At Monarch, we work with creators every week, reviewing profiles, matching talent to brand campaigns, and coordinating UGC collaborations across industries like skincare, wellness, lifestyle, and more.

In doing so, we’ve developed a pretty clear sense of what makes a creator stand out and what makes us scroll past their profile.

Sometimes, it’s not about the follower count or the aesthetic. It comes down to signals that show us whether someone is ready to partner with a brand professionally.

If you’re serious about working with brands (and getting hired again), here’s what we’re looking for and five surprisingly common mistakes that can hold you back.

The mistake: No email in your bio or linked page

One of the biggest barriers we run into is simply not knowing how to reach you. If your email isn’t visible or accessible within one click, we’re often forced to move on. When reviewing dozens of profiles at a time, we won’t always stop to DM and ask for your contact info, especially if the campaign is time-sensitive.

What to do:
Make sure your email is clearly listed in your bio or your link. Even better: add a contact button if the platform allows it. The less we have to dig, the more likely we are to reach out.

The mistake: No location listed or tagged anywhere

Some campaigns are limited to specific countries, regions, or even cities, due to shipping, in-person events, or licensing. If we can’t tell where you’re based, we often can’t consider you, even if your content is a great fit.

What to do: Add your city, state, province, or country to your bio or tag your location in a few public posts or stories. It doesn’t have to be exact, but it needs to give us enough to know if you’re eligible.

The mistake: Only posting montage or trend-style videos

We love a good transition or trending audio, but if every post is a stylized montage, we don’t get a sense of who you are. Brands want to see how you communicate, not just how you edit.

The mistake: You haven’t posted in several months

This one might not seem like a big deal, but we’ve learned that creators who aren’t actively posting are often slower to complete brand work (or don’t post at all). It can signal that your account isn’t your current priority, which makes us hesitant to include you in time-sensitive campaigns.

What to do:
Even one or two posts a week is enough to show you’re active. It’s not about volume, it’s about showing that you’re still showing up.

The mistake: Heavy filters or overly edited videos

Skincare brands, in particular, want to see your actual skin. If a video uses filters that smooth texture, alter your features, or add sparkles and overlays, it can be hard to trust the content, and that’s true for brands and consumers alike.

What to do:
Use natural lighting when possible. Avoid filters that drastically change your appearance. A little polish is fine, but authenticity builds trust.

Here’s the good news:
Most of these mistakes are simple to fix and making even one or two changes could put you in a much stronger position for future brand partnerships.

We’re not looking for perfection. We’re looking for creators who are professional, communicative, and genuinely interested in building great content that brands (and audiences) can believe in.

If that sounds like you, you’re exactly who we want to hear from.

Want to be considered for future campaigns?
We’re always building our creator list and reaching out when the right opportunities open up. If you’re ready to grow your UGC work with guidance from an experienced agency, we’d love to stay in touch. Click here to join the mailing list now.