The One Question That Filters Out 90% of UGC Creators

When you're hiring creators for your app, the portfolio question separates the pros from the hobbyists.

Ask them: "What other apps have you worked with? Show me the accounts."

That's it. Simple question, but most people can't answer it well.

I've seen accounts where someone posted 32 times and every single video got under 1,000 views. Thirty-two. And they never tried a different approach. That's a red flag. If something isn't working and you just keep doing it because "the company told me to," you're not thinking critically about the content.

A good creator would see those numbers, pause, and try something different. Switch up the hook. Change the format. Test a new angle. The fact that they didn't means they're probably going to do the same thing for you.

Why this matters for apps

Most apps hiring UGC creators don't have time to babysit content strategy. You need someone who can run an account, spot what's working, and adjust without being told. The portfolio question reveals that.

When someone sends you accounts they've managed and you can see daily posting with varied content and at least some videos that performed well, that's a good sign. When every video looks identical and the views are flat, that's your answer.

How Grade helps

When you're paying multiple creators, the operational side gets messy fast. Different payment methods, tracking who delivered what, making sure you're not paying for ghost work.

We built Grade to simplify that. Add creators with their email, they pick how they want to get paid, and you pay everyone in one click. Payments are tied to verified work, so you're not paying for those 32 flopped videos unless you want to.