If your UGC creator call is sitting with five applicants instead of fifty, the problem is almost never "there aren't enough creators." It's usually the call itself: where you posted it, what it asks for, and how much friction stands between a creator seeing your post and hitting submit. Fixing those three things is how to get more UGC creators to apply, and most of it costs nothing but a rewrite of your current post.
Why your current call isn't getting applications
Before changing anything, diagnose where the funnel is actually breaking. Three causes show up again and again.
- Low visibility: the call is only on your brand's Instagram or a Google Form link nobody finds, instead of on the platforms creators actively search for paid gigs.
- Vague ask: "Looking for creators to make content for our brand, DM us!" tells a creator nothing about pay, product, format or deadline, so they scroll past.
- High friction: a long application form, an unclear submission process, or a requirement to buy the product before being considered will quietly cut your applicant pool in half.
If you've been getting trickle applications for weeks, it's worth assuming all three are partly true and fixing them together rather than tweaking one line of copy and hoping.
How to get more UGC creators to apply: the application funnel
Treat your creator call the way you'd treat a job posting. It needs a hook, a clear offer, proof it's real, and a short path to action. Four steps:
- Write the call so a creator can decide "yes/no" in under ten seconds (what you make, what they get, what's required).
- Post it where creators are already looking for paid work, not just where your customers hang out.
- Keep the application itself short — a form or DM template, not a full portfolio review.
- Reply within a day or two. Creators apply to multiple brands at once and will take the first clear yes.
Write a creator call that gets read, not scrolled past
The biggest lever most brands ignore is the copy of the call itself. Compare these two:
| Weak call | Strong call |
|---|---|
| "We're looking for UGC creators! DM us if interested." | "Seeking 5 UGC creators for a skincare brand. Paid flat $150/video, product sent free, 1x 30-second video, deadline 2 weeks from acceptance." |
| No mention of pay or format | Pay, format, length and deadline stated upfront |
| No example of past work | Links to 1–2 example videos so creators see the style expected |
| "DM us" with no next step | Clear instruction: fill this 3-question form, or DM with these 2 things |
Notice the strong version answers the four questions a creator is actually scanning for: what is it, what do I get, what's required, how do I apply. If you're unsure what fair pay looks like for your category, how to negotiate rates with UGC creators and how to price UGC video ad packages both walk through ranges and structures you can borrow from for the call itself.
A call template you can copy
"[Brand name] is looking for 3–5 UGC creators to make a 30-second video showing [product] in real use. You'll get: the product free, $[amount] flat fee, and first pick on future paid campaigns if we like the fit. We need: a vertical phone video, natural lighting, no script required (we'll send talking points). Apply by [date] — fill out this short form: [link]."
Where to post the call to reach more applicants
Posting only on your brand's own page limits you to people who already follow you — a small, often non-creator audience. Expand to the places creators actually search for gigs.
- Dedicated UGC marketplaces and creator databases where people sign up specifically to find paid brand work.
- TikTok and Instagram hashtags creators follow for casting calls, plus your own Stories pinned as a highlight so it's easy to find later.
- Niche Facebook and Discord groups built around UGC or content creation, where members actively watch for new briefs.
- Your existing customer list — happy customers often make strong, authentic creators and already know the product.
- Past applicants you didn't use — keep a shortlist; re-invite them for new campaigns instead of starting from zero each time.
Posting in three or four of these at once, rather than one, is usually the single biggest jump in applicant volume you can make without changing anything else.
Remove friction from the application itself
Every extra field, every required sample video, every "please write 200 words on why you love our brand" prompt loses applicants. Keep the ask proportional to the job.
- Ask for only what you need to shortlist: name, social handle, one example video link, availability.
- Skip asking for a full portfolio upfront — one or two example clips is enough to judge fit.
- Offer a DM-only option for creators who find forms annoying; just give them the two or three details you need in the DM.
- State the timeline for a reply so creators aren't left guessing and don't disappear to apply elsewhere.
If you're also unsure how to judge the applications once they come in, how to choose the right UGC creator for your brand and how to pick the right UGC creator for your brand cover the shortlisting criteria — tone, past work, audience fit — once volume is no longer the problem.
Offer and incentives that actually move applications
Creators are weighing your offer against every other brand's call in their feed. A few structural choices make your offer more competitive without necessarily costing more.
- Be specific about pay, even if it's product-only to start. "Paid $100 flat" beats "compensation discussed after selection" every time.
- Offer a path to more work. Creators value a brand that might bring them back for a second, paid campaign more than a one-off gig.
- Make the product the hero of the ask, not the brand story. Creators want to know what they're filming, not your founding mission.
- Set a realistic deadline. A 2-week turnaround reads as doable; a 48-hour ask reads as a rush job and filters out anyone with a day job.
Give creators a clear brief before they even apply
Posting a sample brief — or even just a one-line summary of what the final video should include — alongside your call does two things: it attracts creators who can actually deliver that style, and it filters out ones who clearly skimmed the post. If you don't have a brief template yet, how to write a creative brief for UGC ads has a format you can shrink down to a few bullet points for the public call, then expand into a full brief once a creator is accepted.
Keep a pipeline, not a one-off post
Treat creator recruiting as an ongoing pipeline rather than a single campaign push.
- Save every applicant, accepted or not, in a simple spreadsheet with their handle, style notes and contact info.
- Re-post your call on a regular cadence — monthly or per campaign — rather than once and never again.
- Tell rejected applicants they're welcome to apply to future calls; many will, and your reputation for fast, clear communication spreads in creator circles.
- Track which channel (marketplace, hashtag, customer list) brought in your best applicants and put more effort there next time.
Where FrameNotion fits
Recruiting more applicants solves the supply side of UGC, but you still need finished video ads on a schedule, and not every campaign has the budget or time to wait on creator turnaround. FrameNotion is a useful backup or complement: paste a product link, and FrameNotion AI writes and renders a custom 30-second vertical ad — complete with voiceover, music, sound effects and captions — in about 10–20 minutes, with no templates reused between brands. It won't replace creators for authentic, face-to-camera testimonial content, but it's a fast way to keep ad output steady between creator deliveries, A/B test a hook idea before briefing a creator on it, or cover a gap if applications are slow one month. The first ad is free on sign-up, so it costs nothing to see what it produces for your product before deciding if it's part of your mix. See example ads or check pricing once you're ready to run more than one.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How many UGC creators should I try to recruit per campaign?+
There's no fixed number to hit; a common starting point is to invite applications for roughly 3–5 creators per campaign, then adjust based on how many you actually need for variety in hooks and formats. Test a smaller batch first and scale the call once you know your acceptance rate.
Should I require a portfolio before creators can apply?+
Asking for one or two example video links is usually enough to judge fit. Requiring a full portfolio or a paid sample video upfront tends to reduce applications, especially from newer creators who are still building a reel.
Is it better to pay creators in product or cash to get more applications?+
Cash, even a modest flat fee, generally attracts more and more serious applicants than product-only offers, because it signals the work is being taken seriously. Product-only can still work for newer or smaller brands if stated clearly and paired with a fast, easy application.
How fast should I respond to UGC applications?+
Aim to reply within a day or two. Creators often apply to several brand calls at once, and slow replies mean you lose strong applicants to whichever brand responds first.
Where do UGC creators look for paid gigs besides direct DMs?+
Dedicated UGC marketplaces, creator-focused hashtags on TikTok and Instagram, niche Discord and Facebook groups for content creators, and casting call boards are all common places creators actively search, beyond just a brand's own social page.