How do you build a UGC portfolio (with examples)?

Last updated · by Hüseyin Kaplan

A UGC portfolio is a single link that shows brands 3-6 short vertical videos, one or two photo sets, a short bio, your niches, your rates or a starting price, and how to contact you. If you have no clients yet, the fastest way to fill it is with spec ads: unpaid sample ads for products you already own.

What is a UGC portfolio?

A UGC portfolio is a short showcase of the ads and photos you make for brands, shared as one link. It exists to answer one question for a marketer: can this creator make content that works for my product? Unlike an influencer media kit, it is judged on the work, not your follower count. Brands usually run UGC on their own ads, product pages and social accounts rather than on your feed.

People search for it as a 'UGC creator portfolio' or a 'UGC content creator portfolio', but these mean the same thing. Only the format changes: a one-page website, a shared folder, a PDF or a profile on a creator marketplace. Whichever format you pick, a brand should understand your niche, your style and your price within a minute of opening it.

Portfolio vs influencer media kit

A media kit sells your audience: followers, demographics and engagement. A UGC portfolio sells your production skills: hooks, product handling, lighting, editing and how you come across on camera. Many UGC creators have no media kit at all, because the brand posts the content, not them. If you also post sponsored content on your own channels, keep the two documents separate.

Portfolio vs showreel

A showreel is one edited montage. Brands reviewing UGC want to watch complete ads from start to finish, so they can judge whether your hook works and whether the call to action lands. If you use a short montage at all, put it at the top as a header and show full videos that play one at a time underneath it.

How do you become a UGC creator (with no followers)

What should a UGC portfolio include?

A UGC portfolio should include three to six complete videos, one or two photo sets, a short bio, your niches, a starting price or packages, and one clear way to contact you. Put your strongest, most relevant piece first and label each sample by format and product type. Cut anything that does not match the brands you want to work with. The blocks below run in page order, from top to bottom.

Block 1: Hero video

Your best ad goes first, and it should match the niche you most want to be hired in. A short vertical product ad with a hook, a demonstration and a call to action does more work than any bio. Many brands decide on this one clip whether to keep scrolling, so make it your most polished and most relevant piece.

Block 2: Video grid

Add two to five more complete videos in different formats: an unboxing, a problem-and-solution ad, a routine or tutorial, a testimonial-style review and an edit with voiceover only. A range of formats shows what you can do, and sticking to one niche shows focus. Put a one-line caption under each, such as 'Skincare serum, spec ad, problem-solution'.

Block 3: Photo sets

Include one or two sets of stills: the product in your hand, a flat lay and lifestyle shots in natural light. Many DTC brands need images for product pages, marketplace listings and emails. A clean photo set gets you into briefs that creators who only shoot video miss. A small, consistent set is better than a large mixed one.

Block 4: Bio and niches

Write two or three sentences on who you are, who you make content for and what you bring to camera, for example 'UK-based mum of two making skincare and supplement ads.' List two or three niches. Add useful facts such as your on-camera age range, pets, children, home setting or languages, because briefs often filter on these.

Block 5: Rates and contact

A starting price or a few simple packages saves both sides time, though some creators prefer 'rates on request'. End with one email address and one booking or enquiry link. Show them at both the top and bottom of the page, because contact details hidden in a footer cost you replies.

How much do UGC creators charge (UGC rates)

How do you build a UGC portfolio with no clients?

Build it from spec ads: unpaid sample ads you film for products you already own, made exactly as you would for a paying client. Spec work is normal in UGC, and it lets you choose the brands and niches you want to be hired for instead of waiting for a first booking.

Be honest about what each sample is. Label spec samples 'spec ad' or 'concept', and do not suggest that a brand commissioned them or endorses you. If you later take free-product jobs to fill gaps, be aware that the FTC's Disclosures 101 guidance treats free or discounted products from a brand as a material connection. That means any public post about them must make the relationship obvious.

Step 1: Pick two niches

Choose niches you can film convincingly at home with products you already use, such as skincare, supplements, basic fashion items, or kitchen and lifestyle products. Brands pay for relevance, so two focused niches beat six scattered ones. Pick the categories you would actually be glad to make content about every week.

Step 2: Write a mini brief

Before filming, write the brief a brand would send you: the target customer, the main benefit, one objection to overcome and the action you want viewers to take. Then write three different opening lines. Working to a brief shows brands you can follow theirs, and that is really what they are testing.

Step 3: Shoot vertically in natural light

Film vertically on your phone, facing a window, in a quiet room. Keep the product clearly visible and its label readable. If your room echoes, record the audio separately. Also film extra footage of the product being used (B-roll), so you can cut several different ads from one shoot.

Step 4: Edit several versions

Cut each shoot into a short, direct version and a longer, story-led version, and give at least one cut a different hook. Brands test variations all the time. Showing that one shoot can produce several ads tells them you understand how UGC is actually used.

