Choosing how to produce UGC is about more than deciding who will film a video. It also affects the management required from your brand, the total cost, and how easily you can produce content consistently. Should you hire an individual UGC creator directly, use a platform to find creators, or work with an agency that manages the process?

The right choice depends on your brand’s needs, the volume of content required, and the resources available to manage production. This guide compares the three options in terms of cost, project management, and content usage rights to help you choose the model that best fits your marketing goals.

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What does this article cover

What’s the Difference Between a UGC Creator, Platform, and Agency

Hiring Independent UGC Creators: Pros, Cons, and Is It Right for Your Brand

How Does Direct UGC Creator Hiring Work

Hiring a UGC Agency: Pros, Cons, and Is It Right for Your Brand

What to Check Before Hiring a UGC Creator, Platform, or Agency

Frequently Asked Questions

Contact Gravity Marketing to Find the Right UGC Solution for Your Brand

What’s the Difference Between a UGC Creator, Platform, and Agency

Does your brand need a creator to produce videos, a platform to help you discover creators, or an agency to manage the production process? Although all three options can help brands obtain UGC, the main difference lies in how creators are sourced, how projects are managed, and who coordinates the production process.

Independent UGC Creator:

The brand hires a creator directly to produce videos or images based on the campaign requirements and agrees on deliverables, timelines, and usage rights.

UGC Platform:

The brand uses a platform to discover creators, browse portfolios, and communicate with them. Some platforms also provide order and payment management tools.

UGC Agency:

The agency manages different stages of content production, potentially including creator selection, briefing, production coordination, content review, and revisions, depending on the agreed scope of work.

Ultimately, the decision is not just about who creates the content, but how the process is organized and responsibilities are distributed. The following sections explore the advantages and disadvantages of each model to help you choose the right fit for your brand.

For more background, read Gravity Marketing’s UGC guide.

Hiring Independent UGC Creators: Pros, Cons, and Is It Right for Your Brand

Hiring an independent UGC creator means your brand communicates directly with a creator to produce videos or images that present a product in a way that suits the target audience. Instead of relying on an agency to manage the project or a platform to source creators, your brand is responsible for creator selection, content requirements, production follow-up, pricing, and usage rights.

But is direct hiring the best option for your brand? It depends on the volume of content you need, the time available to your team, and your experience managing production. Direct hiring may be practical for testing a new product or producing a limited number of videos, but it can become an administrative burden when you need content from multiple creators on an ongoing basis.

How Does Direct UGC Creator Hiring Work

Direct hiring involves more than finding someone to film your product. To obtain content that supports your marketing goals, your team needs to manage several stages.

1. Define your content objective. Decide whether you need product awareness, a product demonstration, or content designed to encourage purchases. Your objective should guide your creator selection and creative direction.

2. Find suitable creators. Search TikTok and Instagram or review creator portfolios. Assess their filming style, product presentation, and ability to communicate your message. Choose someone whose style and audience fit your product rather than relying on appearance or follower count alone.

3. Prepare a UGC brief. Explain the product, target audience, campaign objective, key messages, video requirements, and delivery format. Clear instructions help reduce misalignment and unnecessary reshoots.

4. Agree on deliverables, pricing, and usage rights. Confirm the number of videos, deadlines, revision limits, payment terms, usage duration, target markets, and paid advertising permissions before production begins.

5. Review the content before approval. Check product accuracy, image and audio quality, and compliance with the brief. In financial and healthcare categories, also review claims and applicable regulatory requirements before publishing.

Advantages of Hiring Independent UGC Creators

1. Greater control over creative direction

Direct collaboration allows your brand to choose creators whose style fits the product and discuss how it should be presented. A skincare brand might need a product demonstration, while a home goods store might need a video showing the product in everyday use.

2. Direct communication and revision discussions

You can discuss feedback, clarify requirements, and coordinate delivery directly with the creator. This can simplify smaller projects when expectations are clear, although direct communication alone does not guarantee faster delivery.

3. Flexible project requirements

You can negotiate deliverables, filming style, deadlines, and usage terms directly. This allows you to tailor the collaboration to your campaign instead of relying on a standard package.

