How to Get Started with UGC in 2025 (Even with 0 Followers)

🤑 Yes, You Can Get Paid to Create—No Audience Required

User-generated content (UGC) is having a serious moment—and spoiler: you don’t need 10K followers, blue checkmarks, or a ring light that costs more than your rent to break into it. Whether you’re a content newbie or just tired of chasing followers for free products, this blog is your no-BS starter kit to getting into UGC and actually getting paid.

We’re talking strategy, mindset shifts, and the real reason brands are obsessed with creators like you. So if you’ve ever thought, “I could totally do that,”—you can. And we’re about to show you how. 💁‍♀️

🔍 What is UGC (And Why It’s Blowing Up)?

UGC stands for user-generated content—aka content created by real people (not the brand’s marketing team) showing how they use a product or service. Think:

• 🎁 Unboxings
• 🧴 Testimonials
• 💄 GRWMs
• 📱 Casual TikToks that feel more like FaceTime than a commercial

Why is it blowing up? Because people trust people—not ads. UGC is authentic, relatable, and high-converting. Basically, it’s the modern marketing goldmine. And you don’t need a massive audience to tap in—you just need to be good at storytelling.

💡 Hot tip: Creators on platforms like Beami are earning $500–$3,000/month in brand deals—with zero followers. This is your sign. ✨

❌ Why You Don’t Need a Following (For Real)

Let’s clear this up once and for all:
UGC ≠ Influencer Marketing

• Brands aren’t hiring you for your audience
• They’re hiring you for your content style, relatability, and voice
• Your job? Create engaging content they can reuse in ads, websites, and social posts

If you’re sitting there with 147 followers and a dream—you’re not late. You’re right on time. 🙌

🧩 What You Actually Need to Get Started

Here’s what matters way more than followers:

✔️ A phone with a decent camera
✔️ Basic lighting (hello, window light!)
✔️ A good understanding of angles, framing & storytelling
✔️ The ability to follow a creative brief
✔️ Confidence in front of the camera (or voice-over skills if you’re shy)

You don’t need fancy equipment or editing software. Authenticity wins in 2025. Period.

🛠️ How to Build Your UGC Portfolio (Without a Single Client)

You don’t wait for brands to come to you. You create mock content to show them what you’re capable of.

🎬 Create sample videos with products you already love
📸 Take aesthetic photos as if you were paid
📝 Write sample scripts, hooks, or captions
📁 Upload everything to a Google Drive folder or portfolio site
📲 Use Beami to create a content-first media kit—no follower count required

Your portfolio is proof you can deliver. Make it clean, scrollable, and results-driven.

🧠 Mindset Shift: You Are a Creative Professional

Stop thinking of yourself as “just a creator” and start treating this like a business:

• Track your time, effort, and wins
• Pitch with clarity and confidence
• Set rates that reflect your value
• Say “no” to unpaid work that doesn’t serve your goals
• Keep evolving your skills (hello, editing, lighting, and storytelling!)

When you treat UGC like a business, brands will too. 💼

💥 Final Thoughts: This is Your Year to Start

The UGC space is growing fast—and the best part? There’s room for everyone. If you’ve got the passion, the perspective, and the ability to create content that connects, you’ve got everything you need.

So go ahead—create those samples, pitch that brand, and claim your seat at the table. Beami.app is here to connect creators like you with brands offering guaranteed monthly deals—no followers required.

Let your content speak. Let your creativity pay.
Now’s the time to start creating UGC that actually works. 🚀