What is a User Generated Content Creator? (Tips for success)

User Generated Content (UGC) Creators are everyday individuals who produce and share content across digital platforms. Whether working with brands or not, what distinguishes UGC creators from traditional influencers is their ability to engage with audiences on a personal level. In essence, anyone who posts content on their social media account can be a UGC creator, and monetise their content. In this blog post, we will guide you through what it means to be a User Generated Content Creator, how to find creators for your brand, the top creator platforms and tips for creators themselves. 

The difference between User Generated Content Creators and Influencers 

Although the line between User Generated Content Creators and influencers can be blurred, the main distinction between User Generated Content Creators and influencers is that for UGC creators, the authenticity and relatability of their content are at the forefront. As well as this, employing these creators to promote your product can cost a lot less than traditional influencers, and with the right campaign, brands can collect heaps of UGC content for free.

Curious about how UGC can transform your marketing strategy? Get your demo now!

On the other hand, hiring influencers to promote your product ensures that it will get more exposure due to their larger following.

How to find User Generated Content Creators organically

There are many benefits to incorporating UGC content into your marketing strategy, however, one of the main challenges brands face is finding User Generated Content Creators who are genuinely interested in their product. Luckily, with Flowbox’s Advanced Analytics, you can easily identify your most loyal customers, and open the door to finding User Generated Content Creators organically.

The Evangelist tab in Website Analytics allows you to perform a deep dive into your social media analytics and discover which accounts are creating the highest volume of content for your products. Through this, you can identify opportunities to reach out to your customers, strengthen relationships, and turn loyal customers into creators for your brand.

You also have the ability not just to recognise top accounts but to explore further, by analysing individual posts and content, and gain valuable insights into what truly resonates with your audience. By pinpointing popular posts that generate the highest traction and interest, you can showcase the most engaging media on your website, social media channels, and email campaigns.

The Best UGC Creator platforms

There are UGC platforms like Flowbox for sourcing, distributing and analysing UGC however these are different to UGC creator platforms where UGC creators can go to find opportunities. Let’s take a look at the top User Generated Content Creator platforms.

Brand Meets Creators

Brand Meets Creators is a weekly email newsletter designed to streamline brand collaborations with creators. Creators receive a selection of brand deals and job offers delivered directly to their inbox, choosing brands to submit their applications to via a Google form, which gives brands a tailored pool of potential collaborators.

Bear in mind it’s a hotspot for innovative startups and direct-to-consumer (D2C) brands and therefore not suitable for larger brands.

Trend.io

Trend.io serves as a dynamic platform facilitating connections between User Generated Content Creators and brands seeking collaborative opportunities.

From the perspective of brands, Trend.io offers a streamlined avenue to connect with creators, enabling mutually beneficial collaborations. For User Generated Content Creators, it’s an opportunity to monetise their content and engage with brands aligned with their genuine interests. However, instead of brands having autonomy, creators instead establish their rates and accept or decline collaboration offers based on their preferences.

Aspire.io

Aspire.IO, initially established as a traditional influencer platform, has evolved to include User Generated Content Creator jobs as a key platform option.

For brands seeking creators, Aspire.IO has set criteria to ensure a curated experience. To gain access to campaigns, creators need to meet specific thresholds—namely, 2,500 Instagram followers and a minimum of 350 average likes per post or 1,000 TikTok views to be recognised as an ‘influencer.’ 

Creators who meet these criteria, and successfully pass a manual review to verify the suitability of their posted content, are then integrated into Aspire.io’s searchable database.

Insense

Insense stands as a reputable app, deeply integrated with major social media platforms, offering a space for brands and creators to collaboratively craft content for global audiences.

Upon entering the platform, User Generated Content Creators can explore various jobs showcased on the explore page. These opportunities span different categories:

1. UGC only: Creators produce content that is only posted on your brand’s social media channels.
2. UGC + paid posting: Empowering creators to leverage their organic reach by posting paid content on their personal accounts.
3. Influencer whitelisting: Brands can run high-quality ads through creators’ social media accounts.

To apply, creators submit a video pitching their services directly to the brand. Having 1000 followers on TikTok is a common requirement, acting as a filter for brands in search of creators with a larger reach.

Collabstr

Collabstr serves as an excellent entry point for those venturing into the realm of paid collaborations, offering a self-serve platform that empowers creators to search for UGC work and autonomously manage their deals. It provides brands with a user-friendly interface to scroll, swipe, and discover the best-fit options for their upcoming campaigns.

It’s essentially a spotlight that allows creators to showcase themselves to brands, however brands themselves have to make the effort to reach out to creators.

Collabor8

Collabor8 is an influencer marketing platform but still helps brands connect with content creators and not just influencers. 

It allows creators to showcase their work, as well as search for new User Generated Content Creator jobs, connect with brands, and create sponsored content. 

On the flip side, brands can search for and discover creators based on their audience demographics, engagement rates, and other metrics.

hashtagPaid

#paid deviates from conventional influencer marketing models, and tailors campaigns for brands. In contrast to typical influencer marketplaces, the platform enables brands to craft detailed campaign briefs outlining goals, content requirements, and preferences for an ideal creator.

Moreover, #paid has introduced Whitelisted Ads, a feature that allows brands to selectively whitelist designated creators and content. This curated selection can then be utilised on Facebook and Instagram accounts and the platform facilitates the deployment of these ads, ensuring they seamlessly appear in the timelines and feeds associated with creators’ accounts.

How to become a creator: Top tips

To truly benefit from these platforms, it’s crucial to build a solid profile on your chosen social media platform and clearly define your goals as a user-generated content creator. Here are some tips to help you get started:

Tip 1: Identify Your Niche:

Choose a niche or interest that you are passionate about. This will make your content more authentic and therefore enjoyable for your audience.

Tip 2: Identify the brands you want to work with: 

Given that the main strength of UGC is authenticity, it makes sense to choose the brands you collaborate with depending on your niche. At a broad scale, decide which industries you want to create content for, then create a list of specifications that align with your personal interests to help you filter your selection. 

Tip 3: Consistency is Key:

Regularly produce and share content to keep your audience engaged as consistency helps build trust and keeps your followers coming back for more. Make sure to include relevant hashtags in your posts; by using popular and niche-specific hashtags, you can reach a wider target audience that will engage with your content, which as a result increases your motivation to post.

Tip 4: Engage with Your Audience:

Respond to comments, messages, and engage with your audience on social media. Building a community around your content is crucial for long-term and sustainable success. As well as this, actively encourage your audience to participate by asking questions, running polls, or creating challenges. This fosters a sense of community and increases user engagement. 

Tip 5: Create High-Quality UGC:

Strive for high-quality content by investing time in creating visually appealing, well-researched, and well-edited content. Quality content is more likely to be shared by your audience as well as brands, which adds to the credibility of your content.

Not working with a UGC platform yet? Book a demo to learn for yourself why brands all over the world trust Flowbox.