4. Leveraging audience trust in a creator’s recommendations

In some cases, audiences care not only about the product but also who recommends it and why they chose it. A creator known for sharing genuine experiences or specialized knowledge may make a message more persuasive to the right audience.

However, it is important to distinguish between two types of collaboration:

UGC production for brand-owned channels or ads: The brand hires a creator to produce content. Creative quality and creator fit matter, but the creator’s follower count is not necessarily the primary factor.
A creator recommendation to their own audience: If the objective is to influence the creator’s followers, the audience’s trust and the creator’s relevance to the product become more important, alongside clear advertising disclosure.

Illustrative example: A financial app may find a creator who specializes in financial education more relevant than a lifestyle creator known for travel and daily routines, even if the lifestyle creator has more followers. Actual results depend on content quality, audience fit, the offer, and measured conversions—not specialization alone.

This matters particularly for products that require trust and understanding, such as financial services and certain healthcare products. In these categories, brands should verify relevant qualifications where needed, review claims for accuracy, and comply with applicable advertising rules.

5. Useful for testing creative ideas

A brand can commission a limited set of videos, test different approaches, and evaluate performance against its campaign objectives. Depending on the goal, useful metrics might include clicks or conversions.

Lower production costs or direct communication do not automatically lead to better marketing results. Content quality and actual campaign performance still need to be evaluated.

Disadvantages of Hiring Independent UGC Creators

1. Creator discovery takes time

Your team needs to review portfolios, compare creative styles, contact candidates, and assess their suitability. If your first choice cannot meet the requirements, you may need to restart the search.

2. Your team manages the production process and quality checks

Direct hiring often requires your team to coordinate product shipping, content delivery, reviews, feedback, revisions, and final approval. As the number of videos increases, a clear tracking and approval process becomes more important.

3. The total cost goes beyond the video price

Compare the complete project cost, including:

Scriptwriting or concept development.
Filming, editing, and captions.
Product shipping or samples.
Revisions and reshoots.
Paid advertising usage rights.
Additional deliverables or fees.

Creators offer different service packages, so compare offers with similar deliverables and rights rather than comparing prices alone.

4. Usage rights need clear terms

Paying for a video does not necessarily mean you can use it everywhere or indefinitely. Specify where the content may be published, whether paid ads are permitted, how long the license lasts, and whether you can edit or repurpose the footage.

5. Choosing an unsuitable creator may generate views without meaningful results

A creator with a large audience or polished filming style is not automatically the right choice for every product. If the audience is not interested in the category or the message does not address its needs, the video may receive views and engagement without achieving the intended business outcome.

Illustrative example: An investment platform may receive substantial views from general entertainment content, but those views do not prove that the audience is interested in opening an investment account. A specialized creator may reach a smaller, more relevant audience. However, higher conversion rates cannot be assumed without actual performance data. The example demonstrates why audience relevance and campaign objectives matter more than follower count alone.

6. Financial and healthcare products require additional review

For financial and healthcare products, creator selection should not be based on video appeal alone. Audiences may need accurate information and a credible source before making decisions that affect their money or health.

Advertising in these sectors may also be subject to specific legal and regulatory requirements. Unsupported claims or exaggerated promises about investment returns or health outcomes can expose a brand to risks beyond poor campaign performance.

Before hiring, assess the creator’s suitability, verify claims and supporting information, and ensure compliance with advertising and disclosure requirements in the target market. Hiring a specialist does not remove the brand’s responsibility to review the content.

7. Scaling production can increase management complexity

Coordinating one creator is different from managing ten creators producing multiple videos on a deadline. More creators can mean more briefs, delivery dates, files, reviews, and payments to coordinate.

Direct hiring can still work at scale, but it may require an internal team and a structured workflow.

Is Direct Hiring Right for Your Brand

Consider direct hiring if:

You need a limited number of videos.
Your team has time to find creators and manage production.
You can prepare clear briefs and review deliverables.
You want to negotiate directly on deliverables and usage rights.
You can assess whether a creator fits your product and target audience.

