Questions creators and brands ask us

Start by making it easy for a brand to say yes. Fill in your profile with your niche, the platforms you post on, your location in the UK and three to six pieces of your best work, even if they were made for your own channel rather than a client.

Then apply to a small number of listings that genuinely fit your content. A short pitch that names the product, suggests one concrete idea and says when you could deliver beats a generic copy-and-paste message. Gifted listings from smaller UK brands are often a realistic first step for building a portfolio, but only take ones you would happily post about anyway.

It is possible, but it is not guaranteed. Many brands, especially those buying UGC (content they post on their own channels or use in ads), care more about the quality of your videos and photos than the size of your audience.

With a smaller following, lead with your craft: clear lighting, good audio, strong hooks and an obvious understanding of the product category. Mention any engagement that shows a real community, such as comments and saves, rather than only follower numbers. Expect more gifted offers early on, and treat each one as a chance to add a strong example to your portfolio.

With UGC (user-generated content), a brand pays you to create content that it publishes itself, for example on its website, product pages or paid social ads. Your audience size matters less; the brand is buying the content and the right to use it.

With influencer marketing, you post to your own followers, so the brand is also paying for your reach and the trust your audience places in you. In the UK, posts you are paid or gifted for on your own channels need clear ad disclosure under ASA and CMA guidance, such as labelling them #ad. Many creators offer both, priced separately.

There is no single right answer. Gifted collaborations can make sense when you would genuinely use the product, you are building a portfolio, or the brand is small and a good long-term fit. They make less sense when the brief asks for several deliverables, tight deadlines or usage rights in ads.

Before accepting, compare the retail value of the product with the hours the work will take. If the brief looks like a paid job, it is reasonable to reply with a short, polite rate quote. Remember that gifted items received in return for content can still have tax implications, so keep simple records.

There is no fixed UK rate. Prices vary with video length, the amount of scripting and editing, how many variations or hooks are requested, whether raw footage is included, and how long and where the brand can use the content.

A practical approach is to work out what your time is worth, add the cost of any props or locations, then price usage rights and extras on top rather than bundling them for free. Our free Creator Rate Calculator gives you a starting estimate based on these factors. Treat the figure as a guide for your own judgement, not a rule brands must follow.

Usage rights describe how a brand may use content you created: which channels (organic social, website, email, paid ads), for how long, in which regions, and whether they can edit it. Wider rights usually carry more value, because content running in paid ads for a year can earn the brand far more than a single organic post.

Agree usage case by case and write it down before you start, even in a short message: for example, organic use on the brand's Instagram and TikTok for six months, paid use quoted separately. If you are unsure about a contract, it is worth getting independent advice.

Collab Haus helps creators discover collaboration opportunities from brands. Complete your creator profile, add your social media links and showcase relevant examples of your content in your portfolio.

Browse the collaboration listings, open an opportunity and review the brand's requirements, deliverables and compensation before applying with a pitch. Make sure your profile accurately represents your content and interests so brands can better understand what you offer.

Completing a profile or applying does not guarantee an offer. Check that each opportunity suits you before agreeing to work.

You do not necessarily need a large following to create valuable user-generated content (UGC). UGC focuses on creating content for brands to use, rather than relying solely on your own audience to distribute it.

Brands may consider factors such as content quality, creativity, relevance to their products and the requirements of a particular campaign. If you are new to content creation, consider building a small portfolio of clearly labelled, self-created example content and completing your Collab Haus profile so brands can understand your style and capabilities.

Individual brands may have their own requirements, so always check the eligibility criteria for each opportunity.

Collab Haus supports paid and gifted collaboration listings. A paid collaboration involves a brand providing agreed financial compensation in exchange for specified content or deliverables. A gifted collaboration involves a brand providing a product or another agreed benefit instead of monetary payment.

Before accepting an opportunity, make sure you understand what the brand expects you to create, the agreed compensation or gift, deadlines, usage rights and any other conditions. Both sides should agree on these details before work begins.

Some arrangements may include payment and a product, but the current listing form offers paid or gifted, not a separate hybrid category. Clarify any additional product or benefit in the agreed brief rather than assuming it is included.

Start by completing as much of your creator profile as possible. Provide a clear introduction, accurately describe your niche and content style, add your social media links and showcase examples of your work in your portfolio.

Keep your information up to date and make sure your examples reflect the kind of content you want to create for brands. Relevant, clear information helps brands assess whether your style and audience suit their campaign.

Completing your profile gives brands more information to consider when reviewing your application, although it cannot guarantee that you will be selected for a collaboration.

After applying, creators can check their application status in their account. Brands can review incoming applications and accept or decline applicants according to the platform's workflow.

Brands can use Accept & Message to accept an application and open a conversation so both sides can discuss the collaboration. There is no guaranteed response time or guarantee of acceptance.

