Today we’d like to introduce you to Karla Gonzalez.
Hi Karla, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
After graduating college in San Antonio, I tried out a ton of different paths trying everything from nightlife to personal training. Deep down, however, I always had a deep passion for expressing myself and connecting with others through social media and kept posting as popular platforms evolved.
Becoming a mom at 26 was something that, surprisingly, solidified my relationship with and role in social media. So many women were sharing the honest, unfiltered parts of motherhood — the kind of stuff you sometimes can’t even articulate yourself — and it was extremely validating to see that and be able to connect with other mothers who were in the same phase of life.
I kept showing up online over the years as I felt a need to share the highs and lows of motherhood and daily life, even if it meant my videos were simply reviewing what I bought at the grocery store that week.
The more I learned about social media and content creation, the more I realized how much potential to not only monetize but make a career and business out of. Creating User-Generated-Content (UGC) for brands has been a great way for me to develop skills such as scriptwriting, strategy, and foster relationships with brands and agencies.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Definitely not. Although some people have overnight success in their business or social media, it’s the minority. I hate to say it, but I do think you have to be a little bit delusional to continue showing up even when there’s crickets.
There’s so many paths you can take within social media, from UGC, to a growing a personal brand, to an online business, even social media management, and I think we underestimate how long it takes people to figure out their path.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
As I mentioned, my main focus right now is developing my skills as a User-Generated Content Creator. Essentially, creating ads for brands. It’s more affordable and effective for brands to have a list of creators that create the content that will get posted on the brand’s page than paying an agency or hiring an entire crew of videographers, models, etc for every shoot. More natural looking content is a bonus.
User-Generated-Content Creators can be expected to handle various aspects of content creation including ideation, scriptwriting, strategy, SEO, as well as filming, editing, and acting as the on camera talent.
On top of requiring a deep understanding of the platforms and creativity, strong communication and organization skills will help you stand out as brands usually expect quick turnarounds and appreciate someone that is easy to work with.
Currently i’m working on developing my skills in Adobe Suite and digital marketing.
Can you share something surprising about yourself?
I landed my first UGC gig on Upwork. it required some digging, but a lot of people that are looking to get started building relationships with brands and agencies might be surprised to find out that Upwork is a good place to start.
Pricing:
- UGC – $350
Contact Info:
- Website: https://karlapatricia.com/
- Instagram: Instagram: @karlagonzalezo
- Other: Tiktok: @karlagonzalezxo
Image Credits
Solo shot w/ Orange Shorts – Brenda Hernandez (@bvrnda)
