Small Biz Power: Winning with Influencers and UGC Creators on JoinBrands

Small businesses often struggle to break through the noise in a world bombarded with ads. One effective solution is to work with user-generated content creators and influencers to broaden reach and build credibility—strategies that were once only available to larger brands. But can these tactics genuinely deliver value for small businesses with limited budgets?

With an estimated global market size of $22.2 billion by 2025, influencer and creator marketing provides small businesses with a cost-effective way to compete with major players. Platforms like JoinBrands make influencers and UGC creators more accessible to small businesses. This enables growing brands and micro-enterprises to engage audiences personally.

Influencers & UGC: A Winning Combo

Influencers and UGC creators help small businesses by creating authentic and relatable content that audiences can identify with. They make it easier for smaller brands to engage potential leads across different platforms and content types.

Building Trust Through Authenticity

Trust is vital in any relationship, and it’s no different between a small brand and its customers. PwC reported that 46% of consumers buy more from brands they trust, and 28% are willing to pay a premium. This trust is fostered through authenticity, where influencers and UGC creators play crucial roles.

An influencer, at its core, is someone who can positively shape how people see your brand. By sharing their experiences, they turn casual viewers into paying customers. This shift moves people from engagement to conversion. Content created by users allows your business to present real voices and experiences, showing that people genuinely enjoy and advocate your products. For potential customers, seeing content from real users builds trust and connection.

In short, UGC lets small businesses leverage the power of everyday people. This authentic approach provides social proof, helping small businesses create loyal communities without needing high-priced promotions.

Benefits of Different Content Types

Leveraging various content types enables small businesses to maximize visibility without stretching their budget. Each format serves unique purposes and can engage audiences differently. By using a variety, UGC creators can effectively showcase your products and highlight their features.

• Images capture attention quickly. On JoinBrands, influencers and creators can take selfies with products, lifestyle shots, or product-only images. These visuals highlight real-life applications and build an authentic connection with audiences. For instance, a lifestyle photo shows products in relatable, everyday scenarios, while a selfie with a product brings a personal touch that helps potential customers visualize themselves as happy customers.
• Videos offer even more depth and engagement. They are perfect for demonstrating product features and benefits. JoinBrands supports a range of video content, including how-to guides, unboxings, product reviews, and demos. Influencers and creators make videos to show a product’s value, function, and quality. For instance, an unboxing video reveals the product’s packaging and details, building excitement. Meanwhile, a demo video shows the product in action.
• Platform-specific content like Instagram Reels delivers a timely way to connect with your target audience. They work well with sharing snippets of the product, behind-the-scenes content, quick updates, or limited-time offers. These allow you to keep audiences updated without overwhelming them.

By regularly posting a mix of influencer and UGC content on your social pages, you can establish your brand as the go-to in your field.

Choosing the Right Platforms

Each social platform brings something specific and unique to the table. Depending on what you sell, some can bring you more audience while others can help you generate sales.

Platform-Specific Strategies

Creator platforms excel by linking you with ideal collaborators on the right platform to maximize your reach.

• TikTok is ideal for short, engaging videos that go viral quickly. You can work with TikTok creators to create product demos, quick tips, or fun challenges. The platform’s algorithm leans towards fresh, original content, making it a great place for small businesses with tight budgets to reach large audiences organically.
• Instagram is versatile, which makes it perfect for visual storytelling. Aside from images and videos, ask creators to run interactive campaigns like polls, Q&As, and giveaways in Instagram Reels. These can encourage followers to participate actively and share feedback. You can also repost UGC photos or testimonials to build community and authenticity around your products.
• YouTube is perfect for building brand authority through informative, long-form content. Ask creators to post longer product reviews, tutorials, or in-depth demonstrations. Creators can also use YouTube Shorts to make quick, engaging videos to reach viewers with bite-sized content. Shorts is great for teaser tutorials, capturing attention and encouraging viewers to explore full-length videos for more details.
• Facebook is particularly useful for engaging older demographics. Use Facebook’s groups and live video features to connect with niche audiences. Ask influencers to share posts and updates to keep followers engaged.
• Amazon is excellent for UGC reviews and photos. An honest review from an actual user carries more weight than a heavily scripted ad. UGC content on the platform provides social proof to future buyers.
• Websites enable you to embed influencer and UGC content directly into product pages. Create snippets from other social platforms alongside product descriptions to boost confidence and give potential customers a more comprehensive view of each item.

Aligning Content with Platform Trends

Each social media platform has its trends and styles. Boost your brand visibility by tailoring your content to these nuances.

