Choose by how you want to work with creators: buy finished videos through a UGC platform, search for and manage creator relationships yourself on an influencer platform, or hand briefing and vetting to a managed service. Whichever you pick, get the usage rights in writing before any content runs as an ad.
The videos are the easy part. Where brands get caught out is what they're allowed to do with them afterwards. Insense sells creator content for social ads, including whitelisted ads run from the creator's own handle, and the nine alternatives below each handle rights in their own way. They're listed in no particular order, grouped by how you'd work with the creators.
Three ways to work with creators
UGC platforms: buy the videos
Billo, JoinBrands and Trend connect you with creators who make content for you to use. You brief, they film, you get the files. It's the quickest route to a batch of ad creative, and it suits brands that care more about the video than the creator's audience. One of them also covers TikTok Shop affiliates and Amazon listing content, which helps sellers on those channels.
Influencer platforms: build the relationships
GRIN, Upfluence and Afluencer are for brands that want to find creators, talk to them and keep working with the good ones. Expect more of your own time, because someone has to run outreach, gifting and follow-ups. The reward is a roster of creators who know your products, which matters if you plan to run affiliate or ambassador programmes too.
Managed services: let a team run it
minisocial, Stack Influence and Popular Pays take on more of the legwork. A team pairs you with vetted creators, often micro-influencers, and manages the campaign. They suit small marketing teams without the hours to brief and chase dozens of creators, though you'll have less direct contact with each one.
The nine platforms compared
| Tool | How you work | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Afluencer | Influencer platform | Brands that want creators to come to them |
| Billo | UGC video platform | Short creator videos made for social ads |
| GRIN | Creator programme platform | Running gifting and affiliate programmes at scale |
| JoinBrands | UGC and TikTok Shop | Amazon listings and TikTok Shop content |
| minisocial | Managed UGC service | Handing creator vetting to a team |
| Popular Pays | Content and influencer platform | End-to-end campaigns with vetted creators |
| Stack Influence | Micro-influencer service | Ecommerce brands working with micro-influencers |
| Trend | UGC creator network | A curated pool of UGC creators |
| Upfluence | Influencer and affiliate platform | Finding, managing and paying creators in one place |
Alphabetical list
In no particular order beyond the alphabet. Each line reflects how the vendor describes its own product, so read every claim as the vendor's claim.
Afluencer
Best for: Brands that would rather post a collab and let verified creators come to them; the vendor says its Free plan includes unlimited collabs and directory search.
Billo
Best for: Ecommerce brands wanting creator videos built for social ads, which the vendor describes as authentic videos optimised for social ads performance.
GRIN
Best for: Growing DTC brands that want to find creators, draft outreach and run gifting and affiliate programmes; the vendor's pitch is a bigger programme without a bigger team.
JoinBrands
Best for: Sellers hiring UGC creators, influencers and TikTok Shop affiliates for ads, Amazon listings and social content, which the vendor says you can do instantly.
minisocial
Best for: CPG and DTC brands that want a managed team to pair them with vetted micro-influencers; the vendor says the content is fully licensed for ads and organic social.
Popular Pays
Best for: Marketing teams running content and influencer campaigns end to end with vetted creators; the vendor says you can manage collaborations in one platform.
Stack Influence
Best for: Ecommerce sellers who want micro-influencer campaigns, from what the vendor calls the leading micro-influencer marketing platform for ecommerce.
Trend
Best for: DTC teams wanting a curated network of UGC creators across platforms; the vendor claims its creators are proven to improve performance.
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Upfluence
Best for: Online shops that want to find, manage and pay creators in one place, with influencer and affiliate marketing together, per the vendor.
My advice for brands buying creator content
Decide what you want the content for before you pick a platform. If it's ad creative to test fast, a UGC platform will get you there quickest. If you want creators who post about you to their own followers again and again, an influencer platform is the better fit. If nobody on your team has time to run creators, pay attention to the managed services and accept less control in return.
Whichever route you take, start with a small brief and a handful of creators, and see how the content performs before you scale. For wider lists, see my guides to UGC platforms and influencer marketing platforms.
Usage rights to get in writing
This is the part searchers rarely think about until it's too late. Rights terms differ between tools, and each vendor's page describes them in its own words. Before any content runs, get these answered in writing:
- How long you can run the content, and whether that window can be extended.
- Whether you can run it as ads from the creator's own handle, often called whitelisting.
- Which channels it covers: organic social, ads, your website, email or Amazon listings.
- Whether you're allowed to edit, cut or add captions to the video.
- What happens to live ads if the creator's agreement ends.
- Who to contact if a creator asks for content to come down.
Do you make UGC or creator marketing software? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.
Want your tool on this list? Featured spots and reviews here are paid partnerships. Here's how to partner with me.
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between UGC and influencer marketing?
UGC is content a creator makes for your brand to use, often in ads. Influencer marketing is a creator posting about you to their own audience.
What does whitelisting mean for creator ads?
It usually means running ads through the creator's own social handle, so the ad appears to come from them. It needs the creator's permission and clear terms.
Do I own UGC content once I've received it?
Not automatically. You get whatever rights the agreement gives you, so read the terms on duration, channels and editing before you use it.
Is a managed service better than doing it myself?
It saves time, but you'll have less direct contact with creators. Small teams without spare hours often find it worth the trade-off.
How many creators should I start with?
A handful is enough to learn what works. Scale up once you know which styles of video perform for your products.
Do creators need to label posts about my brand?
Advertising disclosure rules vary by country and platform. Check the guidance from the advertising regulator where your audience is.
