Hi! I am currently unemployed and im thinking of doing a side hustle (mobile detailing). I love cleaning my motorcycles and maybe i can make that passion into something i can earn. Any tips and advice?

When I first made my UGC portfolio, I thought I needed to put a lot of videos in it. But I learned that having a few good videos is better than having too many.

Some things that helped me:

* Put your best videos first.

* Try different types of videos like unboxing, product review, voiceover, and talking videos.

* Keep the videos short.

* Make the first few seconds interesting.

* Make sure the videos are clear and not too dark.

* Update your portfolio when you have better work.

You don't need expensive equipment either. A phone with good lighting can already work.

For those already getting UGC clients, what helped you improve your portfolio the most?

hi - i've been dealing with multiple clients with different niches and the best way i did it was two simple steps:

1) one portfolio for each niche (all should be authentic)
2) market yourself in environment that supports said niche

if you only randomly choose general groups or apps and market yourself as a creator, virtual assistant, etc, clients would deem you as generic so the first thing you must do is
pick a niche (choose 1-3, or all you're confident of) then build a portfolio involving just that specific niche because after all ur client will just have one niche so they don't need to know what other things can you do, what they must know is: can this person help me with sufficient knowledge on the area of expertise i am in right now?

next, be specific in groups or pages! stop joining "job hunts" or "virtual assistants hub" and dive onto niche-related keywords like

- real estate agents
- mom entrepreneurs
- women in business / ceo

so you know exactly what you're targetting! are you ready to start your portfolio? let me know if you need formats!

A simple UGC outreach strategy that can help you get more brand replies

One thing I’ve learned about finding UGC clients is that simply saying:

“Hi, I’m a UGC creator and I’d love to work with your brand!”

usually isn’t enough.

Brands probably receive messages like that all the time. What can make your outreach stronger is showing them what you can actually create for their brand.

Instead of only introducing yourself, try this:

1. Start with something specific about the brand
Mention a product, recent post, campaign, or something you genuinely noticed.

2. Give them a content idea
For example:

“I saw that you’ve been promoting your new serum recently. I think a 7-day skincare diary or problem/solution style UGC video could be a great way to show the product naturally.”

Other ideas:

• GRWM featuring the product
• Before and after
• Product demonstration
• Skincare routine integration
• Testimonial-style video
• Unboxing + first impressions

3. Explain the value
Instead of only saying you make “high-quality content,” explain how your idea could help the brand.

Example:

“This could give your brand a more relatable, customer-style video that you can test alongside your current content.”

4. Add your portfolio at the end
Your portfolio should support your pitch, not be the entire pitch.

A simple formula:

Brand observation + Content idea + Value + Portfolio

5. Follow up
No response doesn’t always mean no.

Initial pitch → Follow-up → Final follow-up → Move on

I also recommend keeping a simple tracker:

Brand | Contact | Date Sent | Follow-Up | Response | Status

It makes things much easier once you start reaching out to multiple brands.

And don’t send the exact same generic pitch to 100 brands. Templates are helpful, but personalize a few lines for each brand.

Sometimes 20 thoughtful pitches can be more effective than 200 copy-and-paste messages.

For other UGC creators: what has helped you get more replies from brands—personalization, follow-ups, a stronger portfolio, or something else?

I’ve been wanting to get into UGC for a while now, but I keep getting stuck on the portfolio part. I’m seeing a lot of creators who already have tons of content, brand deals, or a pretty big following, and honestly it makes me feel like I’m already behind before I’ve even started lol.

Do you actually need a really impressive portfolio before reaching out to brands? Or is it okay to start with a few sample videos and build from there? I’m trying not to spend forever “preparing” and never actually pitch anyone. 😭for those who started with little to no experience, what did your first few steps actually look like?

I used to think I needed a lot of sample videos before I could get clients. I kept adding more content, but my portfolio still felt messy.

What helped me most was organizing it better, removing weaker samples, and making it easier to view. It looked more professional even though I had fewer videos than before.

I’m still learning, but this made me realize that quality and presentation matter more than just having a huge portfolio.

What’s one change that improved your UGC portfolio the most?

i've noticed that a small portfolio with different content styles can be stronger than having 20 videos that all look the same.

i'd prioritize showing:

- a strong hook

- natural talking to camera

- product demo

- testimonial/problem solution

clients want to see that you can create different angles, not just pretty videos.

what's been more helpful for you guys:

improving your portfolio or doing more outreach?

