UGC creators in Malaysia: what UGC is and how to hire
What UGC is, where to find UGC creators in Malaysia, listed prices from about RM190 a video, and the disclosure rules for paid UGC ads.
UGC, short for user-generated content, is content about a business made by people outside it, such as customer reviews and photos. A UGC creator is someone a business pays to film videos in the casual style of a real customer. Hire on sample videos, agree usage in writing, and label paid videos, which Malaysia's Content Code 2022 asks for.
Last updated: 14 September 2026. General information, not legal advice.
Key takeaways
- Paid UGC should be labelled. Part 3, paragraph 6.3 of Malaysia's Content Code 2022 says paid endorsements "shall be clearly disclosed" (Content Forum).
- Two Malaysian sellers list UGC videos at about RM190 to RM250 each (Crea-match, Swifty Agency, checked 14 September 2026).
- Usage terms decide what you can do. Copyright in a commissioned video is deemed transferred to the business that commissioned it, unless an agreement limits that (section 26(2), Copyright Act 1987).
- Health adverts need approval. Adverts for supplements, over-the-counter medicines and traditional products registered with Malaysia's Drug Control Authority need Medicine Advertisements Board approval, including online (Ministry of Health).
What is UGC, with an example?
UGC is content about a brand made by people outside it, for example a diner's tagged Instagram photo or Google reviews with photos. Paying UGC creators for customer-style videos is part of UGC marketing too. Influencer marketing is different: you pay for reach on the influencer's own account.
| Question | Customer UGC | UGC creator content | Influencer marketing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who makes it | A real customer, unpaid | A creator you pay | A creator you pay |
| Where it appears | Their account, Google, and your pages with permission | Your pages, website and ads | The influencer's account |
| Needs a paid label | Only if you rewarded the post | Yes | Yes |
Illustrative example, not a client: a Klang Valley skincare SME's Bahasa Malaysia video opens with "Kulit berminyak sebelum lunch?", keeps "Iklan" on screen from the first second, and runs under a written six-month paid-ad licence.
Why do UGC videos work?
UGC videos copy the look of word of mouth. In a 2021 global Nielsen survey, 88% of respondents trusted recommendations from people they know more than any other channel (Nielsen). A paid creator video borrows that familiar feel without being a real recommendation.
Meta reports that its partnership ads averaged a 19% reduction in cost per acquisition (the ad cost of winning a customer) compared with brands' business-as-usual ads. That is Meta's own reported average, not an independent study (eMarketer, October 2024).
Where can you find UGC creators in Malaysia?
Look in five places: creator marketplaces, UGC agencies, creator Facebook groups, your own customers, and TikTok One. Marketplaces and groups connect you with individual creators; agencies manage the brief and deliver videos in batches. Names below are examples from Malaysian search results, not endorsements.
- Marketplaces: Crea-match, Collabstr's Malaysia UGC page and Twine list Malaysian UGC creators.
- Agencies: Swifty Agency supplies creators and weekly video batches.
- Facebook groups: ask for portfolios in public groups such as TikTok UGC Creator Community (Malaysia).
- Your own customers: ask buyers who already tagged you, get written permission, and label the post if rewarded.
- TikTok One (check whether it has launched in Malaysia for your account): TikTok's tool for finding creators and sending briefs (TikTok).
How do you hire and brief a UGC creator in Malaysia?
Hire for the portfolio, not the follower count: shortlist creators whose sample videos match the job, brief one goal per video, send the product early, agree usage in writing using the checklist in the next section, and review a first cut before approving final files.
- Shortlist 3 creators whose samples match the job, in your customers' language.
- Brief one goal per video: audience, language, the hook (the opening line that stops scrolling), the label and claims to avoid.
- Send the product early. Part 3, paragraph 4.9(a) of the Content Code requires testimonials to be "genuine and related to the personal experience over a reasonable period of time of the person giving it", so a creator who has not used the product should not present it as a testimonial.
- Agree usage in writing, then review a first cut for claims and the label.
Who owns a UGC video, and what usage rights should you agree?
Under Malaysia's Copyright Act 1987, copyright in a commissioned work is deemed transferred to whoever commissioned it, "subject to any agreement between the parties excluding or limiting such transfer" (section 26). Some sellers limit usage in their standard terms instead: Crea-match's campaigns include brand usage "for agreed surfaces". So the written terms, not the default, decide what you can do.
