What Is A UGC Creator?
What Is A UGC Creator?
Something new has surfaced in the last year or so and is easily one of the best side hustles out there. I know because I’ve added it to my ecosystem. And it can easily become full-time work if that’s what you’re looking for.
And that’s UGC (User-generated content).
So Just What Is A UGC Creator
UGC creators are folks like you and me who produce content in various forms like videos, images, reviews, tutorials, etc. and share them on social media platforms. We also share them on websites, blogs, and video-sharing platforms like YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and Vimeo.
The best part for me is UGC creators are independent and don’t work for any one company or organization. And when creating content for a company, I’m an independent contractor.
Rise Of UGC Creators
The rise of User Generated Content (UGC) creators means regular people like you and me are making cool stuff online. We share videos and games we love on platforms like YouTube, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitch, and more. UGC creators are changing how we watch and enjoy entertainment, sometimes even more than TV or movies. We’re making things more interesting by bringing new ideas and voices to the table. Plus, we can make money from what we do by getting sponsorships, selling various products, or creating content for companies to use as their ads. So, UGC creators aren’t just having fun, we’re making money and making a difference in how everyone sees the world.
Two Different Types of UGC Creators
So, all user-generated content is not created equal. Understanding the differences is like comparing two kinds of homemade videos or posts online. Let’s compare them both.
First, UGC A is when people share whatever they want on social media without any special rules. It’s all about being real and chatting with friends or strangers, relishing in the “likes” and “hearts” they receive.
Second, UGC B is more when there’s a contest or a special project where people create videos or posts on a certain topic. Regular folks still make it, but there might be some rules or goals to follow. And there is compensation involved in the form of money, products, or both.
When it comes to who’s watching or reading these posts:
UGC A gets a lot of comments and shares because it’s so real and relatable.
UGC B also gets attention, but, it might focus more on getting people to buy something or support a cause.
And lastly, UGC A is more like homemade cookies – each one is different and unique. A pinch of this and a pinch of that. The creator adds what he wants as he’s feeling it.
UGC B is more like a recipe where everyone follows the same steps to make something specific. There’s an outline or script that needs to be followed.
So, even though regular people make both UGC A and UGC B, they have different vibes and purposes depending on how they’re created and shared.
As for me, I make both types of video.Types Of UGC Content
UGC content can come in many forms. These are just a few.
Social media posts
Reviews and Testimonials
Blogs and Articles
Videos and Vlogs
Characteristics Of A Successful UGC Creator
A UGC (user-generated content) creator is someone who makes posts, reviews, blogs, or videos online using their ideas and experiences. I try to be creative and l enjoy trying out new things to keep people interested. I mostly share things I love or know a lot about, like cool videos or photos. (In my case, I do a lot of review videos of products for Amazon and other brands around the world). I listen to what people think about my content and work on getting better by trying new ideas. Most importantly, I’m honest and real with my audience, making friends with them along the way.
Who Are UGC Content Creators?
UGC creators are made up of all sorts of people such as individuals like you and me, influencers, and bloggers. And they all have different motives for creating user-generated content. I know when I started, my motive was different than it is now. I went through three different motivations to get where I am today.
Motivations For Creating UGC
The first motivation I had was passion, and I guess a hobby. I loved building websites and SEO so I started making videos and writing blogs on how to do different aspects of it. I loved the process and wanted to share it so others could enjoy it, too.
And this is the motivation of a lot of folks. They do something they love doing or have a hobby that they love like gardening, golf, quilting, etc. and they enjoy just sharing it with others in the form of blogs, photos, or videos.
Then I moved into motivation #2… Building a personal brand.
I liked the idea of being known for what I did. I had segued from SEO into affiliate marketing and reviewing products for Amazon and wanted to build my name into branded content. Then, when people saw my name, they’d know they could come to me for a review and my honest opinion of a product. And many others are doing the same; building UGC to build their brand.
Which then brought me to my third motivation…Monetization Opportunities
I found by doing reviews with Amazon, I could open a storefront, do video reviews of the products, and make commissions. This led to other product brands on Amazon seeing my videos and contacting me to do the same for them. All of this escalated into me making UGC for various brands around the world and getting paid for doing the video, making commissions, and receiving products for free.
This is probably the biggest motivation out there and thousands of folks are taking advantage and making a good side income and many UGC creators making excellent six-figure full-time income.
Challenges and Opportunities for UGC Creators
It’s not all fun and games as a UGC creator, (but, for me it’s 90% fun!)
And as in anything, there’s always a couple of challenges that pop up here and there that try and get in the way and slow you down, but, in my opinion, with this, it’s nothing to stress over.
For UGC creators who create content on social media platforms or websites, there are the pesky little algorithm changes that are thrown at you every so often and can sometimes put a hiccup in your momentum. I’ve learned to roll with the punches and wait it out to see if it corrects itself with my content or start looking at other content that’s surviving the algorithm changes and see where I need to change. You just need to look at it as a learning experience and keep on going.
And of course, there’s always the ever-present competition. But, in what area of anything is there no competition? At least in the area of something worth doing. So, it’s no challenge out of the ordinary.
And lastly, there’s a thing called “content fatigue”. And, I can relate because when I first started I was so excited I hardly stopped creating the content and came close to burning out. So, it’s a matter of looking at your priorities and scheduling your content creation accordingly.
On the other hand, I believe the opportunities outweigh the challenges by a long shot.
The first opportunity you’ll see is collaborations. Once you have articles, photos, or in my case, videos out there, you’ll start getting contacted by various brands wanting you to create content for them. And believe me, it happens fast and escalates even faster if you’re even halfway good at what you do. And if you’re a senior like me, it appears I’m a hot item in the content world. UGC by seniors is not overflowing and seniors that can do it are in high demand.
And then, the collaborations will lead to brand partnerships, which ups the ante quite a bit, and in a lot of cases along with getting paid for the content created you also get commissions from what you created the content for.
So, opportunities are endless in the UGC creator journey and are worth every bit of the challenges.
Platforms For The UGC Creator
Besides doing everything on your own as far as creating UGC and hoping to get seen by brands, there are platforms out there, agencies per se, that will help connect you with different brands that are looking for what you have. And the majority of them are free to join. And many of them charge no commissions, (the brand pays) whatsoever. Here are a few that I belong to and have had very good luck with.
- (Use code: ALKTA)
Inspire (a part of the Amazon Influencer program)
Conclusion
There’s no doubt that UGC creation will be around for quite a while. The opportunities are growing daily and the chance to bring in anywhere from a nice side-hustle income to six figures is within grasp for just about anyone.
And the low-cost entry level is pretty much a no-brainer to become a UGC creator. At this point, I may have invested under $100 in equipment or software to help me create UGC and then the same for training. The reward has been 100X my investment as a UGC content creator.
I’m not a teacher but I can point you in the direction where I learned. I only took two pieces of training but you can do one or the other. They’re The Simplest Profit System and The 2-Hour Influencer. They’re all you need to get started in this lucrative niche!
Now go start creating UGC!