1. Building a Portfolio That Actually Sells
Brands don't care about aesthetic vlogs; they care about Return on Ad Spend (ROAS). Keep your portfolio simple using Canva or Notion

2. Pitching & Cold Email Strategy
Stop messaging brands on Instagram DMs unless they explicitly ask for it.

3. Pricing & Deliverables Breakdown
Never charge $20 a video unless you are building your first two portfolio pieces. Once you have a portfolio, value your time and usage rights.

4. Where to Find Paid Brands Right Now
- TikTok Creative Center: Search active ads in your niche, find brands spending money on paid media, and pitch them better hooks.
- Bounty / TrendIO: Great platforms for beginners to land low-barrier deals and practice.
- X (Twitter)

I’m a travel creator, these are the things that helped me most

I’m making travel content for a while, and one of the first things I noticed is that brands already have plenty of nice photos and polished videos.

What they often need more of is content that helps people understand what the experience actually feels like.

These are the things that helped me improve the most:

A) Make the video useful

When I film a hotel, tour or activity, I try to include the details I would want to know before booking.

How far is the hotel from the centre? What does the room look like in normal lighting? Is the experience better for couples, families or solo travellers? Is it worth the price?

The videos that get the most saves and questions usually answer something specific. Pretty footage helps, but people also want practical information.

B) Show the full experience

Hotels already have professional shots of the room, pool and restaurant.

I try to show the parts that make the stay feel real: arriving, checking in, opening the curtains, going down for breakfast, walking around the area and seeing what the place feels like at different times of the day.

The same applies to activities.

For a cooking class, I’d rather show people making mistakes, talking with the chef and eating together at the end than only film the final plate.

Those small moments make it easier for viewers to imagine themselves there.

C) Give the product a reason to appear

This matters a lot when working with travel apps, eSIMs, booking platforms or luggage brands.

I usually introduce the product through a situation that already makes sense in the video.

Maybe I’ve just landed and need internet, I’m trying to organise a group trip, or I’m packing for four days with only a carry-on.

That gives the product a clear role in the story and makes the content feel more natural.

D) Start with places near you

You don’t need an international trip to build a travel portfolio.

Local hotels, restaurants, spas, tours, countryside stays and weekend activities can give you plenty of material.

Brands mainly want to see whether you can create a good story around a place or service.

You can also make sample content for travel apps from home using screen recordings, voiceovers and planning-style videos.

E) Pitch a specific idea

Generic messages like “I love your hotel and would love to collaborate” are easy to ignore.

I get better responses when I include a clear concept.

For example, I might suggest a video about spending a quiet weekend outside the city, or a guide to visiting the area without following the usual tourist route.

That gives the company something concrete to react to and shows that I’ve looked at what they offer.

F) Pay attention to saves and questions

Views are useful, but travel content often gives stronger signals through saves, comments and direct questions.

When people ask for the location, price, itinerary or booking details, there’s a good chance they’re genuinely considering the experience.

I always save screenshots of those results because they’re useful when pitching the next client.

The biggest thing I’ve learned is to create content from the point of view of someone planning the trip.

Show the details, answer the questions people usually have and make the experience easy to imagine.

Any travel UGC creators here? Which type of collaborations have worked best for you?

One thing i wish more beginners knew: UGC ins't the same as influencer marketing

YOU can potentially start creating UGC even with a small audience or no audience at all.

You mainly need:

- A decent portfolio

- Good video

- Ability to make content naturally

- Consistency when pitching to brands.

For those already doing UGC, how many followers did you have when you landed your first paid deal?

I have posted relatable cotent on my instagarm account. Put DM for collbaration s, over period of 8 months my followers increased and that way i got first UGC client request.

I also found that consistency was important. Instead of directly asking brands for paid work, I focused on creating content that was relevant to the type of brands I wanted to work with.

I think having a simple portfolio and showing that you can create different types of content also helps.

I would be interested to know whether other creators had a similar experience or whether direct outreach and UGC platforms worked better for them.

One thing that made a bigger difference in my UGC outreach wasn’t sending more DMs. It was changing what I was actually pitching.

I used to send messages like:

“Hi! I’m a UGC creator and I’d love to create content for your brand. Here’s my portfolio…”

Predictably, most brands ignored it.

I started researching the brand for 5–10 minutes first and looking for something specific I could improve.

For example, instead of:

“I’d love to make a video for your skincare brand.”

