UGC (user-generated content) is short video and photo content you make for a brand to use on its own channels: its ads, its TikTok, its product pages, its emails. The brand pays you for the content itself, not for posting it to your followers. That's the part most people miss, and it's why you can start UGC with zero followers.
This guide is the exact path we walk new creators through at Moli Mgmt. Do the steps in order and you'll go from "I want to try UGC" to pitching real brands in about two weeks.
A UGC creator is a content maker for hire. An influencer is paid for reach: their audience sees the post. A UGC creator is paid for the video: the brand runs it wherever it wants. Plenty of creators do both, but you don't need an audience to do the first one.
Brands hire creators who look like their customers and who already use products like theirs. Pick one or two niches where you can film real, honest content without buying anything new. Good beginner niches are ones you already live in: skincare, home and cleaning, mom and baby, pets, fitness, food, tech accessories, beauty.
Brands want to see what you'd make for them, so make it before anyone hires you. Use products you own and film them like a brand paid you. You don't need permission to review something you bought.
Film vertically on your phone in good window light, keep each one under a minute, and write three different hooks for the same video. Brands love creators who hand them options.
When a brand replies "send me your work", you need one link that does the job. That link should show your best 3 to 6 videos, who you are, your niches, what you offer, and how to book you.
In Moli, your media kit and portfolio are built from your profile, so you can share one link in every pitch and update it whenever you make something new.
Decide your rates before a brand asks, so you're never making up a number on the spot. Price per video, then add for extras: extra hooks, raw footage, edited versions, and usage rights if the brand will run your video as a paid ad.
We break the numbers down in our guide to UGC rates for beginners. Moli's rate card keeps your prices in one place and puts them on your media kit if you want them shown.
The best first brands are small and growing: they need content constantly and don't have an agency doing it for them. Look for brands that already run ads with real-person videos, sell on TikTok Shop or Amazon, or recently launched a product.
Moli's brand directory lists thousands of brands with their niches, whether they're actively sponsoring creators, and contact details, so you can build a list in minutes instead of hours.
A good UGC pitch is short, specific to the brand, and ends with an easy question. Lead with one idea for their product, not your life story.
Then follow up. Most brand deals come from the follow-up, not the first email. Send a short nudge four days later and a last one about a week after that. We cover word-for-word examples in how to pitch your first UGC brand.
Before you film, get it in writing. Even a one-page agreement protects you and makes you look experienced.
Deliver on time, label your files clearly, and send a short note with what's included. After the brand is happy, ask two questions: "Can I use this in my portfolio?" and "Would you like a monthly package?" Repeat clients are where UGC turns into real income.
That's how to start UGC: a clear niche, a small portfolio, a rate you've decided ahead of time, and a steady pitching habit. The creators who land deals aren't always the most talented. They're the ones who keep pitching and follow up.
No. Brands pay UGC creators for the content itself and run it on their own channels, so your follower count doesn't matter. What matters is your portfolio and whether you look like the brand's customer.
It depends on your niche, what you deliver and the usage rights. Many beginners start with a modest per-video rate and raise it every few deals. Set your rates before brands ask, and always charge extra for paid ad usage.
With a portfolio and steady pitching (10 to 20 brands a week, with follow-ups), many creators land a first paid deal within a few weeks. Following up is what makes the difference.
You can start as an individual. Keep track of your income and expenses for taxes, use a simple contract for every deal, and register a business later if it makes sense for you.
Gifted product is a nice extra, but UGC is paid work. Brands use your content to sell, so ask for a fee for every video you make.
Moli gives you a media kit, a rate card, a directory of brands to pitch, pitch templates and a tracker that follows up for you. The free plan is enough to land your first deal.
Start UGC with Moli, freeEvery UGC creator starts with an empty portfolio. Here's how to fill it with five videos brands actually want to see, using things already in your house.
Your first rate is the one you'll be nervous to say out loud. Here's how to build it, what to charge extra for, and when to raise it.
Same phone, same products, very different jobs. Here's what separates a UGC creator from an influencer, and why you don't need followers for one of them.