To hire UGC creators, you need three things: a place to find them, a way to tell the good ones from the ones with a nice portfolio, and a small paid test before you commit. Most brands skip the test. That's where the money goes.
This guide covers how to find UGC creators through five channels, what to check before you hire, how to run a first test round, and which payment model fits which situation. There's a vetting checklist at the end you can copy straight into your process.
- Where to look: TikTok and Instagram search, your own customers, a UGC creator marketplace, an agency, or a platform that shows performance history.
- What to check: portfolio, hook quality, on-camera delivery, niche fit, past results and usage-rights terms.
- How to start: brief three to five creators, pay for one video each, run them as ads, and rehire the ones whose videos sell.
- How to pay: flat fee, commission per sale, or a mix. The right model depends on how much risk you want to carry.
If you're new to the format, start with what UGC is and why it sells. This guide assumes you already know you want it.
Where to find UGC creators: five channels
There is no single best place to find UGC creators. Each channel trades time, cost and information differently. Most brands end up using two or three.
1. TikTok and Instagram search
The free option, and the one everybody tries first. Search for the content, not the creator:
- Search terms like "ugc creator", "ugc portfolio" or "[your niche] ugc" on TikTok and Instagram. Many creators put "UGC" in their bio or username.
- Hashtags like #ugccreator, #ugccommunity and #ugcportfolio, plus niche tags such as #skincareugc or #petugc.
- Look at the videos in your own category that clearly run as ads (the "Sponsored" label) and note who made them.
- Check the comment sections under creator-economy content, where new creators often post their work.
The upside: it's free and you see real work. The downside: it takes hours, you see views but never sales, and every contract, invoice and product shipment is yours to handle.
2. Your own customers
Your best future creators may already be in your order list. Customers who leave detailed reviews, tag you in stories or send you photos have already shown they like the product and can talk about it.
Send them a short message, offer free product plus a fee for one video, and see who says yes. The content tends to feel genuine because it is. The catch is that most customers have never filmed to a brief, so expect more revisions.
3. UGC creator marketplaces and platforms
A UGC creator marketplace is a platform where brands post a job or browse profiles, and creators apply or get invited. Most handle contracts, product shipping and payment in one place, so you skip the admin of ten separate agreements.
When you compare platforms, look past the number of creators. Ask:
- What do I see before I hire? A portfolio only, or also connected social accounts and past results?
- Who holds the usage rights, and are they spelled out per video?
- How am I charged? Monthly subscription, per video, or a share of results?
- Can I pay creators on performance, or only flat fees?
4. Agencies
A UGC agency casts creators, writes scripts, manages feedback and delivers finished videos. You buy time and expertise. It suits brands with budget and no one in-house to manage creators.
The trade-off is price and distance. You pay for the work whether the videos sell or not, and you rarely get to build a direct relationship with the creators who perform.
5. Attribyte: discovery with performance history
Attribyte is a creator marketplace built around one question: which creator actually drives sales? In Discovery, every creator appears as a card with their country, niches and their last 30 days of activity, including sales driven and submissions delivered. You can filter by country, niche, content format, filming location, connected socials and performance, sort by most submissions or most partnerships, and keep a shortlist of favourites.
You can invite creators directly, or post a program with a brief, products and a payment model and let creators apply. Once a video is approved it gets its own trackable link, and sales are measured in your Shopify store with 7-day last-click attribution. Starting is free, with no monthly fee.
How to vet a UGC creator before you hire
The portfolio is the starting point, not the decision. Here's what to look at, in order.
Portfolio. Look for range within your category, not across every category. Three strong videos for products like yours beat thirty random ones. A creator's UGC portfolio should show finished ads, not just aesthetic b-roll.
Hook quality. Watch only the first two seconds of every video. Would you stop scrolling? The hook decides whether anyone sees the rest, so it's the single most important skill to check.
On-camera delivery. Does the creator sound like a person talking to a friend, or like someone reading a script? Natural pacing, clear audio and good light matter more than expensive gear.
Niche fit. Someone who films skincare every day will make a better skincare ad than a generalist. Fit also means language and market: a creator who sounds local will usually beat a dubbed or translated video.
