UGC vs influencer marketing: which should you choose?

Both involve a creator and your product, but they solve different problems. UGC gives you content. Influencer marketing gives you access to an audience that belongs to someone else. Many brands need one first and the other later.

By Cassy Lux Diaz · Published October 31, 2026

The core difference

With UGC, the creator makes videos for your channels. You decide where they run. With influencer marketing, the creator publishes to their own followers. You are paying for their audience and their credibility with it.

Choose UGC when

You need content for your own account or ads
You want to test several hooks and angles
You want to control how and where the video is used
You are early and want to learn what your customer responds to

Choose influencer marketing when

You want to reach a new audience
Trust in a particular person matters for your product
You are launching something and want a burst of attention

Using both

A common approach is to start with UGC, find the videos that work, and then use the same ideas in a partnership with a creator. A creator who does both, as I do, can carry a concept from one to the other.

Questions brands ask

Which costs more?

It varies by creator, audience size, deliverables and rights. Compare quotes on what you get, not the label.

Can a creator do both?

Yes. They are quoted separately because the rights and the work are different.

✦ Get in touch

Not sure which fits? Ask me

Prefer email? Write to cassy@cloudsagency.co.