Agree this checklist in writing before anyone films:
- Usage and licence period: organic posts (unpaid posts on your own pages), your website or paid ads, and for how long.
- Ad permissions (whitelisting), meaning permission to run ads from the creator's account. On TikTok, the creator generates a Spark Ads code from the video's three-dot menu (TikTok Ads Manager Help). On Instagram and Facebook, the creator shares a partnership ad code and "can revoke these permissions at any time" (Meta Business Help).
- Fee and extras: hook variations, raw files, revisions and exclusivity.
How much does a UGC creator cost in Malaysia?
Listed UGC creator prices in Malaysia run from about RM190 per video on Crea-match bundles to about RM250 per video before SST for Swifty Agency's 10-video package, checked 14 September 2026. We found no independent survey of Malaysian UGC rates. Listed prices are what a brand pays; the creator may receive less after a marketplace or agency takes its share.
| Seller (checked 14 September 2026) | Package | Current listed price | Per video |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crea-match, page dated 1 May 2026 | UGC Starter, 5 videos | From RM975 | "from about RM190–RM214" on bundles |
| Swifty Agency | UGC Starter, 10 videos | RM2,500 (discounted) | About RM250 |
| Swifty Agency | UGC Growth, 20 videos | RM4,500 (discounted) | About RM225 |
| Swifty Agency | UGC Scale, 30 videos | RM6,000 (discounted) | About RM200 |
Listed prices, not a market average or endorsement. Packages are not like-for-like: Swifty's include a project manager and strategy consultations, and its discounted prices exclude SST and, where applicable, transport fees. Crea-match notes "extended paid whitelisting may affect rate"; use the checklist above to ask what costs extra.
What are Malaysia's rules on paid UGC and disclosure?
In Malaysia, label paid UGC upfront, inside the video, in the same language as the endorsement, and make no false claims. Part 3, paragraph 6.3 of the Content Code 2022 asks for a label such as "Ad" or "Sponsored" in the video itself, not only the caption. For a Bahasa Malaysia video, that could be "Iklan". AI avatars count too: paragraph 6.1 says virtual influencers "must be disclosed to consumers".
Paragraph 6.3(b) says to avoid vague terms such as "spon" or "collab", or a stand-alone "thanks" or "ambassador". A discount or free product given for a post would likely count as "some other reciprocal arrangement in lieu of cash" under paragraph 6.3, so label that too.
The Content Code 2022 is voluntary, but compliance "shall be a defence against any prosecution, action or proceeding" (Part 1, paragraph 6.3), and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) can direct compliance (Section 99, Communications and Multimedia Act 1998). Responsibility falls primarily on the advertiser, meaning your business; influencers and agencies "shall also accept an obligation" to follow Part 3 (paragraph 1.3). It was still the registered version on 14 September 2026, after a consultation on revisions closed on 7 November 2025.
False or misleading adverts are an offence under sections 18 and 21 of the Trade Descriptions Act 2011: a company's first offence can mean a fine of up to RM500,000; for anyone else, a fine of up to RM250,000, up to three years' jail, or both.
What extra rules apply to health and beauty products?
Adverts for supplements, over-the-counter products and traditional products registered with the Drug Control Authority need Medicine Advertisements Board approval, including online, and must show a KKLIU number (Ministry of Health). Cosmetic adverts need no approval, but the National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency (NPRA) holds the notification holder (the company that notified the cosmetic to NPRA) responsible, and does not allow doctor, pharmacist or dentist titles with white coats (NPRA FAQ, November 2025).
Can you repost a customer's photos or reviews?
Ask first, every time. Under the Copyright Act 1987, copyright "shall vest initially in the author", so a customer's photo is their work. The Department of Personal Data Protection summarises the General Principle of the Personal Data Protection Act 2010 (PDPA) as "a user is not allowed to process another person's personal data without their consent". A written yes covers both.
Since 1 April 2025, breaching the PDPA's data protection principles can mean a fine of up to RM1 million, up from RM300,000 (Act A1727; P.U. (B) 522).
Does UGC help your business rank on Google and in AI answers?
