Giselle González wanted to find a way to make money and express her creativity from the comfort of home – all while being there for her kids, too. With over a decade’s experience in marketing at major companies under her belt, Giselle knew exactly what friends and colleagues were looking for when it came to creating their own effective campaigns online – namely user-generated content (UGC). This idea clicked with Giselle as she realised this was the perfect chance for achieving that elusive work/family balance!
With her marketing expertise, González realized she could make a career leap into content creation – without the need to be an influencer with hordes of followers. March 2022 was game-changing moment for UGC – and companies doing campaigns had come to recognize that authentic messaging resonates more powerfully in such times. She decided it was time to take small steps towards growth potential being huge!
Just six months after starting out as a User Generated Content (UGC) creator, González was able to book more than $6,000 in revenue — the perfect example of ‘hitting it big’! Utilizing her expertise with social media and creating compelling portfolio pieces for beauty-and-wellness brands quickly paid off. With such success achieved so soon into their side hustle journey, aspiring UGC creators would do well to listen up on what advice this inspiring entrepreneur has sagely shared.
Show the world what you’re all about – curate a portfolio of only your favorite brands, and let it tell its own story.
When I wanted to make the leap from consumer of beauty products for curly hair, to creator in this space, my first stop was building up a portfolio. After honing my film-making skills and creating an aesthetic that highlighted all things ‘curly girl’, I put it out there – literally! My social media platforms acted as proof of concept, showcasing content around product reviews which would eventually form part of paid UGC deals with brands. Who knew having great curls could be so profitable?
Instead of just any old brand, I choose to collaborate with health-and-wellness brands that have a real meaning in my life — like Magic Spoon cereal. After all, no one wants fake reviews! UGC videos are meant to come from the heart and highlight what you feel passionate about – so it’s essential they be genuine.
Chances are, brands want to hear from you if there’s something of value that you can bring to the table!
To make sure I’m connecting with the right partners and getting my message heard, I leverage LinkedIn as a powerful tool. After some research and recon, it’s time to take action! With an up-to-date profile full of fresh UGC content in tow, I send out brief initial messages asking if these decision makers are looking for collaborators – always keeping things concise so they don’t get lost among thousands of emails per day.
Before approaching brands, I make sure to give myself a comprehensive overview of their offerings. Taking the time to dive into existing metrics and trends on PiPiAds helps me develop strategies that deliver real value; this way when contacted with my insights, it’s no surprise they take notice! Instead of just relying on sheer luck or hoping for the best outreach results possible – arming yourself with data can really pay off in negotiations.
Put your experience to work and get the rewards you deserve – bump up your rates!
Starting out as a creator is challenging, but don’t sell yourself short. $100 per video can be the right price point to start with – you work hard on every aspect of your videos and need to get compensated for it! Looking at my own experiences, I kicked off charging $125 initially which has increased over time now standing at an impressive rate of $200. And that’s not all; partnering up in longer-term contracts or bundles helps keep cash flow steady too! Finally, if the numbers from previous projects show you’ve delivered good results then take those convert rates into consideration when deciding whether or not increase your pricing further still!
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