For creators

How to get paid for UGC, from someone who does

I am Anastasiia, a UGC creator in New York City. Everything here comes from my own brand deals, my email inbox and my spreadsheet of brands. No theory.

Filter

Rates & Money · Sep 29, 2026 · 4 min read

My First 4 Months of UGC in Real Numbers (150 Pitches, 10 Replies, 15+ Paid Videos)

Every number from my first four months as a UGC creator: pitches, replies, gifted vs paid, platform payouts, income by month and hours worked.

Read article →

Rates & Money · Sep 25, 2026 · 4 min read

A Brand Wanted to Run My UGC Video as an Ad for Free. Here's Exactly What I Said

A brand asked to put ad spend behind my UGC video without paying for usage. The reply I sent, why it worked, and how to handle the same ask without losing the client.

Read article →

Pitching Brands · Sep 22, 2026 · 4 min read

How I Turned a Gifted Collab Into a Paid Client (the Exact Follow-Up I Sent)

What a gifted collaboration is, when it's worth it, and how one gifted supplement collab turned into paid work a week later.

Read article →

Brand Lists · Sep 18, 2026 · 4 min read

How to Find Brands Looking for UGC Creators Right Now (and Get Them to Find You)

Where brands post that they're looking for UGC creators, a 20-minute daily routine to catch them, and what made brands start messaging me first.

Read article →

Tools · Sep 15, 2026 · 5 min read

UGC Platforms for Creators: What Insense, Cohley and Aspire Actually Paid Me

Honest notes on the UGC platforms I use as a beginner: what each one paid me, how to get picked for campaigns, and whether you need a UGC agency instead.

Read article →

Pitching Brands · Sep 11, 2026 · 5 min read

UGC Jobs: Where Paid UGC Work Actually Comes From (My First 4 Months, Source by Source)

Where to find UGC jobs as a beginner: creator platforms, cold email, Instagram DMs and inbound brands, with what each one actually paid me in my first four months.

Read article →

Getting Started · Sep 8, 2026 · 5 min read

What Is a UGC Creator? What I Actually Do All Week (and What It Pays)

What a UGC creator does, who hires them and what it pays, from a NYC beauty creator four months in: real hours, real rates, and how the work actually arrives.

Read article →

Rates & Money · Sep 4, 2026 · 6 min read

UGC Rates 2026: What Beauty Brands Pay and How Much UGC Creators Make

Real 2026 UGC rates for beauty creators, from gifted to $600+ per video: where I am four months in, what brands have told me, usage rights, rush fees, and the formula to quote.

Read article →

Getting Started · Sep 2, 2026 · 5 min read

9 Beginner UGC Mistakes I Made in My First Months (And What They Cost Me)

The beginner UGC mistakes I made in my first four months: no rate ready, free ad usage, wrong brands, no follow-ups, buying gear too early. What I do differently now.

Read article →

Tools · Aug 30, 2026 · 7 min read

UGC Contract Checklist: 12 Things I Check Before I Sign (+ the One-Page Contract Template I Send)

The 12 clauses that matter in a UGC agreement, plus my free one-page UGC creator contract template: deliverables, usage, exclusivity, revisions, payment terms and kill fee.

Read article →

Rates & Money · Aug 28, 2026 · 5 min read

UGC Usage Rights Explained: Organic vs Paid, Exclusivity, and What to Charge (2026)

What usage rights mean in a UGC deal, the difference between organic and paid use, how long to license for, what exclusivity really costs you, and the numbers to use.

Read article →

Brand Lists · Aug 25, 2026 · 6 min read

Which Beauty Brands Actually Pay UGC Creators? 7 Signals I Check Before I Pitch

How to tell in five minutes whether a beauty brand pays for UGC, gifts first, or ignores creators: ad library, hiring, creator pages, size. Plus how I built my brand list.

Read article →

Pitching Brands · Aug 23, 2026 · 6 min read

UGC Follow-Up Email Templates: What to Send When a Brand Goes Quiet

Copy-paste follow-ups for every stage of a UGC pitch: no reply, 'not right now', 'we only gift', rate requests, and how to come back in 3 months.

Read article →

Pitching Brands · Aug 20, 2026 · 5 min read

How to Pitch Beauty Brands for UGC: My Pitch Email Template (The One That Gets Replies)

My UGC pitch email template for beauty brands, line by line: who to send it to, follow-up timing, and the real reply rate from 150 pitches (gifted and paid).

Read article →

Pitching Brands · Aug 18, 2026 · 5 min read

How to Find Brand Contact Emails for UGC Pitches (Without Paying for Tools)

Where I find the right person at a beauty brand and a working email: LinkedIn, domain patterns, Instagram, press pages, creator forms. Plus who to email at brands of every size.

Read article →

Getting Started · Aug 15, 2026 · 5 min read

How to Become a UGC Creator in 30 Days: The Week-by-Week Plan I Give Friends

How to become a UGC creator with no followers or experience: a 30-day plan for what to film, when to build the portfolio, how many brands to pitch, when to say yes to gifted.

Read article →

Portfolio · Aug 13, 2026 · 6 min read

How to Make a UGC Portfolio Beauty Brands Say Yes To (Examples + a 6-Video Starter Set)

How to make a UGC portfolio with no brand deals: the six videos to film first, what to put on the page, Canva vs a website, and the mistakes that close the tab.

Read article →

Portfolio · Aug 10, 2026 · 4 min read

25 UGC Hooks for Beauty Videos That Actually Stop the Scroll (With Examples)

The first 2 seconds decide everything. Here are 25 hook lines I use for skincare, makeup and wellness UGC, sorted by type, plus the formula behind them.

Read article →

Portfolio · Aug 8, 2026 · 4 min read

How to Film UGC in a Small Apartment (My 4-Foot NYC Setup)

My exact filming setup in a small New York apartment: where to put the light, which wall to use, how to hide clutter, and the three shots every beauty video needs.

Read article →

Tools · Aug 5, 2026 · 4 min read

UGC Starter Kit Under $200: Everything I Actually Use (And What You Can Skip)

The exact gear and apps I use to film beauty UGC in my apartment: phone, one light, a $25 mic, free editing apps. Total under $150, most of it optional.

Read article →

Getting Started · Aug 3, 2026 · 4 min read

UGC vs Influencer Marketing: Which One Should You Actually Do? (Honest Comparison)

UGC creators sell videos to brands; influencers sell their audience. Here is how the money, the work and the growth differ, and which one fits you.

Read article →

Getting Started · Jul 31, 2026 · 4 min read

How I Started UGC With 14 Instagram Followers (My First Paid Video Was $100)

The honest story of my first month in UGC: 7 gifted collabs, 2 paid videos, 14 followers, and what I would do differently if I started again today.

Read article →