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UGC creator
A UGC creator makes videos and other content for brands to use in their marketing, rather than relying only on their own audience <a href="https://www.prospects.ac.uk/jobs-and-work-experience/job-sectors/marketing-advertising-and-pr/how-to-become-a-ugc-creator/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Prospects</a>. You can start with a smartphone and simple editing tools, then build a portfolio and approach brands <a href="https://socialbrandmatch.com/ugc-creator" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">SocialBrandMatch</a>.
Open the interactive guide (checklist, video, read-aloud) →In plain words
- You make short videos or other content for brands.
- You do not need a large social media following.
- Start with products you already own and a phone.
- Show brands sample videos in a simple portfolio.
- Agree the work, payment and usage rights before filming.
Who it suits
It may suit you if you enjoy filming, explaining or demonstrating products, and editing short videos. You do not need to be an influencer, but you will need to make content that fits a brand’s brief.
Brands need clear, useful content to show people what their products do. They may pay creators to make videos that fit a brief, even when the creator does not have a large audience.
Step by step
- Choose a product area you know. Pick an area such as food, beauty, technology or parenting. List products you already use and can show naturally and clearly. About 30-60 minutes.
- Set up a simple place to film. Try your smartphone in a quiet space with natural light. A recent phone may be enough to begin; free editing apps such as CapCut or InShot are suggested in the guides SocialBrandMatch Skinned Cartree. About 30-90 minutes.
- Make three different sample videos. Practise a product demonstration, a short testimonial-style video, and an unboxing or tutorial. Use products you already have, and make clear that sample work is not a paid brand partnership. About 1-2 days.
- Edit each video for clarity. Check that the message is easy to follow, the sound is clear and the product can be seen. Make sure any on-screen text is readable. About 30-90 minutes per video.
- Put your best samples in a portfolio. Use a simple portfolio page or document. Add a short introduction, the types of videos you can make, your sample work and a way for brands to contact you. About 1-3 hours.
- Write a short pitch for a suitable brand. Choose a brand whose products genuinely fit your interests. Say what kind of video you could make and link to relevant sample work. About 20-40 minutes per pitch.
- Look for projects and check platform terms. Look for projects through creator marketplaces and freelance sites. The guides list TikTok Creator Marketplace and Upwork Prospects, and Fiverr as a place to create a UGC gig Skinned Cartree. Read current terms before accepting work; fees for most named platforms are not specified. About 30-60 minutes to review a platform.
- Agree the project details before filming. Confirm the deliverables, deadline, payment, revisions and where the brand may use your content. Usage rights can affect rates SocialBrandMatch. Keep the agreement in writing. About 30-60 minutes.
- Keep records and label commercial content clearly. Record payments and business costs from the beginning. If content is commercial, label it clearly in line with the relevant UK or Irish guidance ASA CCPC. About 10-20 minutes each week.
Your first 15 minutes
Choose a product you already own, film and edit a short sample video, then add it to a simple portfolio you can share with suitable brands.
The money
Set a price that reflects the time needed to plan, film, edit and revise the work, plus the agreed usage rights. Ask what the client will use the content for and for how long, and agree deliverables, payment and revisions in writing before filming. Published guides give different rates, so treat them as examples rather than guaranteed prices.
Example only: in one week, you charge £100 for one video and spend £15 on work costs: £100 income − £15 costs = £85 before tax. Separately, you charge €100 for one video and spend €15 on work costs: €100 income − €15 costs = €85 before tax. These are made-up figures, not a suggested rate or income promise.
The rules
There is no general UGC licence requirement. Tax, advertising-disclosure and data-protection requirements may apply, depending on what you do and where you work. Check platform terms and any client contract.
UK and Northern Ireland
- Tax and Self Assessment. The first £1,000 a year of trading income is covered by the trading allowance. Above that, tell HMRC. The £1,000 is gross income before expenses GOV.UK Tax Help for Hustles. If you need to register for Self Assessment, do so by 5 October after the end of the tax year in which you started trading GOV.UK.
- Advertising labels. If a brand pays you, gives you another incentive, or you have a personal or commercial connection to it, content featuring or referring to the brand must be obviously identifiable as advertising. Put a prominent “Ad” label upfront. “Gifted” or “Sponsored” alone may not be enough ASA. Content alongside an affiliate link or code can also count as advertising. Brands and affiliates can share responsibility for making it identifiable ASA.
- Data protection. The ICO lists advertising or marketing another person's business, goods or services as examples of activities that require a data-protection fee. This does not mean the fee applies to every sole trader. Use the ICO self-assessment tool to check whether your activities mean you need to pay ICO.
- Licences and insurance. There is no general licence or vetting requirement for making UGC. Check platform and client terms. Consider insurance that suits your work; no particular policy is stated as a legal requirement.
- Age and consumer rules. There is no legal minimum age for UGC work stated here. Consumer-contract rules for selling directly to consumers are not set out here. Check the age terms of any platform you use.
Ireland
- Income tax and returns. If you are a PAYE worker, register for self-assessment using Form 11 if your taxable non-PAYE income is over €5,000 or your gross non-PAYE income is over €30,000. Below those limits, declare it on Form 12 through myAccount Revenue. Check your circumstances with Revenue or a tax adviser.
- Self-employed tax. If you are self-employed, you pay income tax, PRSI (Class S) and USC through self-assessment. Preliminary tax is due by 31 October Citizens Information.
- VAT. The VAT registration threshold for services is €42,500 Revenue. Check with Revenue or an accountant whether the threshold and rules apply to you.
- Advertising labels. Clearly label commercial content. Use “#Ad” where appropriate. The CCPC advises, “if in doubt, label it” CCPC.
- Licences, data and consumer rules. There is no general UGC licence or vetting requirement. Irish data-protection, age and consumer-contract rules for this work are not set out here. Check platform terms for age requirements and consider suitable insurance. No particular policy is stated as a legal requirement.
Checked against official sources: 22 October 2026. Not yet reviewed by a qualified tax or legal adviser. General guidance, not legal advice. Check the official link beside each point before you start.
Common mistakes
- Assuming a polished portfolio guarantees a paid project; allow time to find clients.
- Treating example rates from different guides as guaranteed or directly comparable.
- Filming before agreeing payment, deliverables, revisions, deadlines and usage rights.
- Leaving commercial content without a clear advertising label where one is needed.
- Forgetting to keep payment and cost records or check the tax rules where you live.
AI-made demonstration: this module has a 20-second street-chat video in the interactive guide. The presenter and the people in it are computer-generated, not real people.