How do you become a UGC creator (with no followers)?
Last updated · by Elena Sofia Marchetti
To become a UGC creator, pick a niche, film three to five spec videos with a phone and a cheap light, put them on a portfolio page, set beginner rates and pitch brands every week. You need no followers. Brands pay for the video itself and post it on their own ads and accounts.
How do you become a UGC creator, step by step?
Treat UGC as a small freelance video service. Choose a niche, film sample work, show it on one clean page, price it simply and keep pitching until brands say yes. The ten steps below are the order that works when you start with no followers, no clients and just a phone.
Most beginners stall at step 4 or step 8. Either they never finish the spec videos, or they pitch three brands and then wait. Your first booking will come from volume, not luck. Keep a simple tracker of every brand you pitch, the date and the reply. Treat your first ten videos as practice you are allowed to get wrong.
1. Pick a niche you can film every week
Choose a category where you already buy products: skincare, supplements, fashion basics, home or food. A niche makes your portfolio look deliberate and tells a brand straight away whether you fit their customer. You can widen it later. At the start, three videos in one category beat ten spread across five.
2. Get a basic kit
A recent smartphone, a ring light or window light and a clip-on mic cover almost every brief. Add a free editing app, a tripod and a tidy corner to film in. Brands care more about clean audio and steady framing than about an expensive camera.
3. Study hooks before you film
Save twenty UGC ads from your niche on TikTok and Instagram, and write down the first line of each. Look for the patterns: a problem, a bold claim, a reaction, a before-and-after. The first two seconds decide whether a paid ad works, so script that line first.
4. Film 3-5 spec videos for brands you use
Use products you already own and make unpaid sample ads as if the brand had briefed you: one testimonial, one demo and one unboxing or 'get ready with me'. Keep each one vertical, 15-45 seconds long and captioned. These videos prove you can deliver before anyone pays you.
5. Build a one-page portfolio
Put your spec videos behind a single link, such as a free site builder, a Notion page or a Canva site. Add a short intro, your niche, what you offer, your turnaround time and an email address. A brand should be able to start your best video within five seconds of opening the page.
6. Set simple beginner rates
Beginner UGC typically costs $100-250 (£80-200) per video (industry range), with paid-ads usage and raw footage priced as extras. For context, Collabstr's 2026 report puts the average amount brands paid per UGC collaboration on its marketplace at $154. Quote a clear package and raise your price after five happy clients.
7. Join creator marketplaces
Create profiles on two or three UGC marketplaces where brands post briefs and payment is handled for you. Fill in every field, put your best spec video first and apply within a day of a brief going live. Marketplaces bring brands to you, and pitching takes you to brands. Do both.
8. Pitch 10 brands a week
Shortlist small DTC brands whose ads you can picture yourself in, then email or DM ten of them each week. Keep the pitch to four lines: who you are, the video you would make, a link to one relevant sample and a price. Follow up once after five working days.
9. Deliver like a professional
Before you film, get the brief, deliverables, usage and deadline confirmed in writing. Send hook variations, versions with and without captions, and clearly named files. Deliver early, accept one round of reasonable edits and invoice when you deliver. Reliability is what turns a first job into a monthly order.
10. Ask for a testimonial and a repeat order
Once the brand approves the video, ask for a one-line testimonial and permission to show the work in your portfolio. Offer a small discount on a three-video bundle. Each testimonial makes the next pitch easier, and winning repeat work from an existing client is easier than finding a new one.
Do you need followers to become a UGC creator?
No. Brands buy UGC for the video file, not your audience. They post it on their own accounts, product pages and paid ads, so your follower count rarely comes into the decision. What they judge is whether your sample videos look like ads their customers would stop scrolling for.
Followers matter in only two cases. First, if a brief asks you to post on your own profile, that is an influencer deal rather than pure UGC. Second, some platform-run marketplaces set minimums. TikTok's help centre says creators must be 18 or over to join TikTok One and need at least 1,000 followers to take part in projects, though requirements vary by project. Pitching brands directly has no follower minimum.
A brand-new account with zero posts is not a barrier. A tidy profile with your spec work pinned at the top does help, because brands click through, but it works as a shop window rather than a requirement.
What kit do you need to start UGC content?
