In this post you will learn:
- What UGC actually is and why brands pay for it
- Why you do not need followers or experience to get started
- How I got my first brand deal through Cohley at 54
- How to sign up for Cohley and what to expect as a beginner
- The honest truth about landing gigs when you are brand new
A few months ago I had never heard of UGC. I stumbled across it while I was deep in research mode, trying to figure out how women were actually making money online without a massive following or a background in marketing. When I understood what it was my first reaction was honestly skepticism. It sounded too simple. It sounded like something for 25 year olds with ring lights and thousands of followers on TikTok.
I was wrong. And I have the Lume deodorant sitting on my bathroom counter to prove it.
I want to be upfront with you before we go any further. This is not a post about how easy it is to land brand deals. It is not. Even as a beginner on platforms built for beginners, getting approved is genuinely competitive and there were plenty of times I applied for things and heard absolutely nothing back. What I can tell you is that it is possible, I did it, and I am going to walk you through exactly how.
So what is UGC?
UGC stands for User Generated Content. It is content, photos, videos, written reviews, created by real people about real products. Brands use this content in their own advertising, on their websites, and across their social media. They do not post it from your account. They do not need your followers. They need your authentic voice and your honest experience with their product.
Think about it from the brand’s perspective. A polished ad from a marketing agency costs thousands of dollars and often feels fake. A real woman in her kitchen genuinely saying she loves a product? That converts. That is what brands are paying for. And that is something any of us can do.
Why women over 50 are actually well positioned for this
We are a demographic with serious purchasing power. Brands selling wellness products, supplements, home goods, skincare, and fitness gear want to speak to us. They want someone who looks like us, sounds like us, and actually uses their products. We are not a gap in the market. We are the market.
How I got my first brand deal, the honest version
I signed up for Cohley, which is one of the main platforms that connects creators with brands. The signup process is straightforward, you create a profile, add some basic information about yourself, and start browsing available campaigns.
Here is what nobody tells you upfront: it is competitive. Even as a beginner on a platform designed for beginners, getting approved for campaigns is not guaranteed. The brands review your application and choose who they want. When you are brand new with no reviews or track record on the platform, that makes it harder.
The advice I kept seeing from more experienced UGC creators is this, start with text reviews. They are lower barrier than video campaigns and they help you build your activity on the platform. Cohley can see that you are engaged, that you are completing work, and that you are reliable. That track record matters when brands are choosing between applicants.
So I applied for a text review campaign with Lume deodorant. And I got it.
The process was simple. They sent me the product. I used it for seven days. Then I submitted my honest written review through Cohley. That was it. My first completed brand deal.
For what it is worth, I genuinely like Lume. It works differently from any deodorant I have tried. It is designed for whole body use, not just underarms, and once I got past the learning curve of applying it correctly it became a product I would actually recommend without being paid to do so. Which is exactly the kind of product you want to build your UGC reputation on.
How to get started on Cohley. Step by step:
Go to cohley.com and create your creator account
The Signup is free. Fill out your profile completely. Be sure to add a clear photo of yourself and a good bio.
Browse available campaigns and filter by type
As a beginner, look specifically for text review opportunities. They are your entry point.
Apply thoughtfully try not to apply to everything
Apply for products you would genuinely use. Your application will be stronger and your review will be better.
Complete every campaign you are approved for on time
Reliability builds your reputation on the platform. This is how you go from text reviews to bigger paid video campaigns.
Be patient and stay active on the platform
Keep applying regularly. The creators who succeed are not necessarily the most talented, they are the most consistent.
What to realistically expect as a beginner
I want to be straight with you because I think you deserve that more than you deserve a sales pitch. Landing gigs on Cohley as a brand new creator is genuinely challenging. You will apply for things you do not get. You will feel invisible at first. That is normal and it is not a reflection of whether you have what it takes.
The path forward is simple even if it is not fast: build your track record one campaign at a time, starting with text reviews. Show up consistently. And remember that every approved creator on that platform was once exactly where you are now.