Compare platforms or agencies if:

You need content from many creators within a short period.
Your team has limited time for project management.
You need centralized coordination and repeated reviews.
You want another provider to manage some production responsibilities, depending on its service scope.

Practical Example: An E-commerce Store Producing UGC Videos

An online store that needs a limited number of product videos may find direct hiring practical if it has clear requirements and a team that can oversee production.

If the store needs continuous content from multiple creators, with several delivery schedules and review rounds, it should compare the cost of internal management with platform and agency options.

For sensitive products, such as financial services or healthcare products, creator selection requires an additional criterion: can the creator communicate accurate, appropriate information, and can the content be reviewed for regulatory compliance? In these cases, video cost and view count are not sufficient measures of suitability.

The takeaway: Direct hiring provides control and direct communication, but your team remains responsible for much of the project management. Success depends not only on choosing a good creator, but also on audience and product fit, clear agreements, content quality, and measurable results.

Using a UGC Platform: Pros, Cons, and Is It Right for Your Brand

UGC platforms help brands discover creators, review their portfolios, and commission product videos or images. Some platforms also provide tools for managing orders, communication, payments, and content reviews. However, available services vary from one platform to another.

The main advantage is being able to manage creator discovery and collaboration in one place instead of handling every detail separately. Before signing up, make sure the platform offers the content formats and services your brand actually needs.

How to find a suitable UGC platform

Start by researching platforms that connect brands with UGC creators. Compare them based on your requirements rather than the number of creators listed.

Define your target market: If you sell in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, or Egypt, check whether creators are available in your target market and can produce content in the language and dialect you need.
Review creator portfolios: Look for previous videos featuring similar products. Evaluate filming quality, product presentation, and how clearly creators communicate the message.
Understand pricing: Does the platform charge per video, per package, or through a subscription? Does the price include revisions and paid-ad usage rights
Check available services: Does the platform provide a creator directory only, or can it also help manage orders, content reviews, revisions, and payments
Review the terms: Understand cancellation policies, payment procedures, delivery timelines, usage rights, and any additional fees.

How to sign up and commission content through a UGC platform

1. Create an account and define your campaign goal

2. Prepare a UGC brief

Describe the product, target audience, number and length of videos, key messages, and budget. Clarify whether you need edited videos or raw footage and whether paid advertising usage is required.

3. Select creators

Review portfolios, filming quality, product presentation, and experience in your category. For UGC production alone, follower count is not necessarily the main criterion; the creator’s ability to produce the required content matters more.

4. Confirm the terms and begin production

Agree on pricing, delivery dates, revision limits, usage rights, and payment terms. Once the videos are delivered, review them against the brief before approving them.

Practical example: Is a UGC platform right for a skincare brand

Imagine you run a skincare brand in Saudi Arabia and want to produce 10 short videos demonstrating your products and how to use them.

Instead of contacting every creator individually, you could use a platform to discover suitable creators and commission videos using a shared brief. Before choosing the platform, check:

Does it have creators available to work with your brand in Saudi Arabia
Can you find creators experienced in skincare content
Does the total price fit your budget after revisions, usage rights, and additional fees
Can the platform support your required video volume and delivery schedule
Can you use the videos in paid ads, for how long, and across which channels

The decision: If the platform offers suitable creators, clear terms, and a reasonable total cost, it may be a practical option for producing a batch of videos. If your target market is not supported or you need complex production management and ongoing coordination, an agency may be a better fit.

Advantages of using a UGC platform

Easier creator discovery: Browse portfolios and compare available creators instead of relying on unstructured searches.
More organized collaboration: Some platforms bring briefs, orders, communication, and payments together.
Testing different creative approaches: Work with different creators to test multiple ways of presenting a product.
Clearer requirements: A structured brief helps reduce misunderstandings about deliverables and creative expectations.
Potential to scale: Depending on its features, a platform may make it easier to repeat orders or work with multiple creators.

