Can men do UGC, or is it only for women?

Yes, men do UGC, and brands look for male UGC creators on purpose. UGC was never a women-only job. It's a job where the person on camera should look like the person who'd buy the product.

If you've been scrolling UGC examples and seeing mostly women filming skincare, I get why you'd wonder. That's what a newcomer tends to see first, because beauty is one of the loudest corners of UGC. But it's one corner. A brand that sells to men wants to show its product being used by the person who would buy it. That's casting logic, not a favor.

So the real question isn't "can men do UGC?" It's "which briefs am I right for?" Past that, there's no separate rulebook for UGC for men: the steps in how to become a UGC creator apply to you unchanged.

Which products and brands look for male UGC creators?

When a brand wants a UGC creator for men's products, it's usually because its buyer is mostly men, or because the product needs to be shown on a man's face, in his hands or in his routine. The categories where that comes up most:

  • Grooming and beard care
  • Men's skincare
  • Fragrance
  • Fitness and supplements
  • Tech and gadgets
  • Apps and software
  • Tools and DIY
  • Outdoor and camping
  • Car accessories
  • Menswear and shoes
  • Gaming accessories
  • Pet products
  • Food and drink

Some are built around a male buyer, like beard oil. Others sell to everyone and still want a version of the ad with a man in it.

You don't need all thirteen. Try picking two or three where you already own products and have real opinions. A guy who actually camps sounds different talking about a headlamp than a guy reading a script about one. If you're torn, this guide to choosing a UGC niche helps you weigh demand against what you can film well.

What should a male UGC creator put in a portfolio?

Put 6 to 9 sample videos in your UGC portfolio, aimed at the categories you picked and filmed with products you already own. That's enough range without making a brand dig.

A solid starting set:

  • 2 or 3 product demos: your trimmer, your multitool, your earbuds, doing the job.
  • 2 talking-head reviews: you, to camera, giving an honest 30-second take.
  • 1 or 2 voiceover or hands-only pieces, for briefs that don't need your face.
  • 1 lifestyle clip: the product where it actually lives, like a gym bag, the garage or the car.

Shoot vertical in 9:16, keep most clips to 15-30 seconds, and hook in the first two seconds. Labeling each video by category helps a brand spot "fitness" or "tech" at a glance.

Unpaid spec videos count. Brands want to know you can make the ad, not that someone already paid for one. For why that range works, see how many videos a UGC portfolio needs.

Which video styles work well for male UGC creators?

All the standard formats work: talking head, product demo, voiceover and faceless hands-only. Choose by the product and your comfort on camera, not by gender.

  • Talking head: a reaction or review straight to the lens. Strong for skincare, fragrance, apps and supplements.
  • Product demo: show it working. Tools, gadgets, car accessories and camping gear live here.
  • Voiceover: product b-roll with your voice on top. Good for software, gaming setups and anything with a screen.
  • Faceless, hands-only: unboxing, assembling, applying. Works for grooming kits, tech, and food and drink.

If your first talking-head takes come out stiff, like a news anchor who lost his place, that's normal. Talk to one friend, not an audience, and film the line five times. By the fourth take you'll usually sound like yourself.

Not keen on being on camera? Faceless UGC is real, bookable work, and plenty of tech and tool briefs never need a face.

How do you find and pitch brands that want male creators?

Find them where they post briefs, then make your fit obvious in the first line of every pitch. A brand casting for a male audience is scanning for exactly that.

Start with your profile. Many marketplaces and job posts let a brand filter by, or ask for, a creator's gender and age, so it's worth filling yours in completely. A half-empty profile can drop out of a filtered search before anyone watches a video.

Then pitch brands in your categories whose customers are clearly men, and say who you're a fit for straight away:

"Hi, I'm Dan, a 34-year-old creator making product demos and talking-to-camera ads for men's grooming and fitness brands. I've used your beard oil for a year, so I filmed a quick spec ad for it. Link below."

Short, specific, with a video that plays. You don't need to apologize for being a guy in UGC. To a grooming brand that sells to men, you aren't the exception. You're the brief.

For full scripts, read how to pitch brands as a UGC creator, and for marketplaces versus direct outreach, see where to find UGC jobs.

Do male UGC creators get paid differently?

No. Gender doesn't change UGC rates or usage rights. Price comes from the deliverable, your experience and how the brand plans to use the video, the same as for every creator.

What moves your rate is samples that look like real ads, brands re-booking you, and paid ad usage, priced on top of your base fee per platform and per term. Your face running as a paid ad costs more than a video on the brand's own page. Get the usage terms in writing before you film.

For current ranges by experience level, use the UGC rates guide rather than guessing.

FAQ

Do I need a beard, a gym body or a model face?

No. Brands want someone who looks like their customer and sounds believable. A clean-shaven face suits razor and skincare briefs; a beard suits beard oil. Good light and clear audio beat a polished look with a flat delivery.

Is there less UGC work for men?

There's no reliable count either way, so don't plan around one. The work is sorted by who the buyer is: aim at categories that sell to men or to everyone, and the briefs that fit you are there.

Can a man make UGC for products aimed at women?

Sometimes, through a gift angle or a shared household product. You'll usually get booked faster where the buyer looks like you.

Should I mention my age in my profile and pitches?

Yes. Age helps a brand match you to its customer. A 45-year-old is often exactly who a joint-supplement brand wants on camera, so put it in your next pitch.

A portfolio page aimed at the categories above is what gets a male creator picked, and Ninefolio is one tool for building it.