video means filming, editing and some back and forth. Many emails get no answer, an answer isn't a job yet, and a job isn't money until it's paid. ugcjobs.io was started by Marta Dexnis, a working UGC creator in Miami, from her own notes on which brands pay and who answers.

UGC for beginners: questions

How do I become a UGC creator with no experience?

Film 3 practice videos on products you already own and put them in a free portfolio. Brands judge how you film and talk. Label them “practice videos” so it's honest.

How do I start UGC with no followers?

You don't need followers. Brands post UGC on their own page or run it as an ad, so they pay for the video itself. Start with 3 samples and email brands that already pay creators.

Can anyone become a UGC creator?

Mostly, yes. You need a phone, a few products to film and the patience to email brands. Each brand or platform sets its own rules, like your age or the country you live in, so read them before you apply.

Is creating UGC free to start?

Yes, you can start for $0 with the phone you have, daylight from a window and a free editing app. Skip paid courses and “starter kits” until you've had paid work.

How much money do UGC creators make?

UGC is paid per video, so what you make depends on how many videos you sell and at what price. In our rate calculator, a first video starts at $100, based on public 2026 UGC rate guides. Nobody can promise how many brands will say yes.

How much should I charge for UGC as a beginner?

Start around $100 for one short video the brand posts on its own page. Charge more if they run it as an ad, want it fast or want it forever. The free rate calculator works out the full price with you.

Is UGC legit?

Yes. Brands pay creators for videos. In our catalogue, 880+ brands have run ads made with creators. It's not legit when someone asks you to pay to get work.

Is UGC still a thing in 2026?

Yes. In our catalogue, 2,500+ brands are running ads right now, and 880+ have run ads with creators. We check brands again on a schedule.

What is the best UGC platform for beginners?

There isn't one best platform. Platforms let you apply to jobs brands post there; compare their fees, countries and payouts on our UGC platforms list. Emailing brands directly works alongside them.

Can I do UGC without showing my face?

Yes. Hands-only demos, voiceovers, unboxings and recipe videos don't need your face. Talking-to-camera reviews do, so you'll fit fewer of those jobs.

Do I need an LLC to be a UGC creator?

No, not to start. You can get paid under your own name. When the money grows, ask a tax professional where you live.

Do I need TikTok or Instagram to be a UGC creator?

No. A portfolio link is enough for brands. A page with your samples can help, but it isn't required.

How do UGC creators get paid?

Usually by bank transfer, PayPal or through the platform where you found the job. Agree on when you get paid before you film, and send a short invoice with the videos.

How long until my first paid UGC job?

Nobody can promise a date. Samples and a portfolio can be ready in about a week; brands can take weeks to answer, so keep emailing a few every week.

Ready for step 4? Find brands that pay

Brands that already pay creators for video, with an email you can write to. We help you write and send it from your Gmail.

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