How to Make Money with 0 Followers

GUEST-STARRING MADI

Did you know can land paid brand deals with 0 followers? In this episode, we dish the details on how you can, too.

You might have heard of this thing called UGC (User Generated Content) being talked about quite a lot on the internet these days. Well, would you believe that this alone is allowing others to pursue social media as their career?

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UGC has been all the rage lately. As a new, fairly untapped market, I wanted to speak to an expert on how to master this form of content creation. There was no one better than Madi (@creativelymadi) who started her UGC journey only 7 months ago and has since then, quit school to focus on creating content full-time along with her husband who also left his job to help her focus on her craft. If you wanted to learn more about what exactly this phenomenon is, you have to the right place. Madi answers some of the most frequently asked questions about UGC below.

1. How did you get started with UGC?

When scrolling through TikTok one day, Madi stumbled upon another user who was explaining what UGC is. Immediately intrigued, she started diving research so she could learn how she could get started. She found out that Twitter happened to be an amazing gateway into this type of work and she quickly found a community of other UGC creators who were also just getting started.

From there, Madi created a portfolio by picking about 4-5 niches and choosing products around her home to act as the subject of example content. Next, she focused her attention on building up a website as another way to showcase her abilities to brands. In two weeks of starting, Madi managed to land her first client and after posting one viral tweet about her success, other companies started blowing up her DMs inquiring about work.

2. What is the difference between UGC and Content Creation?

The main difference between UGC creators and influencers starts with the reason why brands want content in the first place. Traditionally, companies would hire influencers to promote their content on their own social media accounts. In this case, the brand would be paying for both the content itself, as well as the influence.

On the other hand, brands would hire UGC creators if they only need content to utilize for either their ads or for their organic social media accounts. This is more cost effective for the brands because they are not paying for any influence.

3. Do you need followers to create UGC?

No, it does not matter how many followers you have! Although, it can be helpful if you have prior social media experience to use as a negotiation tactic to show brands you have successfully grown an account. But this is not necessary. Madi’s biggest piece of advice for those just starting out is to learn what good UGC looks like.

4. What does typical UGC look like?

The most important thing to keep in mind is that brands are looking for content that will provide a return on their investment. So if you aim to produce cute, aesthetically pleasing videos with no real context, just know that this might not be the best way to convert customers.

To dive into this, it is important to make a distinction between paid UGC versus organic UGC. The latter is often trend-focused and there can be a lot of moving parts. But overall, it is fast-paced and compact, with the goal of cultivating a community.

Paid UGC is more fine tuned to directly sell the product or service to a consumer. Madi’s key components to this kind of content is a good visual and contextual hook (For example, what I ordered vs what I got). Additionally, you also want to identify the viewer’s problem and provide them with the solution and a CTA (call to action).

5. How did you choose what niches to focus on?

Madi picked niches that she already loved and happened to be a natural fit into her lifestyle. After all, just like influencing content creation, UGC content is more valuable when it is as authentic as possible. On the plus side, this also means you have more flexibility in having multiple niches and focuses compared to someone who is trying to build a personal brand.

6. What should creators include within their UGC portfolio?

Lately, there has been a shift of the industry. Before, many creators included a blurb describing what UGC is and how it can benefit a brand. Now that is more well-known, this part is not really necessary. Madi recommends ensuring your homepage has your face and content/video examples of your work. Also, be sure to include a blurb about who you are and what your interest or niche is. The last part is to add any insightful video analytics for social proof, as well as your rates.

Pro tip: Be sure to differentiate between paid and organic UGC within your portfolio or website.

7. What do UGC partnerships usually look like?

Madi explains that this industry can actually be quite broad. A lot of times, there is more than just creating short-form videos for clients. For instance, she has a client where she has the responsibility of producing one organic video for them per day and another client where she creates 2 videos per month. Some other facets of her business include video editing and concept brainstorming (sort of like consulting).

Want more from Madi? She shares a lot of UGC creator tips and tricks on her TikTok. Plus, she also has a complete UGC guide which she created with beginners in mind. In there, you will find everything you need to learn more about what UGC is and how you can get started in this industry that is growing by the minute!

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TIKTOK | UGC GUIDE