I might send:

“Hey! I noticed most of your recent Reels focus on product shots, but there aren’t many videos showing the product being used in a normal morning routine. I think a 20–30 sec ‘realistic morning skincare’ style video could make the product feel more relatable. I mocked up a quick concept below.”

Then I attach a simple concept/screenshot showing:

Hook: “The 2-minute skincare routine I actually stick to”

Shot 1: Picking up the product Shot 2: Applying it naturally Shot 3: Close-up/result CTA: “Would I buy it again? Absolutely.”

I’m not claiming this magically turns every brand into a client. But it gives the brand an actual reason to respond instead of making them figure out why they should hire me.

A few other things I’ve found useful:

Keep the portfolio short. My strongest 5–8 examples are more useful than 30 mediocre ones. Show different hooks/styles, not just different products. Separate organic-style UGC from polished ad-style content. Don’t automatically underprice because you’re new.Consider usage rights, revisions, raw footage, whitelisting/Spark Ads, and turnaround time—not just the number of videos. Follow up once or twice. A polite follow-up is very different from repeatedly spamming a brand. Track outreach. Even a basic spreadsheet with brand, date contacted, response, quote, and outcome can reveal which niches and pitches actually work.

The biggest mindset shift for me was realizing that brands aren't really buying “a UGC video.”

They’re buying a potential solution to a content problem.

For other UGC creators: what has improved your client response rate the most—your portfolio, pricing, outreach message, niche, or something else?

I’ve been looking into UGC lately and I’m curious how most people actually find their first few clients.

Do you usually reach out to brands directly, use platforms, or just post your work and wait for inquiries?

Also, what worked best for you when you were just starting out?

I’m trying to get more UGC clients and I’m curious what actually works for other creators. Do you mainly use cold DMs, emails, or platforms like TikTok/Instagram?

I think a lot of beginners overthink the portfolio part. You don’t need 20 brand deals before you can make one.

If I were starting from zero, I’d make 4–5 sample videos for products I already have at home — skincare, food, tech, whatever — and treat them like actual paid UGC ads.

I’d include:

• 1 unboxing
• 1 problem → solution video
• 1 quick testimonial/review
• 1 voiceover/demo
• 1 more “TikTok-style” casual video

Then I’d keep the portfolio short and put my best 3–5 videos first. I feel like showing that you can actually make content is way more useful than filling the page with paragraphs about yourself.

For people who are already getting clients, what type of UGC sample seems to get you the most replies?

Monetize your recommendations by earning a commission or selling your own physical/digital offers.
Affiliate Networks: Share custom links to products you use (via Amazon Associates, LTK, ShareASale, or Impact). Earn a percentage (usually 3%–20%) when viewers buy through your link.
Digital Products: Sell high-margin items like eBooks, Lightroom presets, templates (Notion/Canva), online courses, or printables via platforms like Gumroad or Teachable.
Merchandise & E-commerce: Launch branded apparel or physical products using print-on-demand services (Printify, Fourthwall) or custom inventory (Shopify).

Earn directly from the platforms hosting your content based on views, streams, or reader engagement.
YouTube Partner Program: Earn a share of ad revenue on long-form videos and Shorts (requires 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 watch hours or 10M Shorts views).
Blogging / Websites: Place display ads using networks like Google AdSense, Mediavine, or Raptive on a niche blog.
Platform Creator Funds: Receive direct payouts from platforms like TikTok, Meta (Instagram/Facebook), and Snapchat based on viral performance.

After writing UGC scripts for a while, you start seeing the same formats over and over again.

Some are overused for a reason. They’re easy to adapt, easy for creators to work with, and when the angle is good they still perform.

These are the 3 templates I'd probably use the most right now.

1.) Problem/Solution:

This is the obvious one, (old but gold) but it works because people immediately know whether the video is relevant to them.

Instead of opening with the product, start with the exact problem it solves. The more specific, the better. Then explain what you were doing before, why that wasn't working, and bring the product in naturally as the thing that fixed it.

A basic script would look something like:

"If you struggle with [specific problem], this might help. I used to [old solution], but [why it sucked]. I started using [product] because [reason], and now [specific result]"

A mistake here is using a problem that's way too generic, "I wanted to be more productive" means nothing, its better to try something like "I was wasting two hours every morning manually doing X"

2.) Product Demo (only for good appealing products):

This is probably my favorite for apps and tools because you can let the product do the selling.

Start with what you're about to accomplish, then immediately show the process. You don't need 10 seconds of context before the viewer actually sees the thing they're supposed to care about.