Past results. Ask what happened to earlier videos. Did they run as ads? For how long? Creators rarely have sales data, because most brands never share it. That's exactly why performance history, where you can get it, is worth more than a follower count.
Usage-rights terms. Confirm up front whether the price covers organic use only or paid ads too, for how long, and whether you can run the video from the creator's profile. Getting this wrong is the most common source of disputes. Our guide to UGC usage rights includes a contract template.
Write a brief, then run a test round
Don't sign ten creators for three months on day one. Test first.
The brief. Keep it to one page: the product and who it's for, the one problem it solves, two or three hook ideas, what must be said or shown, what must not, video length and format, deadline, and the usage rights you're buying. Give creators room to use their own words. Scripts that sound like ad copy produce videos that look like ads.
The test. Pick three to five creators and pay each for one video. Run all of them as ads with the same budget, audience and duration. Compare cost per purchase or ROAS, not likes.
The decision. Rehire the one or two whose videos sold, and ask them for new angles on what worked. Let the rest go politely. This is the step most brands skip, and it's where a UGC program starts to pay for itself.
Outreach message template
If you're contacting creators yourself, a short, specific message gets more replies than a long pitch:
Subject / first line: Paid UGC for [brand]: 1 video, [fee]
Hi [name], I saw your video for [product or brand] and liked how you [specific detail, e.g. opened with the before shot]. We sell [product] to [audience]. We're looking for one 20 to 30 second video for paid ads on Meta and TikTok. We'll send the product, pay [fee] on delivery, and license it for [period] of paid use. If it performs, we'd like to order more. Interested? I can send the brief.
Payment models for UGC creators
How you pay shapes who applies and how much risk you carry. The main options:
| Model | How it works | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Flat fee | Fixed price per video, paid on delivery | Test rounds and first orders |
| Commission per sale | Creator earns a share of the sales their video drives | Low upfront risk, creators who believe in the product |
| Flat fee plus commission | Smaller base fee with a share of sales on top | Attracting experienced creators while sharing upside |
| Retainer | Fixed monthly amount for a set number of videos | Proven creators you want to keep |
For typical price levels, see UGC rates. For the admin side (contracts, invoices, tax forms), see how to pay influencers and UGC creators.
UGC creator vetting checklist
Copy this into your hiring process and score each creator before the test round.
| Check | What good looks like | Red flag |
|---|---|---|
| Portfolio | At least three finished ad-style videos in or near your category | Only aesthetic b-roll or photos |
| Hook | First two seconds make you stop | Slow intro, logo or "hi guys" opener |
| On-camera delivery | Natural, clear audio, good light | Sounds read from a script |
| Niche fit | Uses products like yours, speaks your market's language | Films everything for everyone |
| Past results | Videos that ran as ads, ideally with sales data | Only follower count or views to show |
| Usage rights | Clear terms for paid use, period and whitelisting | Vague or "we'll sort it later" |
| Reliability | Replies within a day or two, delivers on time | Missed first deadline |
Frequently asked questions
How do I find UGC creators for my brand?
Search TikTok and Instagram for "ugc creator" plus your niche, check hashtags like #ugccreator, reach out to customers who already post about you, or use a UGC creator marketplace where creators apply to your brief. Platforms that show performance history let you see who has driven sales before you hire.
Where can I hire UGC creators?
On social platforms directly, through a UGC creator marketplace, or through an agency. Direct hiring is cheapest but takes the most time. Marketplaces bundle contracts, shipping and payment. Agencies manage everything for a higher price.
What should I look for when hiring a UGC creator?
A portfolio in your category, strong hooks in the first two seconds, natural on-camera delivery, niche fit, any evidence of past results, and clear usage-rights terms.
Do UGC creators need a lot of followers?
No. You're paying for the video, not their audience. Many strong UGC creators have small accounts, because the content runs from your ad account or as a partnership ad.
How many UGC creators should I test at once?
Three to five is a practical start. It gives you enough variety to compare hooks and angles without spreading a small budget too thin.