You need a phone, decent light and clean sound. Everything else is optional. A smartphone from the last few years films sharp enough vertical video for paid social, and brands would rather see natural footage than cinematic polish.
Start with what you own and upgrade one item at a time once paid work arrives, buying better sound first. Brands also notice a tidy, well-lit setting, so pick one corner of your home and make it your set.
Phone and tripod
Film on the rear camera at 1080p or 4K when you can, and use the front camera only for talking-head shots where you need to check your framing. A cheap tripod with a phone clamp keeps shots steady and frees both hands for product demos and try-ons.
Light
For the softest, cheapest light, face a window in daylight. In the evening, a ring light or small LED panel just above eye level removes shadows. Avoid mixing warm bulbs with daylight, because skin tones and product colours turn orange, and beauty brands in particular will notice.
Microphone
Bad audio loses more briefs than average video. A clip-on or wireless mic that connects to your phone cuts out echo and room noise. Film in a room with soft furnishings, switch off fans and record a few seconds of silence to help with editing.
Editing app and backdrop
A free editor such as CapCut handles cuts, captions and text overlays, which covers most briefs. Choose one consistent backdrop: a bathroom shelf for skincare, a kitchen counter for supplements, or a plain wall or mirror for fashion try-ons.
What the UGC market pays
- $154 Average a brand actually paid per UGC collaboration on Collabstr, against a $180 average asking price.
- 35% Share of Collabstr campaigns that were platform-agnostic UGC, up from 15% a year earlier.
- ~80% Of collaborations cost under $300, so most work comes as small, repeatable briefs rather than big deals.
- 40%+ Of UGC campaigns come from companies spending under $5k, the small brands beginners pitch.
How do you make spec videos without a brand deal?
Make them for products you have already bought, and film them as if the brand had sent you a brief. Spec videos are unpaid sample ads, and they are the only proof a new creator has. Treat them like real jobs: pick a real brand, write a mock brief and set yourself a real deadline. In your portfolio, label each one 'spec' or 'sample' so nobody thinks the brand commissioned it.
Videos of products you paid for yourself are not ads. That changes as soon as a brand gives you something. The FTC's Disclosures 101 guidance says a 'material connection' includes being paid or getting free or discounted products, so anything you post on your own account in return needs '#ad' in the US.
Testimonial
Talk to camera in your own words about a problem the product solved. Open with the problem, show the product in your hand and finish on a single benefit. This format is a staple for skincare and supplement brands because it looks and sounds like a real customer.
Demo or how-to
Show the product working in close-up: applying a serum, mixing a protein shake or styling one jacket three ways. Keep your hands, the product and the result in frame, and add burned-in captions so the video still works with the sound off.
Unboxing or first impressions
Film the parcel, the packaging and your honest first reaction. This format suits fashion and lifestyle brands launching new lines, and it shows you can make a product look desirable at home, without a studio or props.
Problem-solution hook
Open with a relatable frustration, then reveal the product as the fix. Write three different opening lines for the same video. Brands value hook variations because they test them against each other in ads, and a spec video that comes with alternatives shows you think like a performance marketer.
How do you land your first paid UGC job?
You land the first job by pairing marketplace applications with direct pitches, sending them in volume and following up once. A realistic rhythm is ten tailored pitches a week plus every relevant marketplace brief, logged in a spreadsheet so you can see which formats and brands reply.
If you would rather apply to briefs than cold-pitch, #Collabz suits creators who want to work with UK and US beauty, skincare, supplement and fashion brands. Brands post briefs there, and usage rights and payment are handled in-platform. If a brand gifts or pays you and you also post the video on your own account, the ASA and CMA's influencers' guide is the UK reference for labelling it clearly as 'Ad'.
Who to pitch
The best targets are small DTC brands that already run creator-style ads, because they understand UGC and buy it regularly. Search the brand in Meta's Ad Library. If it is running talking-head or testimonial ads, it needs a steady supply of new creators and fresh videos.
What to send
Send four lines and one link: your name and niche, the specific video you would make for their product, a sample in the same format and a starter price. Personalise the first line around a product of theirs you have actually used.
When to follow up
After five working days, send one polite follow-up with a fresh idea rather than 'just checking in'. If there is still no reply, move on and try again in a few months, ideally when the brand launches a new product and needs new videos.