Step 5: Publish and pitch

Put your best three to six cuts on one page and send the link to brands in your niche. Swap out weaker spec pieces as paid work comes in. Aim your samples at the type of brand you plan to pitch, so the match is obvious when a marketer opens your link.

What do strong UGC portfolio examples look like?

Strong UGC portfolios share one basic structure: a hero video, a labelled grid of samples, a short bio and an obvious way to get in touch. What differs is how they arrange it to suit the creator's niche and experience. The five structures below suit most UK and US creators pitching DTC brands. Pick the one closest to where you are now and adapt it.

Use them as templates rather than designs to copy. A brand should recognise its own kind of product in the first screen, whichever layout you choose.

1. The beginner one-pager (spec work only)

Hero spec ad at the top, then a grid of three to five spec videos, one photo set, a two-line bio and an email button. You can build it with a free website builder in an afternoon. It suits creators with no paid work yet. Label every sample 'spec' and lead with the product category you most want to work in.

2. The niche specialist (beauty and skincare)

Everything sits within one vertical: a skincare routine ad, a texture close-up, a demonstration that avoids exaggerated claims, a get-ready-with-me (GRWM) video and a product photo set. The bio states your skin type and routine. A beauty brand can see straight away that you understand its customer and the limits on what it can claim.

3. The format menu (supplements and wellness)

Sections are organised by ad format rather than by product: problem-solution, testimonial, unboxing, daily routine and voiceover. Each section has one example and a one-line note on what that format is for. Supplement and wellness brands test many angles, and this layout lets them pick formats as if from a menu.

4. The lookbook (fashion and accessories)

This one leads with photos. Open with a try-on haul video, then styled outfit sets, flat lays and detail shots, followed by two or three short videos. Add the sizes you are wearing if you are comfortable sharing them. Fashion brands often need stills for product pages as much as video for ads.

5. The results-led portfolio (experienced creators)

Once you have paid work, replace spec pieces with client videos, with each brand's permission. Add a short line on how each video was used, such as paid social or a product page. Include one or two short client testimonials and your package pricing. Check your contracts before you show any client work publicly.

What TikTok's creative guidance says

  • 9:16 Vertical orientation TikTok lists as a basic for performance ads; shoot every portfolio video this way.
  • 6 sec TikTok advises prioritising the hook within the first six seconds to lift engagement and watch time.
  • 3 sec Window TikTok gives for introducing the product proposition, linked to better recall and awareness.
  • 720P Minimum resolution TikTok recommends; export portfolio samples at this quality or higher.
  • 5-10 Words per second TikTok recommends for on-screen text, a useful pace for caption overlays.

Source: TikTok Business Help Center, Creative best practices for performance ads, 2025

Which mistakes make brands skip a UGC portfolio?

The mistakes that cost creators briefs are slow openings, weak or missing hooks, and videos in the wrong shape for where the brand will run them. TikTok's creative best practices for performance ads treat vertical 9:16 video at 720P or higher as a basic. They also advise putting the hook within the first six seconds and introducing the product's main selling point within the first three. Clips that miss these marks tell a brand your ads will need rework, and the same applies to any hook tips you see under portfolio hashtags.

Long intros

Opening with 'Hi, I'm…' or a slow product reveal wastes the seconds that decide whether someone keeps watching. Start on the problem, the result or the product in use. Your bio already introduces you, so every video should behave like an ad from the first frame.

No clear hook

If the first line or shot gives no reason to stay, a brand will assume viewers will skip its ad too. Test openings built on a claim you can back up, a relatable problem, a surprising visual or a direct question. Include at least one sample that shows alternative hooks cut onto the same main video.

Wrong aspect ratio

Horizontal or square clips look unfinished in vertical feeds and end up cropped or letterboxed. Shoot and export in 9:16, and keep text and faces away from the edges where platform buttons and captions sit. Only add square or 4:5 crops if a brand asks for feed placements.

Too many samples, no niche

Twenty clips across fitness, tech, pets and beauty suggest you have no focus. Cut down to your best three to six in the niches you are pitching. Keep extra work in a separate private folder you can send if a brand asks.

Poor audio and hidden contact details

Brands will accept phone footage, but not echoing audio or muddy lighting. Film near a window in a room with soft furnishings. Make it easy to hire you, too: put an email address and enquiry button at the top and bottom of the page, not just in the footer.

What are the best hooks and scripts for UGC videos

Where should you host your UGC portfolio?

Host your portfolio somewhere you can update in minutes and share as one clean link. For most new creators that means a free website builder, with a move to a custom domain once paid work arrives. According to Canva's Help Centre, Canva Free users can publish up to five live websites on a free Canva domain. On the free plan, a 'Designed with Canva' footer appears that you cannot remove.

If you work in beauty, skincare, supplements, fashion or lifestyle, a vetted #Collabz creator profile is one way to put your samples in front of UK and US DTC brands that post briefs. AI-generated visuals are not allowed there, so upload real footage only.