• TikTok thrives in fast-paced content incorporating trending sounds, challenges, and humor. Tap into this by working with TikTok creators who understand its “vibe.” They can use trends to subtly highlight your products. Short, snappy videos like “before-and-after” clips do well because they grab attention and encourage people to share them.
• Use Instagram’s visual focus to your advantage. Ask creators for lifestyle content instead of product shots. They can share personal “day in the life” Reels, where products are seamlessly integrated. This approach aligns with the platform’s shift towards a more intimate, narrative-driven space.
• YouTube Shorts has added a fresh way to connect with younger audiences seeking quick, impactful insights. This is great for building brand awareness without needing long-form video budgets. These 15-second teasers can drive viewers to main channels while maintaining visibility in the platform’s highly competitive environment.
• Facebook has seen a resurgence of community-driven content through localized content. Work with creators to create posts that feel native to local communities or specific groups. This strategy fosters trust and engagement within niche audiences.
• Amazon is becoming increasingly popular for social proof through authentic customer content. Encouraging influencers to post real-life photos or impromptu video reviews on Amazon product pages provides direct peer insights.

Finding the Right Partners on JoinBrands

JoinBrands connects brands with genuine content creators, making it easy for small businesses to source the most authentic content without any hassle. We handle everything—from finding the right creators to ensuring that all content is tailored to each business’s unique needs and delivered on time. This cohesive approach allows small businesses to access impactful UGC and influencer content effortlessly.

Identifying Influencers and UGC Creators by Category

Partnering with knowledgeable or known creators in your industry or niche is crucial to the success of your marketing. When they have expertise or genuine interest in a niche, like food and beverage or sports and fitness, their content resonates more deeply because they can back up their claims. They bring insightful, yet relatable, perspectives. This connection enables them to communicate your brand’s message without seeming staged or exaggerated.

For instance, working with an artist creator for a handmade product line makes the content more organic and aligned with what the audience expects. On the other hand, a beauty influencer is an ideal choice for promoting skincare products. This relevance also increases the chances that audiences will engage with the content since they know the creator has been hitting the marks.

JoinBrands simplifies this matching process, connecting businesses to creators who specialize in categories like baby, kids & maternity, or pets & animals. By narrowing down creators with category expertise, you can find and work with influencers and UGC creators who can realistically highlight products to captivate and engage the right audience. This alignment ensures that every content feels organic and credible, reinforcing your brand’s position within your niche market.

Using JoinBrands for Lasting Partnerships

JoinBrands fosters lasting relationships between small businesses and creators, helping you achieve long-term value beyond a single campaign. With a network of over 100,000 creators and influencers, we provide instant access to talents ready to work with your brand on different platforms. We simplify partnerships by eliminating the need to negotiate prices or chase down creators.

Once a creator receives your product, most content is published quickly, with about 80% of tasks completed within a week. This swift turnaround supports timely campaigns and brand consistency. Additionally, JoinBrands’ all-in-one account lets you manage multiple products and license branded content from one dashboard. This helps businesses create a unified brand presence.

Another benefit of JoinBrands is its straightforward content ownership policy—you will own 100% of the licensing rights to the content produced. This flexibility enables you to repurpose content indefinitely across your marketing channels, allowing each campaign’s impact to extend over time.

Small Biz Wins

User-generated content gives small businesses a unique edge, allowing them to reach audiences through authentic and relatable storytelling. JoinBrands provides small brands access to influencers who can create engaging UGC, making it possible for even the smallest businesses or solopreneurs to see significant growth through organic, audience-driven content.

Take, for example, Enchanted Scrunch by Dasha, a handmade scrunchie brand that saw remarkable success on TikTok. The brand gained attention through a viral video where the young entrepreneur responded to a comment about her sales, humorously clarifying that while her TikTok shop had only just begun with 11 sales, she had sold over 30,000 scrunchies (at the time of the posting). The post received 2.8 million likes and almost 10,000 comments, generating 25.1 million in engagement and sparking a wave of new followers and sales. TikTok became a key marketing tool for the brand after a relatable moment went viral, showing how real interactions can drive business growth.

Similarly, the Get Ready with Me (GRWM) trend has become a popular, accessible format for small businesses to reach viewers on platforms like YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok. Originally popular in beauty, the GRWM trend invites audiences into creators’ daily routines, making them feel like part of the experience. This style now extends to diverse areas, from fashion to gaming, where creators share tips and recommendations while preparing for the day. GRWM videos create personal connections between small brands and viewers, building a loyal community.

Grow Your Small Business with JoinBrands

Unlock the power of authentic content by partnering with influencers and UGC creators on JoinBrands. With every TikTok post, you’ll automatically receive 365-day Spark Codes, making it effortless to boost visibility and reach. Book a demo now.