How to get paid as a creator with little followers

GM. This is Work “After” Work, the newsletter that's here to rescue you from the mundane monotony of your day job with a heavy dose of hilarious anecdotes and enough motivation to convince you that starting a llama rental business isn't such a crazy idea after all.

Happy Hump Day! Let’s jump in:

• 👩‍🎨 UGC Creators

• 😂 Meme of the day

IT’S ALL ABOUT UGCs RIGHT NOW

Over the weekend, I was scrolling through Twitter when I came across the tweet behind today's email. Chelsea shared how excited she was about buying her first house.

And it was all thanks to being a user-generated content (UGC) creator.

So you already know your boy had to dig in and look at the numbers.

• On TikTok alone, the #UGCcreators has over 150M views! This adds up since almost every creator I see on my FYP has “UGC creator” attached to their name now — I’m sure you’ve seen a couple too.

• Per Google Trends, the interest in UGC creator in recent years has shot through the roof:

Now you’re probably thinking: What the hell does a UGC creator do?

Here’s how it works

As a UGC creator, you make videos for brands and companies. In turn, they use your videos as testimonials to run ads and show their credibility. A perfect example of this is Morning Brew’s newsletter ads.

When we go into their Facebook ad library it’s almost all videos:

Brands love UGC content for one big reason: it doesn’t look like an ad.

A 2021 study revealed that 80% of participants said UGC highly affected their purchasing decisions.

I know if I saw the Rock dropping a new workout shoe I’d be like:

Here’s the thing: Unlike influencers who need to grow their audience before they start working with brands, UGC creators don’t need tons of followers. This is why it’s perfect for the average creator.

The only thing these brands care about is that you create relatable, personable content to build trust among customers.

And to boost their sales, of course 😉

Why I think you should consider this: Uhm… hello… the benefits my friend!

• You get free products to make videos with and keep afterward

• You get paid to make each video. I’ve seen ranges from $300+ all the way up to $4,000 per video. Some creators even make up to $10k/month!

• If they run ads with your videos, your face will be out there being seen by millions, making you kind of famous. So, if you do a good job, it’ll be easier for brands to find you and grow your follower count.

Now, let’s move to the next step!

How to become a UGC Creator

Keep in mind that it takes time, consistency, and hard work before you can claim full-time creator status.

Rome wasn’t built in a day, but here are the bricks you need to start building your empire:

1. Identify brands to work with

Start by looking up what brands you’d like to work with. What kind of UGC do they promote? Is there a niche you think you’d excel in?

If you’re into health and exercising, post about that. Nutrition, beauty, cooking - same thing. There are thousands of D2C brands that rely on testimonial ads to grow their business.

2. Build your set-up 

Keep it simple. No need for thousands of dollars in fancy camera and lighting gear, your phone and a cheap ring light will do just fine.

I still record my tiktoks on my phone and I’m 2 million followers deep - trust me it doesn’t matter. Most phones nowadays have just as good camera quality as big DSLRs.

3. Create content 

Now the fun part: creating content based on the brands you’d like to work with. Stick to TikToks, Reels, and Stories.

Experiment with different features and content styles and share them on your social media accounts. See what works and what you enjoy.

The biggest tip I could give you is #1 be patient, and #2 don’t fake everything - people see right through it.

Up next!

4. Build your portfolio 

A portfolio will help you pitch brands more effectively, highlight your work, and build long-term collaborations. Some creators recommend using a Canva template to create a portfolio explaining:

• Who you are

• Why the brand should work with you

• Your previous work (insert the content you already created here)

Once your portfolio is ready to go, the next step is finding actual paying clients.

How to find brands that pay:

1. UGC creator websites

Up first - Billio

This site helps you find brands looking for creators. Simply download the app, create a profile, and apply to tasks that match your skills.

Once you get the gig, you create the videos and get your $$ every two weeks. It’s pretty straightforward.

Up next - Brand Meet Creators

Another great site I found is Brands Meet Creators. Sign up using your email, and they send you daily UGC creator opportunities.

I signed up and received some pretty sweet gigs in only a few minutes.

And last but not least - Insense

Insense is similar to Billio and has tons of UGC creator opportunities lined up.

2. Pitch brands directly 

Cold emails have a low success rate but some do hit - it’s a numbers game.

Reach out to brands you see already running ads using UGC. Send them your portfolio and tell them you’re passionate about promoting their product or service. This is a great way to create more leads for your budding business.

3. Twitter 

You wouldn’t believe it but there are tons of brands looking for UGC creators on Twitter. Simply type “#UGCcreator” or “#UGCcontent” in the search bar and connect with brands.

Here's a sweet gig I found using the hashtag:

That's it, folks! Everything you need to kickstart your career as a UGC creator. The market is sizzling hot right now, so get after it 💪 

As always, let me know if you have questions! 😊

MEME OF THE DAY

😂😂 if you didn’t see Apple recently announced their new “Apple Vision Pro” headset and the price starts at $3,499

That's all I got for ya today folks!!

DISCLAIMER: None of this is financial advice. This newsletter is strictly educational and is not investment advice or a solicitation to buy or sell any assets or to make any financial decisions. Please be careful and do your own research.