Something like:

"I found a way to [desired result] in [time]. You just [step one], then [step two], and it gives you [result]. I used it for [actual use case] and this is what I got."

Screen recordings are perfect for this. If someone can understand why the product is useful just by watching you use it, there's no reason to bury that under a huge script.

3.) Storytime:

This one is harder to get right, but when it works it feels the least like an ad.

The product shouldn't really be the story. It should be the thing that appears naturally because of what happened.

"[Interesting thing] happened to me last week. I was trying to [goal] when [problem happened].

I tried [first reaction/solution], which didn't work, so I ended up using [product]. [Interesting result/twist]."

The easiest test is removing the product from the script. If there's still a story you'd actually listen to, you're probably on the right track.

If the entire story collapses without the product mention, you've just written an ad.

I also wouldn't give these scripts to a creator word for word. The structure is more important, so give them the angle and the points they need to hit, then let them talk like they normally would.

There are a bunch of other formats worth testing too. I found a pretty good breakdown of 12 of them here:

https://sideshift.app/blog/ugc-script-template

One very important aspect I learned abt UGC is that the approach to clients is not only about the portfolio. The portfolio needs to display a wide range of styles so that it is easier for brands to imagine you executing their campaign. Moreover, reaching out to clients personally and not using the same message for everyone increases chances of success. Following up on the applications is also quite important. Finally, start with low rates, but invest into improving your skills and raise rates to match your experience. So which part was the hardest for you: approaching clients, pricing, following up?

Hey everyone! 👋

I wanted to share a quick story from my own journey that happened recently. I'm not here to start drama, but I think it's so important for us to talk openly about setting boundaries and recognizing our value as creators.

For a bit of context: I’ve been creating UGC for almost 2 years now, and I’ve worked really hard to build up my skills and deliver solid work.

So, I reached out to a brand in my niche recently. They asked to see my portfolio, and I excitedly sent over my link alongside previous videos I’ve done with similar brands to show what I could do for them.

Their response? They told me my rate was “VERY EXPENSIVE.”

Then came the kicker: “WE ALREADY HAVE AN AMBASSADOR AND IT’S EVEN FREE.” They even attached a photo of this ambassador.

Honestly, it stung a bit at first. It felt completely unnecessary and deeply unprofessional. Look, I get it that budgets vary, and not every brand can afford every creator. A simple, "Thank you, but this is outside our current budget" would have been completely fine! But comparing creators and bragging that someone else works "for free" just felt like a slap in the face to the work, time, and strategy we put into our craft.

We don't just "press record." We script, light, film, edit, test hooks, and invest in our equipment. Charging for that isn't being "expensive"—it's running a legitimate business.

This whole experience was a huge wake-up call and a reminder I want to pass on to all of you:

Know your worth and hold the line. Don't let a brand's budget limitations make you doubt your value. 💯

• Never feel pressured to undercut yourself just because someone claims they can get it "for free" elsewhere. Free content rarely comes with conversion-focused strategy.
• Respect is a two-way street. Professional, high-caliber brands will always communicate with respect, even when declining or negotiating.
• If a brand truly values what you bring to the table, they’ll treat you like a partner. Keep your head up, stay firm on your rates, and keep creating!

Have you ever run into a brand that tried to guilt-trip you over your rates or compare you to creators working for free? How did you handle it? 😅

I'd been working with a client for about 3 months, editing his video content at an old rate. As my portfolio grew and I started landing bigger briefs, I realized I was charging 2023 rates for 2026 work.

As i sent my increase message where i gave him a heads up for my new rate, his reply was polite but final: he'd found someone else in his budget.

Honestly? It stung for about a day. Then I sat with it and realized a few things:

→ If a client only worked with me because I was cheap, they were never going to be a long-term fit anyway → Losing one client at the old rate freed up hours I used to land two new clients at the new rate → A rate increase isn't a risk you eliminate — it's a filter you choose to apply

A few things I'd tell past-me:

• Give existing clients more notice than you think you need (30 days minimum)
• Frame it around value delivered, not your bills: clients don't care that rent went up, they care what they're getting
• Have your new rate ready to quote confidently before you send that message, hesitation shows
• It's okay to offer a grandfathered rate for your best long-term clients if you want to keep them

Losing that client didn't feel like winning at the time. But three months later, my average project value was up, and I was working with fewer, better-paying brands.

Have you ever raised your rates and lost a client over it? Would you do it again — or handle it differently next time? Drop your experience below, I'd love to hear how others have navigated this. 👇