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⚫️🟡 How to Find + Hire Great UGC Creators
What I learned after hiring +300 UGC Creators
Jordan Scheltgen
March 18, 2024
UGC (user-generated content) has taken over social media advertising. It seems that every brand is running UGC to either complement or carry their ad strategy.
But it’s unclear where you should start and whether you should even hire UGC creators at all.
What is UGC and how is it different than influencer campaigns?
With Influencer campaigns you often rely on a creator taking your product and posting about it to their personal following. UGC on the other hand, may be done with a well-known creator or someone who specializes in UGC. Personal fame is secondary to the content quality/production needed for your brand. When you hire a UGC creator, you take that content to post directly on your brand account as either organic or paid media.
A recent report published in The Drum backs why you should consider UGC:
12% of consumers trust influencers
42% of people regretted buying a product endorsed by influencers
86% of consumers trust UGC content posted on brand accounts
How do you find UGC creators?
You have several options when it comes to finding people to create UGC. You can use a platform like Tagger or Grin. But admittedly, those are expensive. What I’d suggest is to source and build a manual database of creators. You can use Instagram, TikTok or X (Twitter) to source people you want to work with.
Keys to Hiring UGC Creators
When you hire a UGC creator, there are a few steps you should take to give your content the best chance of success.
Legal Foundation: Before anything else, ensure you have a solid legal agreement in place, crafted by a professional, to cover usage and publicity rights. This initial investment safeguards your brand and clarifies content ownership. This should cost ~$1,000 to have a template made.
Brand Alignment: Look for creators that go beyond superficial reviews, seeking individuals who embody your brand's ethos and can produce content that resonates with your audience. Investing more in the right creators can yield content that significantly enhances your brand's appeal.
The Power of a Good Brief: A comprehensive creative brief is crucial. It's your blueprint for the creators, outlining your expectations, brand voice, and the message you want to convey. A well-crafted brief ensures the content produced aligns with your marketing goals and maintains brand consistency.
Integrating UGC: View UGC as a vital component of a diversified content strategy. Rather than being the sole focus, it should complement other content types, such as static ads and high-production pieces. Analyze performance metrics to understand what content resonates with your audience, allowing you to adjust your strategy for maximum impact.
Final Thoughts
Remember, UGC doesn't have to be a part of your marketing mix if the economics don't make sense. A lot of companies that are just starting out are better off running static ads, and testing a ton of offers until they find some purchase frequency from social ads.