UGC Toolkit: The Beginner's Guide by Kyla Scully

Everything I wish someone had told me before my first collab.

I've done close to 200 brand collaborations across beauty, fashion, food, and lifestyle, both in New Zealand and internationally. I also have a postgraduate psychology background, and I now run content, email marketing, and campaign strategy for three New Zealand brands. This guide is everything I'd tell my younger self starting out, written from both sides of the table: as the creator pitching the brand, and as the marketer deciding who gets hired.

This isn't generic advice. It's the actual frameworks, formats, and templates I use, broken down so you can start applying them today, whether you've filmed zero pieces of content or you're stuck wondering why brands aren't responding.

What's included:

The Beginner's Guide (main guide, 10 sections)

• A full UGC terms glossary, so you're never confused by industry language
• My story, from both sides of the table, creator and marketer
• What UGC actually is, and why you don't need a following to start
• 7 core UGC formats broken down (unboxing, tutorial, testimonial, day-in-the-life, before/after, GRWM, comparison), what each one requires, and how to pick the right one when a brief doesn't specify
• What gear you actually need to get set up (you probably already own it)
• What actually makes a brand say yes, from the marketer's side of the inbox, plus cold pitch, warm follow-up, and inbound response templates
• 3 practice projects to build your first portfolio in a single afternoon, plus how to set one up on Pressbook (with a promo code included)
• How to set and hold your first rate
• The mindset shift that gets you sending pitches before you feel "ready"
• A quick-start checklist to track your progress

Plus 4 standalone bonus templates:

• Invoice Template - ready to fill in and send
• Contract Template - a full UGC creation agreement for any paid collaboration
• Content Concept Template - includes tips for filling it in well, plus 3 fully worked examples (awareness, sales, and transformation format)
• Rates Card - a complete starting rate sheet, scaled for a beginner creator, covering single videos, photos, usage rights, and package pricing