Canva website

It is free, built from templates and quick to update, and its phone-frame mockups suit vertical video. The free plan publishes to a Canva subdomain, and paid plans let you connect your own domain. It is the best fit for beginners who want something that looks designed without needing design skills.

Squarespace, Wix or WordPress

These give you more control over layout, search visibility and a custom domain, for a monthly fee. They are worth it once you have paying clients and want a site that ranks when brands search your name plus 'UGC creator'. Check that embedded videos play in the page on mobile and load quickly.

Google Drive or Dropbox folder

This is the fastest option: a shared folder with clearly named files, such as 'Skincare spec ad, problem-solution'. It works for a first pitch, but brands have to open or download each clip, and there is nowhere for your bio or rates. Use it as a backup, not as your main link.

Creator marketplace profile

A marketplace profile sits where brands already look for creators, and the platform often handles briefs, usage rights and payment. Upload the same curated samples as on your website and keep the bio consistent. Treat the profile as a second way in for brands, not a replacement for your own site.

Where do you find UGC jobs and brands looking for UGC creators

Do portfolio videos need an 'Ad' label?

Spec ads for products you bought yourself are not advertising, because no brand has paid or rewarded you for them. Anything you were given free, were paid to make or link to for commission needs a clear label when you post it publicly. Gifted content is still an ad: the ASA and CMA's influencers' guide counts free products as payment even if you had no obligation to post. The guide also advises against using 'gifted' as the label. In the UK, put 'Ad' at the start of the post. In the US, use '#ad' or similarly clear wording upfront.

The same guide says that if you promote your own services on your personal channels, people should be able to tell straight away from the content itself. So when you repost portfolio samples to win work, make that obvious upfront. Do not bury the label in a string of hashtags or behind a 'more' tap.

How do you keep a UGC portfolio winning briefs?

Keep one master portfolio, send a tailored version with each pitch, and refresh the line-up whenever paid work can replace a spec piece. A portfolio that worked when you started will lose replies once your best work is months old. Treat it as something you keep editing, not a page you finish once.

Pin the closest match

Before each pitch, move the sample nearest to that brand's product to the top, or send a direct link to it. A supplement brand should see a supplement ad first and a fashion brand should see a try-on. It takes two minutes and makes the fit obvious.

Review it every month

Once a month, remove anything that is no longer your best work, add new pieces and check that every link and video still plays. Stay within three to six samples for each niche you pitch, so the page remains a short, curated selection rather than an archive.

Swap spec work for paid work

As soon as a client agrees, replace a spec sample with the paid version and note how it was used. Real client work, even from a small brand, reassures the next marketer that someone has already trusted you with a brief and been happy with the result.

Track which samples get replies

Keep a simple note of which sample you led with in each pitch and whether the brand replied. Within a few weeks you will see which formats and niches open conversations. Move those to the top and drop the ones that never get a response.

Sources and further reading

Frequently asked questions

How many videos should a UGC portfolio have?

Aim for three to six complete videos, plus one or two photo sets. Put your strongest, most relevant piece first and label each sample by format and product type. Stay within three to six samples for each niche you pitch, so the page stays a short, curated selection.

What is a spec ad in UGC?

A spec ad is an unpaid sample ad you film for a product you already own, made exactly as you would for a paying client. Spec work is normal in UGC. Label each one 'spec ad' or 'concept', and do not suggest that a brand commissioned it or endorses you.

Is a UGC portfolio the same as an influencer media kit?

No. A media kit sells your audience through followers, demographics and engagement, while a UGC portfolio sells your production skills, such as hooks, product handling, lighting and editing. If you also post sponsored content on your own channels, keep the two documents separate.

Should I use a showreel instead of full videos?

Brands reviewing UGC want to watch complete ads from start to finish, so they can judge whether your hook works and whether the call to action lands. If you use a short montage at all, put it at the top as a header. Show full videos that play one at a time underneath it.

What video format should UGC portfolio samples be in?

Shoot and export in vertical 9:16, at 720P or higher, which TikTok's creative best practices for performance ads treat as a basic. Those best practices also advise putting the hook within the first six seconds and the main selling point within the first three. Keep text and faces away from the edges, where platform buttons and captions sit.

Can I make a UGC portfolio for free in Canva?

Yes. According to Canva's Help Centre, Canva Free users can publish up to five live websites on a free Canva domain. The free plan adds a 'Designed with Canva' footer that you cannot remove, and paid plans let you connect your own domain.

Should I put my prices in my UGC portfolio?

A starting price or a few simple packages saves time for both sides, though some creators prefer 'rates on request'. Either way, end with one email address and one booking or enquiry link. Show them at both the top and bottom of the page, because contact details hidden in a footer cost you replies.

Why include photo sets in a UGC portfolio?

Many DTC brands need images for product pages, marketplace listings and emails. A clean photo set gets you into briefs that creators who only shoot video miss. Include one or two sets, such as the product in your hand, a flat lay and lifestyle shots in natural light.