Want to make a user-generated content (UGC) portfolio that persuades top brands to get in touch? Here are some tips to attract their attention and ensure that you look like the right candidate for the job.
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The first step you’ll take toward becoming a professional UGC creator is also one of the most daunting: building your own UGC portfolio.
Consider it your dedicated site, spotlighting the skills and abilities that make clients know you’re worth their time and money. Basically, it’s an invaluable tool for establishing yourself as a UGC creator capable of consistently earning new clients and projects.
“A UGC portfolio is your proof of value,” Chaya Arbiv writes for Wix. “It shows brands what you can create, how you think, and how you drive results.”
It’s vital that you learn how to put one together. Let’s break down everything that goes into a UGC portfolio that has the power to convert curious brands into clients.
A strong portfolio shows brands who you are, what you do, examples of your best work, and how they can get in touch to start collaborating. Consider it a UGC CV that demonstrates why you’re the right person to deliver the product and engage with audiences.
A typical UGC portfolio includes:
- Your name and location
- Your niche, experience level, and any special skills (such as humorous storytelling, proficiency in multiple languages, or relevant technical knowledge)
- High-quality UGC examples that showcase a range of clients, niches, and content types
- Testimonials
- Contact information and social media links
“For a brand, a creator’s UGC portfolio is a shortcut to each important piece of information needed for deciding whether to collaborate with a specific creator or not,” Ioana Cozma writes for marketing experts inBeat.
Credit: PeopleImages/Shutterstock
Posting sample UGC directly on social media is always an option. Many creators do just that to boost their visibility and get discovered by target brands. Most, however, also use dedicated portfolio websites rather than relying on social media profiles alone. Here’s why.
Professional
“A portfolio is an important step in building trust and demonstrating social proof to potential clients,” Agnė Pelešinaitė-Čeledinė writes for marketing platform Billo. “It highlights your professionalism and credibility.”
Every type of influencer targeting brands should combine relatable content with a sense of professionalism. A strong portfolio demonstrates dependability and value while making pitches more polished than social media DMs can manage.
Convenient
Whether you’ve just started searching for UGC jobs or you have plenty of experience under your belt, it pays to keep things simple with a portfolio that quickly tells clients all they should know.
“At first, it may seem like a hassle to put everything together, [but] it is worth the time because it makes collaboration so much easier for both creators and brands,” Cozma writes.
Curated
Dedicated UGC portfolios can be fully curated to match your unique brand identity. You decide what people see, customise everything from colour palette to font, and control a client’s journey through your experience and skills.
It’s a chance to flesh out your brand in a way a social media profile cannot match.
1. Create a website and choose a domain name.
Don’t worry – no tech experience is required. Website builders with drag-and-drop tools and predesigned layouts make this a cinch.
Canva is a popular choice thanks to its simple yet versatile graphic design options, but others include:
You’ll also register a domain name. Make it simple, professional, and memorable – just your name paired with “UGC” should be fine (ugcwithkirstylouise.my.canva.site/, for example). “Using a custom domain adds a layer of professionalism that sets you apart from creators sending Google Drive links,” Arbiv notes.
2. Find a template.
Start building your website by browsing design templates and choosing one ideal for showcasing portfolios. Look for uncluttered designs complete with built-in galleries and video players.
Aesthetics are also important. Choose a style and colour palette that aligns with both your personal and target brand’s identity. “Consistency in design, colours, and messaging helps create a memorable and professional image,” Pelešinaitė-Čeledinė writes.
You may also consider a few aesthetic touches to mirror how consumers will view your content. “I like…having my videos in iPhone frames so that way the brand can see what the videos would look like when viewing on a phone,” says UGC creator and coach Sarah Dokowicz.
Ashlynn Wong’s portfolio does a smart job. The colour scheme, font, and clean layout reflect her niches in beauty, skin care, hair, health, and wellness, and each video is presented in the 9:16 aspect ratio familiar to TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube Shorts.
3. Add your details.
Kick off with your name, and then add a short one-line bio highlighting your niche and location. Something like “UGC Creator | London Beauty & Wellness.”
Bullet-point your key skills and any previous experience, link your socials, add an Email Me button, and then round things off with a personable photograph.
“You want to pick a photo that comes off as professional, just not overly done,” Dokowicz says. “Just a photo that clearly shows your face and your natural essence.”
Check out how UK-based UGC creator Katie Davies combines all that vital information at the top of her portfolio.
4. Choose your content.
Aim to feature a broad range of your best work. Give each of your niches (such as travel, beauty, and fashion) its own dedicated section with several examples in each, and use your portfolio as an opportunity to showcase diversity in terms of both content style and format.
“Brands look for variety, so try to include different types of UGC, such as unboxing videos, testimonials, voiceovers, and aesthetic product shots,” Arbiv recommends. Label each video with the client and type of deliverable so brands can instantly recognise your range and click on the samples most relevant to their upcoming campaigns.
Carina Maria shows how it’s done with five varied samples in each of her niches. Her Beauty & Fragrance section, for example, includes an organic video, organic campaign, aesthetic-focused video, and two product reviews.
If you’re just starting out, the prospect of creating a portfolio may sound a bit chicken and egg, but you don’t need to have booked the gig to shoot a practice video. Create speculative UGC featuring products you already use and love. Unbox a new smartphone, review your favourite lipstick, or demonstrate a new gadget – anything you’d like to get paid for in the future.
“Brands will care about the energy you bring more than your long client list,” Maria Grigore writes for Pensight. “Some of the UGC partners we work with at Pensight started using our product, made videos about why they like it, and it prompted us to reach out.”
5. Add client testimonials and analytics.
Feedback is the ultimate social proof for everyone striving to become an influencer.
When clients praise your work, ask if you can screenshot or copy-and-paste the quote to your portfolio. Once each job is done and dusted, feel free to request a testimonial and permission to publish it on your site. The most effective testimonials offer more than just praise, so ask clients why they responded to your content and how it helped achieve their goals.
Some UGC creators even display impressive engagement analytics from previous work.
Revisit Maria’s portfolio and you’ll find both testimonials from previous clients (including Revival, Garnier UK, and BYOMA) and several screenshots with key engagement metrics showing organic results from brand and personal accounts.
6. Keep it fresh.
We hate to break it to you, but the best UGC portfolios are never truly finished.
“Your portfolio is a living document – a narrative of your evolving skills, styles, and achievements,” UGC creator Izarbe Puertolas writes for Twirl. “A stagnant portfolio can give the impression of a static career.”
By periodically refreshing your content, you’ll:
- Keep your samples fresh and aligned with current trends in your niche.
- Ensure your most impressive samples get seen.
- Demonstrate your growing list of clients.
- Feature more varied formats and styles as your career develops.