Where do you find UGC jobs and brands looking for UGC creators
Is UGC a realistic start for complete beginners?
Yes. UGC is one of the few creator jobs a beginner can start without an audience. It works like freelancing, though, not like posting for fun. You will spend more time pitching, scripting and re-shooting than you expect, and income in the first months is usually irregular.
The beginners who last treat it like a small business from the start: they track pitches, put terms in writing, keep records of what they earn and raise their prices once they have repeat clients.
What works in your favour
Being reliable, filming in good light and replying quickly. Brands buying lower-cost UGC often care more about turnaround time and clean audio than about clever concepts, which puts newcomers on a fairly level footing with more experienced creators.
What trips beginners up
Charging by the hour instead of per video, giving away unlimited usage rights, skipping a written agreement and stopping pitching after the first booking. Always state what usage is included and for how long, and keep pitching even when you are busy.
Tax and admin in the UK
HMRC's Tax Confident guidance says most people can earn £1,000 from side hustles in a tax year (6 April to 5 April) before they need to tell HMRC. That figure covers all your side income combined. Above it, you report the income and either use the allowance or claim expenses, not both.
Do you need a UGC course to get started?
No, you do not need a course. Most of what paid UGC courses teach you can learn by studying live ads and working through the ten steps above. A course is worth paying for only if it gives you structured feedback on your own videos, which free content cannot do.
If you do buy one, judge it by the instructor's recent client work and by how much of the course is hands-on critique, not by income screenshots.
What a good course covers
Scripting and hooks, filming and lighting basics, editing with captions, pricing and usage rights, simple contracts and pitching. The useful ones include real brief examples and give one-to-one or group critique on the videos you submit, so you improve your actual work rather than just collecting notes.
Free alternatives
Ad libraries and platform creative hubs show live UGC ads in every niche. Save the ones that have been running for weeks, since brands keep paying for ads that convert. Then rebuild them shot by shot with your own products and compare your version with the original.
Red flags
Watch for income screenshots instead of a curriculum, promises of guaranteed brand deals, upsells into 'private brand lists', and teachers who earn more from selling UGC courses than from making UGC. Ask to see the instructor's recent client work before you pay anything.
Sources and further reading
- ASA and CMA, Influencers' guide to making clear that ads are ads — Advertising Standards Authority
- Disclosures 101: New FTC resources for social media influencers — Federal Trade Commission
- How creators can sign up for TikTok One — TikTok for Business
- Earning extra income from a 'side hustle' — HM Revenue and Customs
- Collabstr Annual Influencer Marketing Report 2026 — Collabstr
Frequently asked questions
How do you become a UGC creator on TikTok?
Film your spec videos natively for TikTok and pitch brands that run TikTok ads. You do not need a big TikTok following for that. If you want to use TikTok's own marketplace, its help centre says you must be 18 or over to join TikTok One, and projects require at least 1,000 followers.
How do you get into UGC content creation with no experience?
Make three to five spec videos for products you already own, put them on a one-page portfolio and pitch ten small brands a week. Your experience comes from the spec work and your first low-priced jobs, not from a qualification.
How do you start UGC content creation for free?
Use the phone you already have, window light, a free editor such as CapCut and products from around your home. A portfolio page and marketplace profiles cost nothing. A clip-on mic is the first thing worth buying.
Is UGC creation good for beginners?
Yes. Brands pay for the video rather than your audience, so beginners compete on quality and reliability. Expect it to work like freelancing: steady pitching, irregular income at first, and rates that rise as you collect testimonials.
How long does it take to land your first UGC job?
There is no fixed timeline. It depends on your portfolio, your niche and how many brands you pitch. Creators who pitch every week and apply to marketplace briefs quickly usually book sooner than those who wait to be found.
Do UGC creators post the videos on their own accounts?
Usually not. The brand receives the file and posts it on its own channels or in ads. If a brief also asks you to post on your profile, that is an influencer deliverable, so price it separately and label the post as an ad.
Do you have to pay tax on UGC income in the UK?
Possibly. HMRC says most people can earn £1,000 from side hustles in a tax year before they need to tell it. Above that, you report the income and pay tax on the amount over the allowance, or claim your expenses instead.