Quality5 min read
Paid for UGC videos you can't use? How to pay only for approved videos
Off-brief UGC usually comes from a loose brief, fuzzy revision terms and paying too early. All three are fixable before filming starts.
Author
Jack Nelson
Jack Nelson leads creative strategy at Ad Army. He is also Chief Content Officer at Nativz and Anderson Collaborative, sister agencies that produce short-form video and run paid media for brands.
Articles by Jack Nelson
Operations4 min read
UGC creators ghosting you? How to stop chasing creators and missed deadlines
Creators go quiet for ordinary reasons. A written agreement, staged payment and a backup plan fix most of it, or you can hand the chasing to someone else.
Pricing4 min read
UGC pricing explained: subscriptions, commissions and flat per-video fees
Subscriptions, markups, commissions and add-ons can each look small. Add them up into one number before you compare anyone.
Rights4 min read
UGC usage rights explained: are you licensed to run that video as an ad?
Paying for a video doesn't always mean you can run it anywhere, forever. Here is what to check, and how to audit the ads you're already running.
Paid social4 min read
Whitelisting and Spark Ads for UGC: what they cost and how to get creator permission
Running ads from a creator's account always needs their yes. Here is what it is, why it costs extra, and how to ask without weeks of back and forth.
Attribution5 min read
Which UGC video drove the sale? How to track sales by creator video
Ad platforms report by ad, not by video, and each counts by its own rules. To credit sales to the video itself, you need your own tracking and one consistent rule.
Testing4 min read
How many UGC videos do you need for creative testing?
There's no magic number, but there is a method: test one thing at a time, size batches by concepts and hooks, and refill the pipeline before winners wear out.
Operations4 min read
Managing UGC creators in-house vs a managed service: what the work really involves
Running creators yourself is a real job, from sourcing to tax forms to launching the ads. Here is the full list, and how to decide who should own it.
Pricing5 min read
How much does a UGC video cost in 2026?
Creator rates are only the first line of the bill. Here is what changes the price, and how to compare quotes on the number that matters.
Operations5 min read
UGC agency vs freelance creators: which should you hire?
Freelancers can cost less per video. An agency takes the work off your desk. The right answer depends on who on your team will do the managing.
Quality5 min read
How to brief UGC creators for paid social ads
A paid social brief is not a mood board. It names one claim, a few hooks to film, the specs that keep the video runnable, and what the creator must not say.
Paid social5 min read
How to set up TikTok Spark Ads with a creator's video
The creator generates a code in the TikTok app, you apply it in Ads Manager, and the ad runs from their handle. Here is each step, and what trips people up.
Pricing5 min read
UGC with no commission on sales: flat fees vs affiliate commission
Commission pays creators for sales their own posts drive. A flat fee pays for a video you run yourself. Mixing the two up is how brands end up paying twice.
Comparisons5 min read
UGC platforms compared: Ad Army, Billo, SideShift, Trybe and more
Nine ways to get creator video ads, sorted by how they work: managed services, marketplaces and creator program software, with prices from each company's own pages.
Comparisons5 min read
Ad Army vs Billo
Billo is a creator marketplace where you choose the creators, with an optional managed tier. Ad Army is a managed service with one flat price per approved video.
Comparisons5 min read
Ad Army vs SideShift
SideShift is software for running your own creator program, with creator pay on top. Ad Army is a managed service that charges one flat price per approved video.
Comparisons5 min read
Ad Army vs Trybe
Trybe is free-to-start software for performance-based creator programs, with a small percentage fee. Ad Army is a managed service with a flat price per approved video.
Comparisons5 min read
Ad Army vs JoinBrands
JoinBrands is a large self-serve creator marketplace with low starting prices and a platform fee. Ad Army is a managed service with one flat price per approved video.
Comparisons5 min read
Ad Army vs Insense
Insense is a self-serve creator marketplace on a quarterly or annual plan, with creator pay and a marketplace fee on top. Ad Army charges one flat price per approved video.
Comparisons5 min read
Ad Army vs MiniSocial
MiniSocial and Ad Army are both managed, with no subscription. MiniSocial runs micro-influencer campaigns priced per project; Ad Army prices each approved video.
Comparisons5 min read
Ad Army vs Influee
Influee is a self-serve UGC marketplace on a monthly plan, where you choose creators and pay their rates plus a 10% fee. Ad Army is managed, with a flat price per approved video.
Comparisons4 min read
Ad Army vs inBeat
inBeat is a creative growth agency that runs UGC, influencer, TikTok Shop and paid media work, priced after a call. Ad Army publishes a flat price per approved video.