Brands Looking for UGC Creators: Where to Find Them

Last updated: October 2026

Brands looking for UGC creators post paid and gifted briefs on creator marketplaces and opportunity boards, run ads you can find in the Meta Ad Library, and answer well-aimed pitches. The fastest route is to apply to briefs that are already open, then pitch the brands that keep buying creator video.

This guide is for UGC creators and newer creators who want paid or gifted work and are tired of guessing which brands are hiring. It names no brand lists. Lists go stale in weeks, so you get a method that works on any brand you check.

Where brands post when they need UGC creators

Brands tend to use four channels. Knowing which one you are looking at tells you how to approach it.

• Opportunity boards and marketplaces. The brand posts a brief with the deliverables, the pay or product, and a deadline. You apply. The campaign exists before you see it, so these are the closest thing to a sure bet.
• Paid ads. Brands that run creator-style video in their ads need a steady supply of it. You can see those ads yourself, which we cover below.
• Their own sites. Some brands publish a creator or ambassador page with an application form. Check the footer of a brand's site for words like "creators", "ambassadors" or "affiliates".
• Your inbox and DMs. Brands also find creators from content they already saw. Public work in your niche is what gets you found.

On Jem Social's public Opportunity Board, each listing states the platform, deliverables, compensation type and closing date up front. Some listings are gifted, some are paid and some mix a gift with an affiliate arrangement. Browse it for a few minutes and you will see what real briefs ask for.

Gifted vs paid: know what you are applying for

Read the compensation line before you spend time on an application. Jem's board explains the two main types this way.

• Gifted. You receive a product or service in exchange for content. It suits newer creators building a portfolio and testing brand fit.
• Paid. The brand pays a set fee for your deliverables. The listing should show the compensation and deliverables, so you can decide before you pitch.

Treat gifted work as a way to earn portfolio pieces, not as your income. Set a rule for yourself, such as only taking gifted briefs for products you would use anyway. Use the UGC rate card generator to set your paid rates before a brand asks.

How to check that a brand actually buys creator content

A brand that runs creator-style video in its ads has a reason to keep hiring. You can check this in a few minutes with Meta's Ad Library, which Meta describes as a search of all ads currently running across Meta technologies. Search by keyword or advertiser.

1. Open the Ad Library and set the country to your market.
2. Choose "All ads" as the category and search the brand's name.
3. Look at the video ads. Phone-shot vertical video with a person talking to camera usually means creator content.
4. Note how many different videos are running. Many variations suggest the brand keeps testing new creative.
5. Write down the hook of each ad, which is the first line or shot. Mirror that structure in your sample video.

Meta also offers a branded content search that finds Facebook and Instagram posts involving a paid partnership. It shows you which brands already work with creators on those apps.

Each of these checks is a signal, not proof. A brand with no current ads can still hire. Use the checks to rank who to pitch first.

What brands look for when they pick a UGC creator

Brands review applications fast. These are the things that tend to separate a booked creator from a passed-over one.

• Relevant samples. Show work in the same format and category as the brief. Five good videos in one niche beat twenty unrelated ones.
• A clear, current profile. Include your niche, the formats you shoot, your rates or a starting range, and a way to contact you. A media kit keeps all of that in one link.
• Fast, specific replies. Brands work back from a launch date. A same-day answer to a question reads as low risk.
• Clear terms. State how many videos, how many revisions and whether the brand can run your content as ads. Usage rights change the price, so quote them separately.

You do not need a big following for UGC, because many brands are buying the video itself. If you are starting from zero, read how to become a UGC creator with no followers and build your first samples there.

How to pitch a brand that has no open brief

Applying to a posted brief is easier, but pitching works when you have done the research above. Keep the message short and specific.

1. Pick one product the brand sells and say why you picked it.
2. Link one or two samples that match the style of its current ads.
3. State what you offer: the number of videos, the delivery time and whether usage rights are available.
4. Ask one clear question, such as who handles creator partnerships.
5. Follow up once or twice with something new, such as a fresh sample.

The brand pitch email generator gives you a structure to start from, and our guide on how to pitch brands walks through the full process. For a larger outreach routine, Jem's optional Brand Pitch Tool is $20/mo and includes access to 30,000+ brand contacts, AI-written personalized pitches and automatic follow-ups. You can see the details on the Brand Pitch Tool page.

Mistakes that get applications ignored

• Applying to everything. A brief for a skincare serum is not the place for your travel reel. Apply where your samples match.
• Sending a link dump. Pick the two or three best samples and say why they fit.
• Hiding your rate. Even a starting range helps a brand decide whether to reply.
• Skipping the brief. If the listing asks for a specific hook, format or length, follow it exactly.
• Ignoring the deadline. Closing dates are real. Apply early, while the brand is still reading.

Disclose paid and gifted work

When a brand pays you or sends free product, the FTC expects you to disclose that relationship in your post. Its Disclosures 101 for Social Media Influencers says a financial relationship includes free or discounted products, and that it is your responsibility to make the disclosure. Put it where it is hard to miss, use plain words like "ad" or "sponsored", and for video include it in the video itself, not only the caption.

If you deliver UGC that the brand runs from its own ad account, ask what disclosure the brand will add. Do not assume it is handled.

Where Jem fits, and where it does not

Jem Social is a marketplace where brands post campaigns and creators browse them on the Opportunity Board. It also has the optional Brand Pitch Tool for creators who want to reach out first. It does not guarantee bookings, and it will not replace the research step. A brand's budget, category and timing decide whether it hires, whichever site you find it on.

Use the board for briefs that are already open. Use the pitch route for brands your research says are active. Check the UGC jobs guide and the brand deals guide for more sources.

Find your first five brands this week

1. Open the Opportunity Board and note three briefs that match your niche and platform.
2. Run the Ad Library check on five brands in that niche and rank them by how much creator-style video they run.
3. Record two samples that match the format of the top two brands' ads.
4. Apply to the open briefs and send two short pitches to the brands you ranked highest.
5. Log every reply and follow up once after about a week.

Start by browsing open campaigns on the Jem Social Opportunity Board, and create your creator profile so your media kit is ready when a brief fits.