Disadvantages of using a UGC platform

Different creator availability across markets: A platform may offer many creators in one country and fewer in another.
Additional fees or restrictions: Video production may not include paid-ad rights, raw footage, or unlimited revisions.
Time required for selection: A large creator pool does not guarantee that finding the right person will be easy.
Different service levels: Some platforms focus on discovery and communication, while others support more stages of the process.
Content review remains necessary: Brands must still check quality, accuracy of claims, and alignment with brand guidelines.
Platform-specific terms: Payment methods, cancellation policies, dispute procedures, and content rights vary.

How to determine whether a platform is right for your brand

Before deciding, ask yourself:

Does the platform have creators in my target market
Do their portfolios match my product and audience
Is the total cost clear and within budget
Are usage rights, revisions, and delivery terms clearly defined
Do I have time to select creators and manage content
Do I need end-to-end production management beyond discovery and contracting

Overall, a platform is worth considering when it provides suitable creators and simplifies collaboration with transparent costs and terms. If you need one provider to handle creator selection, production management, quality checks, and coordination, compare platforms with agencies based on the responsibilities each provider takes on and the total cost—not just the price per video.

Hiring a UGC Agency: Pros, Cons, and Is It Right for Your Brand

If your brand needs a large volume of UGC videos, or your internal team lacks the time and expertise to manage creators and review content, hiring a UGC agency may be a suitable option.

Unlike hiring an individual creator directly, an agency may manage several stages of production, from understanding your goals and selecting creators to preparing briefs, coordinating production, reviewing videos, and managing revisions. However, the agency’s responsibilities depend on the services agreed upon in the contract, so clarify the scope before signing.

How to choose and hire a UGC agency

Define your brand’s needs. Identify your content goal, target audience, required number of videos, intended platforms, and budget.
Review the agency’s work and creator selection process. Ask to see actual examples and learn how creators are selected for your product category and target market. The size of its creator network matters less than how well those creators fit your needs.
Request a clear proposal. Confirm the number of videos, concept development or scripting, filming and editing, revision rounds, delivery timeline, and usage rights. Ask which services are excluded.
Agree on the review process and measurement. Define who approves concepts and videos, how revisions are requested, and which metrics match your campaign objective. For paid ads, these might include clicks, conversions, or customer acquisition cost, depending on the goal. An agency cannot guarantee specific outcomes simply by producing content.

Advantages of hiring a UGC agency

Saves time and effort: The agency may handle creator sourcing, coordination, and production follow-up instead of requiring your team to manage every detail.
Manages multiple production stages: Some agencies offer concept development, scripting, creator selection, filming, editing, and content review.
Access to suitable creators: An agency with relevant category experience may help identify creators whose style fits your brand and target audience.
More organized production and consistent quality: Clear briefs and structured review processes can help align deliverables with your requirements.
Ability to produce content at scale: If you need multiple videos or creative variations for advertising tests, an agency may help organize repeatable production.
Clearer usage rights and contracting: A good agency clarifies where content can be used, for how long, on which channels, and which revisions are included.

Disadvantages of hiring a UGC agency

Potentially higher costs: Agency proposals may include project management, coordination, production, and editing, making them more expensive than hiring a creator directly. Compare total costs and included services, not just the price per video.
Less direct control over day-to-day details: If the agency manages communication and production, you may need to pass feedback and revision requests through the agency rather than contacting each creator directly.
Different service levels: Some agencies only source creators, while others manage production, reviews, and final delivery.
Your team still needs to review content: Even when an agency manages the process, your brand may need to approve concepts and check claims for accuracy before publication.
Usage rights still need to be defined: Hiring an agency does not automatically grant unlimited rights to every video. The contract should specify organic and paid usage, duration, territory, platforms, editing, and repurposing permissions.
Coordination can still cause delays: Unclear briefs, late approvals, or undefined responsibilities may lead to delays and additional revisions.
Marketing results are not guaranteed: An agency can help produce content for testing, but sales and conversions also depend on the offer, audience, product price, and advertising strategy.

Practical example: When is a UGC agency the better choice

Imagine you run a skincare brand in Saudi Arabia and want 15 videos for advertising campaigns, with multiple hooks and creative approaches for different audience segments.

If your team is small and lacks the time to find creators, write briefs, coordinate filming, and manage revisions, an agency may handle these stages according to the agreed scope.