Reviews on your Google Business Profile can. Google says "More reviews and positive ratings can help your business's local ranking" (Google Business Profile Help), which is why reviews are central to local SEO in Malaysia. AI answer tools can only quote what is written on the page, so publish a transcript or summary beside each customer video and put review text on your site as text, not screenshots.
Our guides on getting recommended by ChatGPT and a website versus Instagram, WhatsApp and TikTok explain why these pages belong on your own site. Acclaira builds those pages: website built free, AI SEO from RM 3,000 a month, month to month. Message Acclaira on WhatsApp.
Sources
- Communications and Multimedia Content Forum of Malaysia, Content Code 2022, registered 30 May 2022. Part 1, paragraph 6.3; Part 3, paragraphs 1.3, 4.9, 6.1 and 6.3; Appendix I, Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 section 99.
- Content Forum, Public Consultation: Content Code Review, 17 September to 7 November 2025.
- Attorney General's Chambers, Copyright Act 1987 (Act 332), updated reprint text as at 30 June 2022, section 26.
- Trade Descriptions Act 2011 (Act 730), sections 18 and 21.
- Personal Data Protection (Amendment) Act 2024 (Act A1727).
- P.U. (B) 522, Appointment of Date of Coming into Operation, Personal Data Protection (Amendment) Act 2024, 24 December 2024.
- Department of Personal Data Protection, Principles of Personal Data Protection.
- Ministry of Health Pharmaceutical Services Programme, Advertising FAQ.
- NPRA, FAQ on the Control of Cosmetics Advertisement in Malaysia, version 1.0, November 2025.
- Nielsen, Beyond martech: building trust with consumers, November 2021.
- eMarketer, Meta unveils new features to streamline creator partnerships, 9 October 2024, reporting Meta's figures.
- Meta Business Help Centre, About partnership ad permissions.
- TikTok, TikTok One.
- TikTok Ads Manager Help, How to create Spark Ads.
- Crea-match, UGC Creator Malaysia guide, dated 1 May 2026, listed prices checked 14 September 2026.
- Swifty Agency, UGC packages, listed prices checked 14 September 2026.
- Collabstr, Top UGC Creators in Malaysia.
- Twine, UGC Creators in Malaysia.
- Facebook, TikTok UGC Creator Community (Malaysia), public group.
- Google Business Profile Help, Tips to improve your local ranking.
Common questions
Frequently asked questions
- Can I use UGC videos in paid ads?
- Yes, if your written agreement covers paid use. On TikTok, the creator generates a Spark Ads code, and TikTok warns "You cannot edit a post's caption after it's been authorized as an ad", so agree the caption first. On Instagram and Facebook, partnership ads need the creator's permission, which they can revoke at any time.
- Is UGC content legal in Malaysia?
- Yes, if it is honest and labelled. Malaysia's Content Code 2022 is voluntary, but following it is a defence against prosecution, and it says paid endorsements "shall be clearly disclosed". False or misleading adverts are an offence under the Trade Descriptions Act 2011, whoever made the video.
- What is UGC reposting, and do I need permission?
- Reposting means sharing a customer's own photo, video or review on your business pages. Ask first, say where it will appear, and keep their written yes, because the customer owns their photo and the Personal Data Protection Act 2010 (PDPA) requires consent. If they later ask you to take it down, remove it promptly and confirm in writing.
- Do UGC creators need a lot of followers?
- No. When the business posts or advertises the video itself, a creator's follower count matters far less than how natural and clear their videos are. Followers may matter more if you run ads from the creator's own account, such as TikTok Spark Ads or Meta partnership ads.
- Can I use an AI avatar instead of a real UGC creator?
- You can, but disclose it. Malaysia's Content Code 2022 says the use of virtual influencers in advertisements "must be disclosed to consumers" (Part 3, paragraph 6.1), and paragraph 4.9(f) says adverts based on fictitious characters should not contain testimonials that suggest real people are involved. An avatar cannot honestly claim to have used your product.
About the author
Dan Duar
Founder, Acclaira · Director, DNE Logistics
Dan founded Acclaira to help Malaysian SMEs get understood, trusted and recommended by AI search. He also runs DNE Logistics, a Port Klang freight and customs business, so he writes about digital growth from a business owner’s seat, not an agency’s.
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