Key takeaways
- The fastest route is to post a free brief and let UGC creators apply, then search by niche to invite more.
- Decide the deliverable, platform, usage rights and budget before you start looking.
- Vet portfolio fit, reliability, real engagement and usage rights, and run a small paid test first.
- Put the brief, price, deadline and disclosure requirement in writing, and pay through escrow or in stages.
- Start with a few creators so you can compare results before scaling the ones that work.
Last updated: October 2026
The fastest way to find UGC creators for your brand is to post a free brief and let creators apply to you, then search by niche to invite the ones who fit. On Jem Social, you write one line about your product, Jem's AI turns it into a full brief in about 4 minutes, and you see everyone who applied in one place.
This guide is for brands, founders and marketers who need UGC creators for hire and don't want to spend weeks digging through DMs. You will get a simple order of operations, a vetting checklist and a way to start this week.
What counts as a UGC creator?
A UGC creator makes content that looks like it came from a real customer. You pay them for videos or photos, and you usually run that content on your own channels or in your ads. They do not need a big following, because the content is the product you are buying.
That changes how you search. For influencer work you look at audience size. For UGC you look at the quality of the content, how well the creator fits your product, and how they handle a brief. If you want the full definition, read our guide to UGC creators.
Step 1: Decide what you need before you search
Write down four things first. They make every later step faster.
- The deliverable. For example, three short vertical videos, or five photos for a product page.
- The platform. TikTok, Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts, or a mix.
- Usage. Will you post it on your own account, or run it as a paid ad? Ad use is a separate conversation about rights and price.
- Budget and product. Decide whether you are paying cash, sending product, or both.
If you want help turning this into a document, the free campaign brief generator gives you a structure to start from.
Step 2: Post a free brief and let creators apply
Posting "looking for UGC creators" on social media gets you a pile of replies across comments, DMs and email. A brief on a marketplace pulls those replies into one list.
On Jem, the free brief page works like this:
- You type one line about what you sell and what you need, such as "3 TikTok videos for our new serum".
- Jem's AI writes the full brief in about 4 minutes, and you can edit it.
- The brief goes live on the Jem Opportunity Board, where UGC creators and influencers browse open campaigns and apply.
- You review everyone who applied in one place.
A brand account is free, no card is needed, and posting a brief is free. You only pay if you want to book creators through Jem, which needs the paid plan. That plan has a 7-day free trial.
Step 3: Search by niche when you want to invite creators
A brief brings creators to you. Search lets you go to them. The Influencer Finder lets you search 30M+ creators by niche, city, follower count, engagement rate and rate. You can also paste your website URL to match creators to your brand, then invite them with a brief, send a contract and pay through escrow.
Use search when you have a narrow need. A local restaurant needs creators in one city. A skincare brand may want creators who already film in a certain style. For plan details, see Jem pricing.
An example of small creators at scale
Triller spent $1,500 across 40 nano and micro creators booked through Jem Social and tracked more than 10,000 conversions at about $0.15 each, according to Jem's pricing page. The takeaway for you: many smaller creators can give you more variety to test than one large creator, and they often cost less per post. Your results will depend on your product and offer.
Step 4: Other places to look
You do not have to rely on one source. These are common free routes, and each takes more of your time than a marketplace.
- Hashtag and keyword search on TikTok and Instagram. Look for creators who tag their own work as UGC or brand collabs, then read their comments to see if the audience reacts to product content.
- Your own customers. People who already post about your product know it well. Ask them if they would make content for a fee.
- Creator communities. Subreddits and Facebook groups for UGC creators are places where creators talk about work. Read each group's rules before you post a job.
- Other creator marketplaces. Several platforms let brands hire UGC creators. Compare what each charges brands and how it handles payment before you commit.
Step 5: Vet creators with a simple checklist
Whether creators applied or you found them, check the same things before you hire.
- Portfolio fit. Do their past videos look like what you want? Check hooks, lighting, audio and pacing.
- Category fit. A creator who has filmed similar products will need less direction.
- Reliability. Look at how they communicate. Do they reply, ask smart questions and confirm deadlines?
- Real engagement. If they will post on their own account, read the comments. Real questions about the product are a good sign.
- Rights and usage. Confirm in writing who owns the content, where you can run it and for how long.
Ask for one sample or a short test project before you commit to a bigger order. A paid test shows you how the creator handles feedback, how closely they follow the brief and whether the file arrives on time. Keep notes on each creator so the next campaign starts with a shortlist instead of a fresh search.
Step 6: Brief the creator and pay safely
A good brief covers the product, key messages, the format, claims to avoid, the deadline and one round of revisions. A vague brief gives you vague content. Use the brief generator to avoid starting from a blank page.
On price, rates depend on the creator's experience, the length and number of videos, and usage rights. The influencer rate calculator helps you sanity check a quote. Pay through a method that protects you both. On Jem, escrow payments release only after the content ships and you approve it.
Disclose paid and gifted content
If you pay creators or send them free product, they should disclose the relationship when they post on their own accounts. The FTC explains the rules in Disclosures 101 for Social Media Influencers. Put the disclosure requirement in your brief so nobody has to guess.
Mistakes to avoid
- Hiring on follower count. For UGC, the quality of the content matters more than audience size. Judge the work, then the numbers.
- Skipping the usage terms. If you plan to run the video as an ad, say so before the creator films. Unclear rights lead to disputes.
- Booking one creator for everything. Start with a few creators so you can compare hooks, styles and delivery before you scale up the ones that work.
- Briefing in a DM thread. Messages get lost. Keep the brief, the agreed price, the deadline and the revision round in one document that both sides can see.
- Paying everything up front with no protection. Pay through escrow or in stages tied to delivery, so you only release the full amount when the content is approved.
- Ignoring the creator's reply speed. A creator who takes a week to answer an application will take longer to deliver. Treat response time as part of vetting.
For a deeper look at working with smaller accounts, read our guide on how to find micro-influencers, since many of the same search and vetting steps apply.
Find your first five creators this week
Write your one-line need today. Post it as a brief, review the applicants as they arrive, and shortlist five. Send each a test project and keep the two that perform best.
Post your brief free on Jem Social. It takes about 4 minutes, and you do not need a card.