If you’ve spotted the term “UGC creator” on your TikTok or Instagram feed, you’re not alone.
UGC creators are a new type of marketing tactic, changing how brands leverage traditional UGC.
So, what is a UGC creator, why are they valuable to brands, and how do you become one?
We’re breaking it all down, below.
Table of Contents
What Is a UGC Creator?
Historically, UGC (user-generated content) has been defined as content created organically by a brand’s followers or consumers — that is then shared by the brand on its own accounts:
Brands love UGC and for good reason — a 2021 study revealed that 80% of respondents said UGC highly impacts their purchasing decisions.
This is where the new “UGC creators” come in.
A UGC creator is a content creator who specifically creates content that looks like UGC — but it's been paid for.
“Unlike influencers who need to grow their community before they start working with brands, UGC creators don’t need tons of followers nor are they obligated to show their face.
They just have to create content that can be shared on the brand’s account,” says Later’s Social Content Lead, Lindsay Ashcraft.
“But it’s not technically organic — which is what UGC is. UGC has worked so well because it’s content created by real fans of a brand. A UGC creator is essentially just another term for freelance content creation,” adds Christine Colling, Later’s Social Media Manager.
Here at Later, our content marketing team defines UGC creators as:
Freelance content creators who specialize in creating UGC-inspired content for brands — whether it’s photos or videos.
In fact, we’ve paid creators — like Kayed Mohamed-Mason — to create content specifically for our social media accounts that resemble UGC: