7 Questions to Ask Before Signing a UGC Deal As A Content Creator

When user generated content (UGC) first became popular on social media, you were seeing all sorts of how-to guides explaining how to get into the world of UGC as a creator. But what those guides often fail to educate on is how to land UGC deals in a way that is fair and legal for the creator at hand.

The most important thing to understand before you step into the world of UGC is that it’s not just something you do for fun. While yes, it could be considered a side hustle to bring in some extra cash, at the end of the day, it’s a business transaction.

Which means like any business, it needs to be treated as such. And trust me, I understand why it might seem like UGC is just this fun little thing that you can do because it seems like EVERYONE is doing it. 

And sure, it might be easy to get into, but when you jump into it without understanding the ins and outs of it, you could find yourself in some legal hot water. 

Or at the very least, you could find that you're actually being taken advantage of by a brand and not being compensated correctly for the creative you’re providing. 

So to avoid that, in this blog post you’ll learn the 7 questions that I encourage ANY UGC creator to ask before signing a deal as a content creator. 

But first, if you’re not fully familiar with what UGC is or how to jump into this content creator world legally, CLICK HERE for the full scoop.

7 Questions To Ask Before Signing Your Next UGC Deal

1. What’s the intended use?

Long before you hit the record button, you need to know what kind of content you're making.

Is this an organic post, is it going to be used as paid marketing, or is it both?

That makes a big difference in how you speak to the audience, how long the video is, or even how much you're getting paid.

2. What are the payment terms?

Not only do you need to know how much you're getting paid, but you also need to know when and what method will be used.

Will you get paid after you deliver the content? How soon after? Are there travel accommodations involved? Any other fees or costs associated with filming the content? What happens if you receive the payment late?

Get clear on this information up front so that you aren’t caught off guard when the time comes and you clearly know what to expect!

3. Who owns the content rights?

Clarifying who has the intellectual property rights to the content is a big deal.

Are you giving them a license to use the content or are you transferring all the rights to them as a work made for hire? Are you able to showcase the collaboration for self-promotion or on your page?

As a UGC creator, building a portfolio is important and oftentimes you’ll want the ability to display your work, but you might be surprised to know that not all companies are cool with this! So understanding all of these things before signing on the dotted line is crucial. 

4. What’s the code of conduct?

All brands and businesses have an image that they want to uphold and it’s important for you as the creator to make sure you and the brand see eye-to-eye on what sort of image should be projected. 

For example, some brands might be aligned with an edgy tone and aesthetic, while others might flinch at a potty mouth. Find out what’s acceptable and what’s not before jumping into something, otherwise you might find that you put in a ton of work just for the brand not to approve your creation and you’re back at square one. 

5. What’s the scope of work?

This one might seem obvious, but if you don't define exactly what's expected of you in terms of deliverables and timelines, you could end up with a disappointed client who thought they were getting more OR you could potentially end up doing wayyyy more work than you bargained for.

Make sure it’s clear and up front from the beginning to ensure that you’re delivering exactly what’s expected of you.

6. What materials are they providing?

To plan and film accordingly, you need to know what you're getting from the brand. Most UGC deals require showing use of the product or service, so as the creator you need to understand HOW you’re going to make that happen.

Whether it's a sample, a full product, a service you come in for, or even a copy of a digital product, make sure you get full clarity on what to expect (and what happens if they don't send it on time).

7. What are the termination conditions?

Lastly, it’s important to have full clarity around the termination conditions. Whether it's life throwing a wrench into the works or finding out it's just not a good fit, sometimes contracts come to an early end.

When that happens, you need to know what plan is in place for how to initiate it and what steps to take to tie up all the loose ends.

How To Legally Create User Generated Content

Once you know the right questions to ask, my next best advice for UGC creators is to get everything in writing! This really goes for any business agreement to ensure that there’s no miscommunication or misunderstanding and you always have something to fall back on if something comes up.

How do you do this? With a contract of course! And no, I wouldn’t recommend using just any old dusty contract you found on Google. 

For a legal agreement to really hold up, you need one that:

➡️ Lays out the project scope and the responsibilities

➡️ Covers you and your client from a legal perspective

➡️ Is written in a way that you both can understand it

Essentially, you need a contract that very clearly covers the questions above. 

Who owns the rights? Can you flaunt your creations in your portfolio, or share it with other clients?

What’s your deliverables’ count? Are you delivering a feature film or a TikTok clip? What’s the deadline?

How and when are you getting paid? What if you have to work extra? Who’s covering that?

Who’s taking responsibility for copyright issues? Who’s footing the bill if something goes south? And disputes? Can you resolve them without a dramatic courtroom showdown?

That’s why I’ve tailored a UGC agreement that keeps all of your needs as a creator in mind. Because you shouldn’t just cross your fingers and hope you’re covered - you should feel confident that you are. 😎

So, if you’ve recently jumped into the world of user generated content and want to make sure that you’re going about it fairly and legally, THIS contract template is for you!

CLICK HERE to snag the plug and play UGC contract that includes:

• Terms of Engagement
• Guidelines for Concurrent Business Activities
• Detailed Deliverables
• Creator and Brand Assurances
• Ethical Code of Conduct
• Project Timeline and Milestones
• Clear Compensation Structures

and MUCH more!

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If we haven’t had the chance to *virtually* meet yet, hey I’m Amber – not a regular lawyer, but a cool lawyer that helps online business owners sell without getting sued. 

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