Every freelance, digital, and remote work opportunity starts with a Google search. Very quickly, you’ll find many options for platforms to focus on. You’ll even find questions and answers from fellow UGC creators trying to figure it all out. So to help you narrow your search, here are my tips on how to find and land UGC opportunities.

In this post, you’ll find my best practices and tips for landing UGC opportunities, even if you have a tiny following (including having no followers at all).

How to Find and Land UGC Opportunities

If you aren’t familiar with what a UGC creator does, I dive into all the details in this post.

I break down…

• What UGC is
• The difference between influencers and UGC creators
• Why now’s the best time to become a UGC creator
• Tips for becoming a UGC creator

So if you’re completely new, I recommend saving this link to get more of a well-rounded picture after reading this post.

But while I have you here, I’m going to share where you can find and land these UGC opportunities, and the platforms you should focus on to secure them.

7 Important Platforms to Focus On for UGC Opportunities

Here’s the list of platforms upfront:

• Instagram
• TikTok
• A blog
• Brands Meet Creators
• Insense
• Fiverr
• Upwork

This will give you a quick start if you’re in a pinch.

But if you want more information about a specific platform, feel free to skim and skip around this post. More importantly, bookmark this post so you can refer to it whenever you’re ready to explore a new platform for your UGC journey.

Instagram for UGC Opportunities

I’m a huge believer in showcasing your work for the opportunities you want.

Although you don’t need to have a huge following on social media to start pitching and securing UGC opportunities…

Offering brands a sample of your work upfront is a great way to capture their attention.

Aside from leading by example, Instagram is also a great way to find brands you’d eventually want to pitch to and land UGC opportunities with.

I recommend using it as a search engine for opportunities. Look up some of your favorite brands. Pay attention to whether they hire UGC creators and post UGC content.

This is a good sign that a brand is willing to pay for UGC and offer abundant opportunities.

Want to take it a step further? Create a list of these brands on Google Sheets, a Google Doc, or a notebook. Keep a running list handy so you’ll know exactly who to pitch and when.

Using TikTok to Showcase Your UGC

Similar to Instagram, I recommend using TikTok to showcase your content and style.

I’d also use it to research brands, whether they’re hiring UGC creators, and if so – taking note of the types of UGC they post.

Pay attention to specific styles that brands gravitate towards when posting user-generated content.

Are they usually voiceovers? Do they feature the face of the customer? How are other UGC creators presenting the product?

Noticing these details can help you develop brand-specific ideas when you’re ready to pitch for opportunities.

It’ll help you understand what the brand likes in the UGC they’re already posting. But it’ll also inspire you to add a fresh spin or creative style that might not have been featured in other UGC they’ve posted so far.

Offering that unique take is a great way to stand out in your pitch.

Why a Blog is a Powerful Tool for UGC Creators

Speaking of standing out in your pitch…

A blog is a powerful tool for UGC creators – especially if you want to make a strong impression on a brand.

A portfolio is one of the most important assets you want as a UGC creator. This showcases your work and makes a case on your behalf when you pitch for UGC opportunities.

Although having a portfolio that’s beautifully designed on Canva is enough, having a blog takes your expertise as a UGC creator a couple of extra miles.

That’s because you’ll be showcasing so much more besides what you offer the brand. You’ll showcase your expertise as a creator through your blog posts.

A blog also offers a more in-depth, well-rounded insight into your personality and creativity. Think of it this way – you only have a few pages to make an impression through your portfolio. 

But by linking your blog to your portfolio, you’ll have more opportunities to make a lasting impression and secure an opportunity.

Influencer Marketing Platforms

Brand Meets Creators, and Insense are both influencer marketing platforms that connect UGC creators to brands.

All you need to do is sign up for an account as a creator, and you’ll receive UGC opportunities sent directly to your inbox. Normally, UGC opportunities found through these platforms tend to pay lower than if you were to pitch for the opportunity through networking and emailing.

However, it’s a great place to start and build your portfolio as a beginner.

You’ll also learn a lot from receiving these UGC opportunities in your inbox. So study and pay attention to the job description. Find out what some of the norms brands are asking for, and focus on those aspects in your content creation.

Fiverr and Upwork – Should You Use a Gig Platform for UGC Opportunities?

Unlike Influencer brand collaborations, the nature of UGC creation lends itself to gig platforms. Meaning you can create a profile and become a UGC creator for hire on Fiverr or Upwork.

You can set your own rates for content creation by type (short-form video content, photos, long-form videos, etc.).

I’m all about setting a rate that you deserve. But gig platforms are tricky because you want to remain enticing out of the sea of other creators and freelancers.

Typically, prices will be displayed on a search before a portfolio of your work. That means those turning to Fiverr or Upwork to find UGC creators will likely click on an enticing rate before viewing the creator’s portfolio.

Researching UGC Opportunities and Making a Great Impression

The best way to find and land UGC opportunities really boils down to networking.

Get to know the brands and the people in charge of hiring UGC creators. Don’t forget to keep working on your portfolio, putting your best foot forward, and making a lasting impression.

Turn to social media platforms (including LinkedIn), or join Facebook groups of UGC creators to see what brands they’ve worked with in the past.

Most importantly, don’t forget to niche down and focus on creating niche-specific UGC content. Although it might seem enticing to spread yourself across all your interests, really focusing and narrowing your creativity into one area of expertise is a great way to attract and secure UGC opportunities within that field.

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