UGC
How to Find UGC Creators: Where to Look, What to Ask and How to Brief
UGC creators make the authentic style videos that perform well as paid ads. Finding good ones is mostly about knowing where to look, what to ask for in writing and how to brief so you get footage you can actually test.
What a UGC creator is, and what you are buying
A UGC creator makes content that looks like it came from a real customer: a phone filmed review, an unboxing or a demonstration. Unlike an influencer, you are usually not paying for their audience. You are paying for the video file and the right to run it as an ad. For the full picture, see our guide to UGC ads.
Where to look
- Your own customers. Message people who already post about your product. They are the most credible and often the cheapest
- TikTok and Instagram search. Search your product category and niche tags, then check creators who make the style of video you want
- UGC marketplaces and platforms. Handy for volume, with ratings and past work, though quality varies
- Creator communities and groups. Good for niche categories such as skincare, pets or fitness
- Agencies. Cost more, but handle briefing, rights and revisions so you do not have to
What to check before you hire
- Sample videos in your category, filmed with good light and clear audio
- Hook skills. The first three seconds decide whether anyone watches, so check their openings
- Turnaround time and revisions. Agree both in writing
- Raw footage. Ask whether you receive it, so your editor can make cuts and new hooks
Rights and agreements
Put four things in writing: that you may run the video as paid ads, for how long, on which platforms, and whether you can edit it. Without usage rights, you may have a video you cannot legally advertise with. Also confirm the creator may not use the same script for competitors if exclusivity matters to you. Where you are unsure, take legal advice for your market. This guide is general information only.
How to brief a creator
- The one sentence message. What should the viewer believe after watching
- The problem and the product. Describe who it is for and what it fixes
- Three hook options to film, so you can test them
- Must show and must avoid. Product in use, key benefit, and any claims you cannot make
- Format. Vertical 9:16, length and whether captions are needed
Keep claims factual. Ad platforms and regulators in the UK and US have rules about health, income and before and after claims, so check your category before you brief.
Test before you scale
Run several videos against each other with the same audience and budget, compare cost per purchase or lead, then order more of what works. Creators fatigue quickly in paid use, so plan a steady flow of new hooks rather than one big batch. We use this approach for Shopify brands on Meta, and run it through our Meta ads service.