If you spend any time inside creator Facebook groups or TikTok comment sections, you will see the same complaint repeated over and over:
“Why do talent agencies never work with UGC creators?”
“I am getting paid per video, but agencies only sign influencers.”
“I want representation, but every agency turns me down.”
It feels personal, but it is not.
There is a clear business reason behind it, and once you understand the economics of talent management, everything makes sense.
This guide breaks down exactly why agencies prioritize influencers, what this means for UGC creators, and how UGC creators can evolve into hybrid creators who agencies want to represent.
The Core Difference Between Influencers and UGC Creators
To understand the reasoning, you need to understand the roles.
Influencers have an audience.
Brands pay them for reach, trust, reputation, and conversion.
UGC creators do not need an audience.
Brands pay them for content production only.
Both roles are valuable, but agencies are structured to support one of them more effectively.
The Real Reason: Talent Agencies Earn Commission, Not Flat Fees
Most talent agencies make money through commission.
The standard commission rate is 10 to 20 percent of the creator’s pay.
Here is the problem:
UGC creators get paid per video.
Influencers get paid per campaign.
For example:
UGC creator rate: 150 to 300 per video.
Influencer rate: 500 to 5 thousand per campaign.
When an agency earns 20 percent, the numbers look like this:
UGC deal commission:
Twenty percent of two hundred = forty dollars.
Influencer deal commission:
Twenty percent of two thousand = four hundred dollars.
This is why agencies cannot sustainably manage UGC creators.
They would need to manage hundreds of UGC clients to stay in business.
It is not about value.
It is about scalability.
Influencers Bring Recurring Revenue That Agencies Can Grow
Influencers build communities.
Communities build trust.
Trust drives sales.
Because of this, influencers tend to secure:
• Repeat partnerships
• Multi month brand campaigns
• Higher paid contracts
• Long term brand relationships
• Usage extensions
• Renewal deals
Each renewal increases both the creator’s and the agency’s income.
UGC creators, on the other hand, usually complete one off projects.
Brands hire them based on skill, not audience alignment, which means more variety but less long term partnership potential.
Agencies need predictable revenue.
Influencers provide that.
Influencers Can Be Scaled. UGC Often Cannot.
Agents scale creators by increasing:
• Their rates
• Their long term partnerships
• Their cross platform influence
• Their media usage
• Their exclusivity value
This is how creators go from 1 thousand per month to 10 thousand per month.
UGC creators can scale their production volume, but not their influence.
You can raise your UGC rate a little as your quality improves, but you cannot increase your value through reach or audience trust because that is not part of the job.
Influencers scale.
UGC plateaus.
This is why agencies place their energy where growth is possible.
Influencers Help Agencies Pitch More Effectively
When an agency pitches an influencer, they lead with:
• Audience demographics
• Engagement levels
• Niche authority
• Brand alignment
• Conversion history
• Community trust
These metrics help brands say yes fast.
When pitching a UGC creator, agencies can only offer:
• Content style
• Aesthetic
• Editing ability
Brands already have thousands of options for this.
Influencers give agencies leverage.
UGC creators do not provide the same negotiating power.
UGC Creators Are Treated Like Production Partners, Not Talent
This is important and often misunderstood.
Influencers are “talent.”
Brands choose them for who they are and the influence they have.
UGC creators are “production partners.”
Brands choose them for what they can produce.
Talent requires representation.
Production requires hiring.
This is why agencies do not operate in the UGC world in the same way they operate in the influencer world.
This Does Not Mean UGC Creators Cannot Be Signed
UGC creators become highly desirable to agencies when they transition into hybrid creators.
A hybrid creator is someone who:
• Creates UGC style content
• Has an engaged audience
• Has strong brand alignment
• Can drive sales or awareness
• Works both as talent and as a content producer
These creators are powerful because they can deliver two forms of value:
• Influence
• Content quality
Agencies love working with hybrid creators because they bring multiple income streams.
How UGC Creators Can Transition Into Being Agency Ready
If you want to become someone a talent agency would sign, here is exactly what to do:
1. Start posting consistently on your own platforms
Even if you do not want to be an influencer, you need a home for your content.
Brands want to see your personal style, your storytelling ability, and your personality.
2. Choose a clear niche
You do not need a niche as a UGC creator.
You do need one as an influencer.
Choose something you enjoy teaching, sharing, or documenting.
3. Start integrating your own personality into your content
Personality creates trust.
Trust creates influence.
Influence creates higher paying opportunities.
4. Build a creator portfolio that includes both UGC and influencer content
This makes you instantly more appealing to agencies because you are entering the hybrid creator category.
5. Start saying yes to gifted or low stakes brand posts to build social proof
You do not need hundreds of deals.
You need proof of concept.
6. Track your analytics and understand what performs best
Agencies rely on data.
Brands rely on data.
You need to understand your numbers just as influencers do.
7. Improve your on camera presence
UGC creators often avoid speaking on camera.
Influencers who speak on camera earn more.
Even simple talking videos help build trust fast.
Why This Shift Can Transform Your Income
Moving from pure UGC to hybrid creator can multiply your earnings.
UGC only income:
• 150 to 400 per video on average
Hybrid creator income:
• 500 to 2 thousand per short form video
• 250 to 800 for stories
• Usage fees up to 5 times your base rate
• Exclusivity fees up to 10 times your base rate
• Long term partnerships
• Monthly retainer deals
• Agency led opportunities
Hybrid creators simply have more earning potential, more longevity, and more leverage.
Conclusion
Agencies prefer working with influencers over UGC creators for one reason.
The business model makes sense. Influencers bring in more revenue, more stability, more long term potential, and more negotiating power.
But this does not mean there is no place for UGC creators in the world of representation.
It means UGC creators need to shift into hybrid creators if they want support, opportunities, and agency level growth.
If you have strong content skills, you already have half the equation.
The next step is influence.
Work with us
If you want support, resources, and weekly creator industry education, join Social Studio Collective, our free community for creators and influencers.
And if you want to explore representation or speak with a manager from our agency, you can connect with us using the link here.
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