A Side Hustle Making Short Videos for Brands

Why Short Videos Make a Good Side Hustle

Brands want to be talked about by real people, not just seen in their own adverts. A short, honest video from an everyday creator can feel like a recommendation from a friend, which is why many brands pay creators to make them.

For you, that means work you can do from home, in your own style, at times that suit you. There's no shop to run or stock to hold, and a phone with a decent camera is enough to start.

What the Work Looks Like

Each campaign comes with a brief that explains what the brand would like to see. Common types include:

• Try it out: get your hands on a product, try it and share your honest take.
• Store visits: pop into a shop, explore a new range and bring your followers along.
• Online walkthroughs: show people how to buy, sign up or unlock a membership.
• First looks: be among the first to share a brand-new product or service.
• Everyday demos: show how something works in day-to-day life.
• Before and after: share what happened next, from the compliments to the results.

What You Need to Get Started

• To be 18 or over.
• At least 1,000 followers on TikTok, Instagram or YouTube, on an account you own.
• A phone, good natural light and a quiet spot for clear sound.
• A little time each week to film, edit and post.

You don't need professional kit or editing software. Brands are looking for videos that feel natural, so a clear, honest video filmed on a phone often works best.

How It Works on Brief72

1. 01

   Pick a Campaign

   Browse the live briefs in the app and apply to the ones that suit you.

2. 02

   Get the Green Light

   The brand (or our team) looks at your profile and decides whether you're a good fit.

3. 03

   Film and Upload

   Once you're approved, you have 72 hours to make your video and upload it for review.

4. 04

   Post It

   When your video is approved, post it on your channel within 48 hours, with the ad label, and add the link in the app. Don't post it before it's approved: videos posted early aren't paid.

5. 05

   Get Paid

   We check your post's views for 5 days from when you add its link. If there are no warning signs, your fee then goes into your Brief72 account. If there are, our team reviews the fee and pays it in full or not at all.

If a video isn't approved first time, you'll get feedback and can try again, with a fresh 72 hours. Most briefs allow up to 2 attempts.

How Much Can You Earn?

Fees depend on the brief and on the views your videos usually get, so there's no single answer. On Brief72, each brief shows what you'll be paid before you apply, and your fee is fixed from the moment you're approved: the views your post gets don't change it. If a brief can't show your fee yet, we'll tell you what it is when you're approved, and you can pull out if you don't want to go ahead. There's nothing to pay to join or to apply.

It's best thought of as a way to earn extra income alongside other work, rather than a salary. How much you make depends on the briefs you take on and how many you're approved for.

Fitting It Around Your Week

Because you choose which briefs to apply for, you decide how busy you are. Some creators film at the weekend, others in the evenings or on a lunch break.

• Batch your filming: set up your light once and film two or three takes.
• Keep a simple kit ready: a phone stand, a cloth for your lens and a spot with good light.
• Read the brief twice before you film, so you get it right first time.
• Check the timing: you have 72 hours from approval, so only take on what you can deliver.

Things to Check Before You Say Yes

• What the brief asks for, and whether it fits your channel and your honest opinion.
• Whether you need to buy the product, and whether the brief says you’ll be paid back for it. Check before you apply.
• How long the post needs to stay up: at least 6 months, unless the brief says otherwise.
• That any music you use is cleared for brand use.

Every paid post needs to be labelled clearly as an ad, at the start, so people know before they watch. The ASA's guidance for influencers explains how.

A Quick Note on Tax

Money from a side hustle can count as income, and so can free products or services you get for promoting things. In the UK, if your side hustle income adds up to £1,000 or less in a tax year (6 April to 5 April), before any costs, the trading allowance usually means you don't need to tell HMRC. If it's more, you'll need to register for Self Assessment by 5 October after the end of that tax year. Brief72 also has to report what you earn to HMRC each year. GOV.UK's guide to tax-free allowances on property and trading income explains the rules.