User-generated content (UGC) has become a cornerstone of effective marketing strategies in the past year or two. Brands are increasingly turning to UGC creators to produce authentic, engaging content that resonates with their target audience.
But what exactly are UGC creators and how to find ones that are the best fit for your brand?
Discover how to include UGC content in your marketing campaigns to reach your campaign goals and build a strong customer base.
What is a UGC creator?
Unlike influencers (someone with a large following on social media), UGC creators UK don’t create content for their followers, but for the brands. UGC creators may not even have a large following on social media since they don’t usually share their content with their followers.
They’re essentially content creators, and they create content for businesses. Their photos and videos are made according to the brand’s brief and their content is used in paid ad campaigns on Facebook and Instagram.
UGC creator types
We don’t divide creators into categories like influencers- there are no nano UGC creators or macro UGC creators.
You should know that many UGC creators choose a niche or two and specialize in that niche when it comes to creating content.
However, the best content creators can create videos and photos for any niche, because they know how to deliver the message, the pain points, and the brand’s requirements no matter the niche, product, or service they talk about.
How to Work with UGC Creators?
Before choosing the UGC creator you want to work with, there are a few things you need to do first for your campaign to be effective.
Define your marketing goals
Determine your campaign goals before committing to collaborations or writing briefs. What do you want to achieve with the campaign: brand awareness, higher engagement, or increased conversions?
Determine your target audience
You probably have one or few buyer personas developed for your brand, so you know who’s your target audience for the next campaign. Make sure to go beyond understanding only their demographics and interests. Pay attention to their behaviors, pain points, and problems.
Once you determine these, you get a much clearer idea about the type of content you need and the ideal creator profile.
Create effective brief
Now that you have the basics, think about the brief you want to send to creators. The more detailed the brief, the more aligned the content is with your requirements.
Don’t forget to include the following, but feel free to add any other relevant information:
- Define the campaign format and goals
- Provide information about the product, its unique selling points, and delivery detail
- Creator Requirements: Specify demographics, location, and other relevant criteria​
- Specify target language (or more if you’re advertising in more countries)
- Determine video type – unboxing, testimonial, how-to, special deal, or other
- Specify the specific occasion (if applicable)
- Other relevant information you want the creator to know or include into the video
Find UGC creators
Once you have all the information prepared, it’s time to connect with UGC creators. There are two ways you can find them: on social media – search Instagram or TikTok with the hashtags “user generated content” or “ugc creator” with a specific niche, though this process takes a lot of time and effort.
The easiest way to find skilled UGC creators is through a UGC platform, which provides you with detailed information about the creator profiles, their past work, performance data, and ratings.
Submit your content brief through the platform and wait for the creators to apply to your project. Then, you can browse their portfolio and decide which one is best for your campaign. If you’re not completely sure, run a few short-term campaigns to test and identify the best long-term collaborators.
Managing Creator Relationships
When you find creators that are the ideal match, build a relationship with a long-term collaboration in mind.
These are great because the messages in your campaigns are consistent and on point; the creator knows your brand and goals and can work with you more seamlessly.
With a UGC platform, you can manage all your payments, messages, content, and performance tracking much more easily. Instead of going back and forth with messaging apps, editing and design tools, payment platforms, and invoicing, the right platform allows you to handle everything on the spot, making the collab process straightforward.
Analyzing and Optimizing Performance
Once your campaigns are live, track, optimize, and A/B test them to see what works best for your target audience. Focus on key metrics such as engagement, reach, and ROI. Use real-time insights and data visualization tools to adjust your strategies​.
David Prior
David Prior is the editor of Today News, responsible for the overall editorial strategy. He is an NCTJ-qualified journalist with over 20 years’ experience, and is also editor of the award-winning hyperlocal news title Altrincham Today. His LinkedIn profile is here.
