Joe Staples | UGC Creator

If your content doesn’t make someone feel something in the first 2 seconds, you’ve already lost. Attention is the currency, not aesthetics.

Who’s a creator you’ve learned something from this month? Tag them. I'll start: @alexgettlin , the one and only! #ugccommunity

Brands: if you want creators to deliver their best work, stop rushing timelines. Creativity under pressure becomes compliance, not innovation.

UGC example number 35. Been working on my feeling-natural-on-camera skills.

The first time a brand asked me to redo a video, I took it personally. Now I see revisions as data: “This didn’t communicate what we needed.” Feedback is a compass, not a critique.

Hot take: The UGC space doesn’t need more creators. It needs more creators who can think like marketers.

What’s one thing you wish brands understood about working with creators? I'll start: we do our best work when we have some creative freedom instead of having to stick to a fixed brief. #ugccommunity

Brands underestimate how much creators filter out. A good creator removes friction, confusion, and fluff, and that’s what drives conversions.

UGC Example — Testimonial Style: Direct-to-camera delivery focused on trust and clarity. This format works because it feels like advice from a friend, not a pitch.

I used to think creators with huge followings had something I didn’t. Then I realized they were often just louder, not better. Skill compounds. Noise fades.

Hot take: If your UGC relies on trends to perform, you don’t have a strategy, you have a dependency.

What’s one boundary you set this year that actually improved your work? I'll start: requiring a brief or detailed instructions before singing the contract. (A no-brainer, right?) #ugccommunity

No matter how clever the effects, messaging beats editing every time. If the hook doesn’t land, the rest of the video is just noise.

UGC Example — Bundle Concept: A 3‑video set: POV, demo, testimonial. Bundles work because brands can test multiple angles fast and scale the winner. Here's one in a bundle of 3 I did.

Early in my journey, I thought being “easy to work with” meant saying yes to everything. It didn’t. It meant delivering on what mattered and cutting what didn’t. Boundaries made me better, not harder.

Hot take: “Aesthetic” is the most overrated word in UGC. Pretty content that doesn’t convert is just decoration, and it often feels and looks less authentic.

Creators — what’s the most confusing brief you’ve ever received? #ugccommunity

Brands: if you want creators to deliver better content, stop sending briefs that read like internal memos (and sometimes obviously written by AI). Creators need clarity, not corporate jargon.

UGC example number? A problem-solution video.

A brand once told me, “We hired you because your content feels like it was made by an adult.” That stuck with me. Professionalism is a differentiator in a space full of chaos.