Before signing, request a proposal that specifies:

The number of videos and creative variations.
Whether creator selection, scripting, filming, and editing are included.
The number of revision rounds and approval process.
Paid-ad usage rights, duration, and covered markets.
Delivery timeline and total cost.
Whether performance reporting is included or the agency only produces the content.

The decision: An agency may be the better choice if it genuinely provides end-to-end management, understands your market, and offers clear terms for costs, deliverables, and usage rights. If you only need one or two videos and can manage the process yourself, hiring a creator directly may be simpler.

How to Choose the Right Model for Your Brand

Choosing between hiring a UGC creator directly, using a platform, or working with an agency depends on your budget, the number of videos you need, your team’s available time, and how much production support you require.

Hire a UGC creator directly if you need a small number of videos and have time to find creators and manage the project yourself.
Use a UGC platform if you want to simplify creator discovery, compare portfolios, and manage orders in one place, provided suitable creators and services are available in your target market.
Work with a UGC agency if you need a larger volume of content, run multiple campaigns, or want support with creator selection, production management, and content reviews.

Before making a decision, ask yourself four questions:

How many videos do you need? Larger or recurring production needs make an organized production process more important.
Who will manage the project? If your team can coordinate creators and revisions, direct hiring may work well. If time is limited, consider a platform or agency based on the level of support you need.
What is your actual budget? Compare the total cost, including production, revisions, and usage rights, rather than looking at the price per video alone.
Where will you use the content? If you plan to run paid ads or use videos across multiple markets, confirm the usage rights before agreeing to the project.

Example: An e-commerce store that needs three videos to test a new idea could start by hiring a creator directly. However, if it is planning a campaign with 20 videos featuring different creative concepts, a platform or agency may be more suitable, depending on the available services and the team’s ability to manage production.

The bottom line: There is no single model that works for every brand. Choose the option that offers the best balance of cost, content quality, management time, and usage rights for your needs.

What to Check Before Hiring a UGC Creator, Platform, or Agency

Before starting a collaboration, confirm three key details to avoid unexpected costs, delivery delays, and disagreements over content usage.

1. Total Cost

Don't rely on the price per video alone. Ask which services are included and whether there are additional fees for filming, editing, product shipping, revisions, or paid-ad usage rights. Compare proposals based on the actual deliverables and services you will receive.

2. Revisions and Delivery Timeline

Agree on the number of revision rounds, video delivery dates, and the time available for reviewing and approving content. Also clarify what happens if the content does not match the agreed brief and whether reshoots or additional revisions incur extra charges.

3. Content Usage Rights

Make sure the agreement specifies where you can use the videos, the usage period, the target markets, and whether the rights cover paid advertising as well as organic posts on your brand's channels. Also clarify whether you can edit the videos, repurpose them for future campaigns, and use raw footage if needed.

Final tip: Keep these details in writing in your contract or agreement, whether you hire a creator directly or work through a platform or agency. Clear terms from the start help protect your budget and maximize the value of your content.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does it cost to hire an individual UGC creator

The cost of hiring an individual UGC creator varies depending on their experience, video format and length, production requirements, number of revisions, and usage rights for paid advertising. To set an appropriate budget, request a quote that clearly outlines the deliverables and total cost before committing.

Is AI-generated UGC better than hiring human creators

The right choice depends on your campaign goals and product. AI-generated content can help produce multiple creative concepts quickly, while human creators can demonstrate real product experiences and usage. Compare cost, quality, credibility, and audience expectations before deciding, and ensure compliance with applicable advertising and disclosure requirements.

Contact Gravity Marketing to Find the Right UGC Solution for Your Brand

Are you deciding between hiring a UGC creator directly, using a platform, or working with an agency? The right choice depends on your budget, content requirements, available time, and usage rights.

At Gravity Marketing, we help brands explore content production and creator marketing solutions that align with their goals and target markets. Contact our team to discuss your needs and explore the right opportunities for your campaign.

Phone: +20 101 492 2711
Phone: +20 155 512 3155
Email: info@gravity-media.net

Contact Gravity Marketing

6 UGC Creator Marketplace vs UGC Agency: Which Is Better for Your Brand