How to Land Your First UGC Brand Deal (Even With a Small Following)

Your first UGC brand deal is the hardest one to get. After that, you have a real example to show, a brand that can vouch for you, and a process you have done once. This guide walks through the steps that move a new creator from "I want to do UGC" to a signed first job, without needing a large audience.

First, understand what UGC brands are buying

UGC (user-generated content) is short, natural-feeling content, usually vertical video, that a creator makes for a brand to use on the brand's own channels: its social accounts, product pages, emails and ads. That is different from influencer marketing, where a brand pays to reach a creator's followers.

That difference is why follower count matters less in UGC. When a brand hires you for UGC, it is mostly paying for the video itself: how well it grabs attention, explains the product and feels real. A creator with a few hundred followers who makes a clear, well-lit, honest video can be a better hire than someone with a big audience and a weak edit.

Step 1: Pick a lane you can shoot well

Brands search for creators who fit their category. "I can make content for anything" is harder to hire than "I make skincare and wellness content." Choose one or two lanes where you:

already use the products and can talk about them naturally,
have the right setting at home (a clean bathroom counter for beauty, a kitchen for food, a desk for tech), and
can keep producing ideas for months, not just a week.

You can widen later. A tight niche makes your first pitches easier to write and easier for a brand to say yes to.

Step 2: Build a small portfolio with products you own

You do not need a paid job to make portfolio pieces. Pick three to five products you already have and make the kind of video a brand in that category would run. Aim for variety:

An unboxing or first impression that shows the product clearly in the first two seconds.
A problem and solution video that opens on a relatable pain point and shows the product fixing it.
A how-to or routine that walks through using the product step by step.
A testimonial-style talking video where you speak to camera about why you would recommend it.

Keep each one short, shoot vertically, use natural light facing a window, and make sure the audio is clean. Add on-screen text for the key point, because many people watch with the sound off. Make it clear in your portfolio that these are personal projects, not paid work for the brand shown.

Step 3: Put your portfolio somewhere easy to open

Brands decide fast. Put your videos where a link opens them in one tap: a simple portfolio page, a shared folder with clear file names, or a dedicated UGC profile on a platform built for it. Include:

your name and the categories you work in,
three to five of your best videos, best one first,
what you offer (for example, single videos, bundles, raw footage), and
how to reach you.

Leave out anything that slows a brand down, like long bios or a dozen mediocre clips. Fewer, stronger videos win.

Step 4: Find brands that actually hire UGC creators

The best first targets are brands that already use creator content, because they understand the work. Signs a brand is a good fit:

its ads and social posts feature regular people talking to camera,
it is a smaller or growing brand in your niche, rather than a household name with a large in-house team, and
it has launched products recently or posts often.

You can look at a brand's own social accounts and the ads it is currently running to see what kind of content it buys. Then make a short list of 20 to 30 brands you would be proud to work with.

Platforms help here too. On Unresourced, creators can browse open campaigns from brands that are actively looking for UGC, and request products through gifting, which is a common way to build relationships and portfolio pieces with real brands.

Step 5: Pitch like a professional

A good first pitch is short and specific. It tells the brand who you are, why you fit, and what you would make for them, and it links to your work. A simple structure:

One line on who you are and your niche.
One line showing you know the brand (a product you like, a recent launch).
One or two specific video ideas for that product.
A link to your portfolio.
A clear, easy next step, like "Happy to send rates and a quick concept if useful."

Send it to the right person if you can find them, usually someone in marketing, social, brand partnerships or influencer and creator programs. Follow up once after about a week if you do not hear back. One polite follow-up is normal; five is not. For a deeper walkthrough, read our guide on writing a cold pitch that gets replies.

Step 6: Say yes to the right first deal

Your first deal might be gifted product, a small paid video, or a mix. Gifted work can be worth it early if the product fits your niche and the brand is a name you want in your portfolio. Before you agree to anything, make sure you know:

Deliverables: how many videos, what length, what format, and whether raw footage is included.
Usage: where the brand can use the content (organic social, paid ads, website) and for how long.
Timeline: when the product ships, when the first cut is due, and how many rounds of revisions are included.
Payment: how much, when, and how you get paid.

Put it in writing, even if it is just an email that both sides confirm. If you are not sure what to charge, our beginner's guide to UGC pricing explains what affects rates.

Step 7: Deliver so well they book you again

Rebooking is where UGC careers are built. Make the brand's life easy:

Read the brief twice and follow it exactly.
Send work on or before the deadline.
Label files clearly, and deliver in the format they asked for.
Hook in the first two seconds, keep it moving, and end with a clear reason to act.
Disclose the partnership when you post anything yourself. In the US, the FTC expects creators to clearly disclose a brand connection, including free product.

After the job, ask if they would like more content next month, and ask whether you can show the work in your portfolio. A happy first client is your strongest pitch for the next ten.

Keep the loop going

Landing a first UGC deal is a repeatable loop: make strong examples, show them to the right brands, pitch clearly, deliver well, repeat. Every finished job makes the next pitch easier.

If you want one place to find briefs, request products and get paid, create a free creator account on Unresourced. Creators who do their own outreach can also use Ultra VIP, which adds a directory of brand contacts who have replied to outreach, a template maker for pitch emails and 100 contact unlocks a day.