Before we dive into today’s exciting newsletter feature, I wanted to share thatThe Jefa in Training Circle is officially accepting applications!
If you've ever wanted to be surrounded by a community of like-minded jefas to help you take your business to the next level - now's your chance to join the changemakers who are breaking barriers in their industries.
Chats with Yvonne is hosting an event with us! In this 60-minute workshop on September 18th, established public speaker, Yvonne Armenta of Chats With Yvonne, will be sharing her step by step guide to creating workshops. And what makes workshops extra great? Knowing how to engage your audience + use creativity to create maximum impact.
As a consumer of products, I definitely enjoy seeing UGC content out in the world and do think it’s very effective in selling products. On the flip side, as someone who has services to provide, I’ve often wondered if I’m sitting on opportunities by not working with brands on social media to get my knowledge out there.
This is why I hired Thalia Dyche.
Thalia Dyche of Azucarita Agency
Thalia Dyche is an Afro-Latina social media strategist and influencer manager based in San Antonio, Texas. With 8 years of experience in social media, she now helps BIPOC brands build their social media presence and manages influencers through Azucarita Agency.
You also might recognize her from some of your favorite brands’ content - but today, she’s teaching us all about the ins and outs of UGC.
Creators and business owners, pay attention - because UGC is here to stay.
UGC 101: Who, what, where, etc. with Thalia Dyche
A: Thalia, since you manage social media for small businesses as well as manage creators, you’re well-versed in how important UGC can be on both sides. For the small business founders reading this, can you explain to them what UGC content is and how they can best leverage UGC content creators to increase sales?
T: UGC is user generated content, basically content customers create themselves using your products. UGC can help humanize brands because we live in the age of reviews.
Customers want to see other customers using your products before they buy. Most customers want to ensure that what you’re selling is worth their hard earned dollars. UGC also helps your audience see themselves in your brand. It tells them right away whether they align with your brand or not.
A: On the flip side, for the creators reading this, what are 3 tips you can give to them on how to start getting paid UGC deals?
T: Create relationships with brands by interacting with their content on socials and reaching out to them via DM.
Engage with a brand and their products BEFORE you reach out. They will know if you don’t care about their brand and just want a free product.
Create content worth sharing or buying. Create high quality content that brands want to share or buy. They probably won’t buy a photo of you and your dog, but they may ask you to purchase the rights to high quality content that features their product.
A: What social media platforms do you think are most important when it comes to UGC creation? Do you think this will change in the future?
T: Right now, it’s TikTok, IG, and Youtube. Creators forget about Youtube, but it’s one of the most monetizable platforms. Social media is ever-changing. I could see a new platform taking over in the future, but for now the big social platforms are TikTok and Instagram.
A: Can you explain the benefit of gifting deals for both UGC creators and small businesses?
T: Gifting is mutually beneficial for brands and creators because it gives the creator experience working with brands and it helps brands receive UGC to use on their socials.
Gifted collabs are great as long as the agreement is understood and mutual.
A: At what point can creators come to someone like you to manage their deals? How do they know they are ready?
T: Creators can come to someone like me to manage their deals when they have consistent income from content creation.
You want to make sure there’s something to manage and that you’re in a place where you’re comfortable giving a manager or partnerships manager a percentage of your income.
It doesn’t hurt to self-manage and manage your deals until you’re financially ready to spend more time on content creation and less time on admin work.
A: Do you also work with brands to help them find UGC creators? What is that process like and how can brands best prepare to work with creators?
T: I’ve worked with brands to scout talent in the past, but I’m not currently working with any brands on UGC. If there’s any brands that would like to build their creator program, I would love to work with them.
As for brands, I would start budgeting and figuring out how much you can allocate towards gifting your product to creators. If it’s in your budget, paying an influencer to reach their audience goes a long way. If you’re starting out, it’s ok to begin with gifting.
Lastly, think about the types of creators and influencers you want to work with. You want to ensure that they align with your brand goals and represent your ideal customer.
Take the time to plan all of this out before you reach out to creators.
Prepare as much as possible because this is all about relationship building at the end of the day.