Read the opportunity details carefully and make sure you understand the expected deliverables, deadlines and compensation before agreeing to work with a brand.

To find UGC creators for your brand, complete your brand profile and explore the creator directory. Review each creator's profile, content examples and linked social media accounts, where available, to assess whether their style suits your brand. Creators provide their own profile information; do not assume social accounts or metrics have been independently verified.

Brands can send a message request to a creator. A conversation opens if the creator accepts the request. You can also post a collaboration listing and review the creators who apply.

On Collab Haus, you post a collaboration listing describing what you need and creators apply to it. That means you review people who are actively interested, rather than cold-messaging accounts.

Make the listing specific: the product, the platform, the format (for example a 30-second talking-to-camera TikTok), any location needs within the UK, whether it is paid or gifted, and the deadline. When reviewing applications, look at portfolio pieces in your style rather than follower counts alone, and check that their pitch shows they understood the product. A short paid test with two or three creators is often more informative than one large commitment.

Start from the outcome you want, not a universal figure. Decide how many pieces of content you need, which channels they are for and whether you will run them as ads, because usage rights and paid-ad use typically raise costs.

Many small UK businesses begin with a modest test: a few creators, one clear deliverable each, plus product costs and postage. Leave a little room for a second round with whoever performs best. Creator rates vary widely, so it can help to see how creators themselves estimate pricing; our free Creator Rate Calculator shows the factors that affect a quote. Its results are estimates, not set prices.

Gifted offers can work well when the product is genuinely desirable, the ask is light (for example one organic story or post) and the creator chooses freely whether to post. They tend to attract fewer applicants when the brief needs scripting, multiple edits or ad usage.

Payment, with or without product, is worth considering when you need specific deliverables, deadlines or usage rights. Whatever you choose, state it clearly in the listing so creators can decide quickly. Check current ASA and CMA advertising-disclosure guidance for your arrangement rather than assuming a gifted product removes the need to identify advertising.

A good brief is short, specific and leaves room for the creator's voice. Include: what the product is and who it is for; the one message you want people to remember; deliverables (format, length, number of videos or images); platforms; deadline and any review rounds; compensation, paid or gifted; and agreed usage rights.

Add a few do and don't points, such as claims you cannot make, and one or two reference examples of content you like. Avoid rigid word-for-word scripts unless you truly need them, because creators usually know what feels natural to their audience.

Micro-influencers are creators with smaller, often more focused audiences, for example a local food account in Leeds or a niche running community. They can suit small brands because their followers may trust their recommendations closely.

Post a listing that names your niche and region, review applicants for audience fit and engagement quality, and message suitable creators to agree details. Respect their style rather than forcing a corporate script, give realistic timelines, and check the relevant UK advertising-disclosure guidance together. Working with several micro-influencers can give you more varied content than relying on one larger account.

Decide what success means before the content goes live. For awareness, look at reach, views and average watch time. For consideration, look at saves, shares, comments and profile visits. For sales, use a unique discount code or tracked link per creator so you can compare them.

If you are using the content as UGC, judge it on your own channels: compare it against your existing creative in ads or on product pages. Ask creators to share post insights screenshots after an agreed period, such as seven days. Note qualitative learnings too, including which hooks and angles felt strongest, for your next brief.

Every creator on Collab Haus has their own profile where they can share information about themselves and, where provided, links to their social media accounts and examples of their content. These details help brands assess a creator's content style, online presence and suitability for a campaign.

Profiles may contain different amounts of information because creators are responsible for completing and updating their own details. If a profile looks empty or incomplete, the creator may simply not have added their information or social links yet.

Review the available profile information and linked social channels before deciding whether to collaborate. If you need additional information, brands can send a message request; a conversation opens if the creator accepts it. Do not assume social accounts, follower counts or engagement metrics have been independently verified.

Every creator on Collab Haus has their own profile, but not everyone has completed it yet. Some creators may apply for collaboration opportunities before adding their biography, social media links, portfolio or other profile information.

We encourage creators to complete their profiles and include links to their social media accounts so brands can get a better understanding of their online presence, content quality and suitability for a campaign.

If you receive an application from a creator with an incomplete profile, review the information available and ask for any additional details you need before making a decision. Brands can send a message request, which the creator must accept before a conversation opens.

For creators: completing your profile and linking your social channels can help brands understand what you bring to a collaboration.

Yes! Joining and using Collab Haus is free for both brands and creators. There are no subscription fees or charges to access the platform.

The only time money is involved is when a brand pays a creator for a collaboration. In this case, Collab Haus takes a 25% commission on the paid collaboration.

This means brands and creators can join the platform, build their profiles and explore collaboration opportunities without paying a subscription fee. Gifted collaborations do not incur this paid-collaboration commission.