Key takeaways
- The fastest way to hire UGC creators is to post a free brief and let creators apply to you.
- Write deliverables, budget and usage rights down before you search, so quotes are comparable.
- Vet portfolios for hook, audio and category fit, and judge UGC on content quality over follower count.
- Agree on rate, revisions and usage rights in writing before production starts.
- Track each video by creator, hook and format, then rehire the creators who deliver.
Last updated: October 2026
To hire UGC creators, decide what content you need, find creators by posting a brief or searching, check their past work, send a clear brief with usage rights and a rate, and pay once you approve the content. The fastest route for most brands is to post a free brief and let creators apply to you.
This guide is for brands, founders and marketers who need UGC videos or photos for ads, product pages or social and want a repeatable way to hire creators without chasing replies in DMs.
Choose how you will hire UGC creators
There are four common routes. Pick one based on your timeline and how much work you want to do yourself.
- Post a brief and let creators apply. You write what you need once, creators who fit apply, and you compare them in one place. This takes the least time up front.
- Search a creator database. You filter by niche, location, follower count and engagement, then invite people. This gives you the most control and works well when you need a specific profile.
- Source directly on TikTok and Instagram. Search your product hashtags and category keywords. This is slow, but you find people who already understand your audience.
- Ask your customers. Check tagged posts, reviews and your email list. Customers who already like your product often make believable content.
Most brands combine two of these. A free brief covers the broad net, and a targeted search fills gaps.
On Jem Social, a brand account is free and needs no card. You type one line about your product, Jem's AI writes the full brief in about 4 minutes, and it goes on the Jem Opportunity Board where UGC creators and influencers apply. Post a free brief if you want to see applicants before you spend anything. Booking creators through Jem needs the paid plan, which has a 7-day free trial.
Step 1: Define the content you need before you search
Creators quote against deliverables, so write them down first. A vague request gets vague quotes.
- Name the goal: paid ad creative, product page content, organic posts or a mix.
- List the deliverables: number of videos, length, aspect ratio and whether you want raw footage.
- Say where the content will run and for how long. This sets usage rights.
- Set a budget range per video and a delivery date.
- Decide whether you ship product, and how fast.
If you are unsure what to ask for, read What Is UGC? for the common formats, then start with two or three videos rather than ten.
Step 2: Find UGC creators who fit your niche
Finding creators is easier when you know the profile you want. Write one sentence: who they are, what they make, who they speak to.
Let creators come to you
A posted brief filters for interest. Creators only apply to briefs they want to make, so you start with a warmer list. For a longer walkthrough of sourcing options, see How to Find UGC Creators for Your Brand.
Search when you need a specific profile
The Jem Influencer Finder searches 30M+ creators by niche, city, follower count, engagement rate and rate. You can also match creators from a website URL, invite them with a brief, send a contract and pay through escrow. It comes with a 7-day free trial. See pricing for current plan details.
Search social platforms by hand
Search TikTok and Instagram for your product category, competitor names and the problems your product solves. Save creators whose videos show a clear hook, good audio and natural delivery. Then send a short message that names a specific video you liked.
Step 3: Vet creators before you send an offer
Do not choose on follower count alone. UGC is often published on your channels, not the creator's, so production quality and fit matter more than audience size.
- Portfolio. Watch at least three samples. Check lighting, audio, pacing and the first three seconds.
- Category fit. A creator who makes strong beauty content may not suit a software product. Look for proof they understand your buyer.
- On-camera trust. The delivery should sound like a real person, not a script read aloud.
- Reliability. Ask about turnaround time and how many revision rounds they include.
- Engagement, if they will post. If the creator publishes to their own audience, review real comments and saves. Use the engagement rate calculator to compare accounts on the same basis.
Hire two or three creators for your first batch. You learn faster from a few different styles than from one.
Step 4: Brief them clearly
A good brief gives direction without scripting every line. Include these parts:
- Goal and audience. What the video must do and who it is for.
- Product facts. Key benefits, and any claims the creator must avoid.
- Angles. Two or three options, such as a first impression, a problem and solution demo, or a routine.
- Deliverables. Count, length, format and file type.
- Usage rights and timeline. Where and how long you can use the content, and when drafts and finals are due.
- Disclosure. What the creator must say if they post.
Short on time? The campaign brief generator builds a first draft, and How to Write a UGC Brief has a fill-in structure.
Step 5: Agree on rate, usage rights and contract terms
Put the deal in writing before production starts. Cover the rate per deliverable, number of revisions, delivery date, where you can use the content, for how long, and whether paid ads and edits are allowed. Raw footage and exclusivity are separate asks, so name them if you want them.
Rates vary with creator experience, editing, usage rights and timeline. Use the influencer rate calculator to get a starting range, then compare it against the quotes you receive. Treat any single average you read online as a rough reference, since your content and rights will differ.
On Jem's paid plan, contracts include usage rights and payments go through escrow, which releases only after the content ships and you approve it. Jem takes no cut of what you pay creators. If you want a real-world example of cost control, 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 (source).
Step 6: Review the work and keep disclosure clean
Review drafts against the brief, not your taste alone. Check that the hook is clear, the product is easy to understand and any claims are ones you can support. Ask for edits in one consolidated round.
If a creator posts the content, or has received payment or free product, they need to disclose it. The FTC says a disclosure should be hard to miss, placed with the endorsement itself and written in simple, clear language such as "ad" or "sponsored". Read the FTC Disclosures 101 guide and put the wording you expect in your brief. This is general information, not legal advice.
Step 7: Track results and rehire your best creators
Label each video by creator, hook, format and offer. When you run the content, compare results by those labels so you know what to reorder. Creators who deliver on time and perform well are your best next hires, so offer them a repeat project. The influencer marketing ROI calculator helps you check whether the numbers work.
Hire your first three UGC creators this week
- Today: write your deliverables, budget and usage terms in one page.
- Day 2: post your brief and save five creators from a search or social.
- Day 4: review applicants and portfolios, then shortlist three.
- Day 5: agree on rates and rights in writing, and ship product.
- Next week: review drafts, approve finals and record what worked.
Ready to start? Post your brief free. Jem's AI writes it from one line in about 4 minutes, and creators apply to you.