UGCStarsAt a glance
- Who reviews
- A person on the UGCStars team. Automated checks flag problems, and a person makes every decision.
- When
- Before a profile is listed, each time a creator adds a sample video, and whenever a check flags a listed profile.
- What we check
- Age, email, that accounts and links are real and belong to the applicant, UGC work, a real audience, one profile per person and accurate details.
- Follower minimum
- None. Brands hire UGC creators for the video, not the audience.
- Decisions
- Listed, changes requested or not accepted, sent by email with a note from the reviewer.
- Review time
- We’ll publish the median once enough applications have been reviewed.
- After listing
- Automated checks for broken links, missing details and bouncing emails, and a reminder to update at least every six months.
- What it isn’t
- An endorsement. Review shows a profile met these checks when it was listed. It doesn’t guarantee a creator’s work.
Who reviews applications
Every application goes to a person on the UGCStars team, oldest first. Software helps by flagging broken links, possible duplicates and email problems, but no application is approved or declined automatically.
Everyone goes through the same review: creators who apply on their own, creators we invited and creators someone nominated. An invitation to apply isn’t a listing.
Some profiles were created from our earlier records. They carry an Unclaimed label until the creator claims them, and from then on they follow the same rules as every other profile.
The review, step by step
- 01You applyOne form with your details, at least one social account or portfolio link, your starting rate and up to six sample videos.
- 02You confirm your emailOpen the link we send to the address on the form. It shows the address is yours.
- 03A person checks the applicationAgainst the list in the next section. If something can be fixed, such as a broken link, we ask you to fix it.
- 04You get the decision by emailListed, changes requested or not accepted, with a note from the reviewer.
- 05Your profile goes liveBrands can find it in search, on niche and country pages, and through its own link.
- 06New samples are checked tooEach sample video you add later shows on your profile once we’ve reviewed it.
What we check before a profile is listed
Every application is checked against the same list. A check fails when we can’t confirm it from what the applicant sent us.
| Check | What we look for | What fails it |
|---|---|---|
| Age | A birth year that shows you’re 18 or older. | Being under 18. |
| An address you confirmed with the link we sent. | An unconfirmed address, or one that bounces. | |
| Accounts and links | Every social account and portfolio link opens, is public and belongs to you. | Broken or private links, or accounts that belong to someone else. |
| UGC work | Enough examples in your samples, accounts or portfolio to judge the videos you make for brands. | No examples of UGC work yet, or too few to judge. |
| Real audience | Followers and engagement that look real. There’s no minimum follower count. | Bought followers or engagement groups. |
| One profile per person | That you don’t already have a profile with us, including an imported one. | A second profile for the same person. |
| Accurate details | Niches, content types, languages, country and details such as skin type, pets and kids that describe you and your household. | Details that are missing, contradict your content or can’t be checked. |
| Starting rate | A price for one video with a standard edit, in your currency. | No starting rate. We ask you to add one. |
| Creator terms | A profile and samples that follow the Terms of Service. | Content that is misleading, unlawful or uses someone else’s work. |
Decisions and what happens next
The reasons we give
Decision emails use these reasons, with a note from the reviewer about your profile.
| Reason | What it means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Not enough examples of UGC work yet | We couldn’t find enough videos to judge your work. | Make three to five spec videos with products you own, add them as samples and apply again. How to build a UGC portfolio explains how. |
| Fix the broken links | A social account, portfolio or sample link didn’t open or was private. | Open each link in a private browser window, fix it and save your profile. |
| Add a starting rate | Your profile has no price for one video. | Add a rate per video in your own currency. How to price your first UGC videos helps you set it. |
| Refresh your rates and recent work | Your profile hasn’t been updated in a long time. | Check your rate and add recent samples. |
| The profile looks inauthentic | We couldn’t confirm that the accounts or the work are yours. | Apply with accounts you control. Contact us if you can show the work is yours. |
| Duplicate account | You already have a profile with us, possibly one created from our earlier records. | Claim the existing profile instead of applying again. |
After a profile is listed
Automated checks keep looking for broken portfolio links, invalid social links, missing details, emails that bounce and profiles that haven’t been updated in six months. Each flag goes to a person, and the profile stays listed until they’ve looked at it.
We remind every creator to update their profile at least every six months. A profile that stays out of date may be archived, which takes it out of search and out of the UGC Rate Index.
When we suspend a profile
We hide a profile from brands while we look into a complaint from a brand, when its followers look bought, or when it breaks the creator terms. The creator gets an email with the reason. Brands can tell us about a problem with a creator through the contact form.
What the badges mean
Badges show on profiles and in search results. Each one means only what it says below, at the time it was given.
| Badge | What it means |
|---|---|
| Verified | Shown on every listed profile. A person on our team reviewed the profile against the checks on this page. |
| 3+ Verified Samples | At least three sample videos on the profile passed our review. |
| Top Creator | Picked by our team for outstanding work. It isn’t automatic. |
| Highly Responsive | Replies to casting call emails within 24 hours, on average. |
| Most Contacted Recently | One of the creators brands contacted most in the last 30 days. |
| Brand Favourite | Saved to shortlists by more brands than 90% of creators. |
| Rising Star | A creator in their first 60 days with fast-growing interest from brands. |
| Unclaimed | Created from our earlier records. The creator hasn’t claimed the profile yet. |
Highly Responsive, Most Contacted Recently, Brand Favourite and Rising Star are worked out automatically from activity on UGCStars and change as that activity changes. Creators can’t pay for a badge or for a higher place in search results.
What review doesn’t cover
Review shows that a profile met the checks on this page when it was listed. It isn’t an endorsement, and it doesn’t guarantee a creator’s quality, reliability or conduct on your project.
Before you book, watch the creator’s recent samples, ask every creator to quote the same package and agree usage rights in writing. How to find UGC creators covers how to vet a shortlist.
UGCStars isn’t part of the deal. You agree the brief, the price and the rights with the creator directly.
Before you apply
If you’re a creator, check these before you send the form. Each one matches a check above.
- Use accounts you control, and make sure they’re public.
- Open every link in a private browser window to check it works.
- Add three or more sample videos. Creators with three or more verified samples rank higher in brand searches.
- Set a starting rate for one video with a standard edit.
- Fill in details such as skin type, pets and kids only where they describe you.
- If we created a profile for you from our earlier records, claim it instead of applying again.
The UGCStars profile checklist goes through each part of a profile that brands look at.