Install the UGC skills into Claude Code.
Skills are small, focused instructions Claude loads on demand. The Arcads team open-sourced a full set: script writing, actor selection, video generation, b-roll, and asset polling. Together they turn Claude into a UGC director.
The repo lives here:
github.com/krusemediallc/arcads-claude-code
1
Clone the skills repo
Pull it into your ~/.claude/skills/ folder so Claude Code can see every skill on launch.
2
Open Claude Code
Fire it up in any directory. The skills auto-load when their trigger words show up in your prompt.
3
Paste in your API key
Set ARCADS_API_KEY as an environment variable, or paste it into Claude when prompted. The skill handles auth from there.
Why Skills Beat Prompts A skill is a reusable agent. You install it once and Claude knows the Arcads API forever. You stop re-explaining the workflow every session.
Drop in your client's brief in plain English.
This is the part that surprises people. You don't need a Notion doc. You don't need a creative deck. You write three lines and Claude does the rest.
Every brief boils down to three answers:
- Product — what is it and what does it do?
- Audience — who buys it and what do they care about?
- Offer — price, promo, or call to action
That's it. Write it like a text message, not a contract. Claude maps it into hooks, scripts, and actor choices automatically.
Steal this template: "Product is X. Audience is Y. Offer is Z. Generate 20 UGC ads with different hooks and actors." Send it. Walk away.
An example brief that works
"Product is a $29 magnesium sleep supplement. Audience is stressed founders 25 to 40 who can't fall asleep. Offer is 30% off the first bottle with free shipping. Generate 20 UGC ads — different hooks, different actors, different angles."
Three sentences. That's the entire creative input.
The cleaner the offer, the cleaner the ad. Vague briefs make vague hooks. Spend two minutes writing the brief and Claude will spend two minutes generating gold.
Watch Claude take over your computer.
Hit enter on the brief and step back. Claude does four things in sequence:
1
Writes 20 scripts
Different hooks, different angles, different problems. Some are testimonial, some are direct response, some are pattern interrupts.
2
Picks the right actor for each script
It pulls from the Arcads library and matches voice, age, and vibe to the script. A serious script gets a serious actor.
3
Fires every job to Arcads in parallel
Twenty render jobs go out at once. No waiting in line. No manual queueing.
4
Drops the finished MP4s in your folder
Each video lands in a local folder, named by hook. You can drag them straight into Meta Ads Manager.
The Visual Peak By the time you finish your coffee, you have 20 finished UGC ads. None of the people are real. Most viewers can't tell.
This is the part that breaks people. They've spent years thinking video production was a moat. It isn't. Not anymore.
The agency math nobody is talking about.
Brands are paying $3,000 to $8,000 a month for UGC retainers. Most of that cost is human labor — actors, writers, editors, project managers. You don't have any of that.
Your real cost is two things: Arcads credits and a Claude Code subscription. Together it's well under $200 a month per active client.
The $1,500 offer that prints
Charge $1,500 per month. Deliver 20 fresh ads in 24 hours. Iterate every week with new hooks based on what's performing. Brands say yes because you're half the price and twice the speed of their current agency.
Margin Math $1,500 in. ~$150 in tools out. That's a 90% gross margin business you can run from a dorm room.
How to land the first client fast
- Pick one niche — supplements, skincare, fitness, or DTC food
- Generate 5 ads for free — pick a brand, send them the videos
- Pitch the retainer — show them what one prompt produced and what 30 days could look like
The free sample is the close. No deck, no demo call. They watch the videos, they see the speed, they sign.
Your 7-day launch plan.
Stop reading. Start shipping. Here's exactly what to do this week to land your first client.
1
Day 1 — Set up the stack
Create your Arcads account, grab your API key, install the skills from the GitHub repo, and run one test brief.
2
Day 2 — Pick your niche
Choose one vertical. Go narrow. "DTC sleep supplements" beats "wellness brands."
3
Day 3 — Build a sample reel
Pick one real brand in your niche. Generate 10 UGC ads against their actual product. Save them as MP4s.
4
Day 4 — Send the cold DM
Send the videos directly to the founder on Instagram or LinkedIn. No pitch. Just: "Made these for you in an hour. Want 20 more?"
5
Day 5 — Repeat for 20 brands
Same process. Same niche. Volume is the variable. One out of 20 will reply.
6
Day 6 — Close on a 7-day trial
Offer 7 days free, $1,500 a month after. Easy yes. They risk nothing.
7
Day 7 — Deliver
Run the brief through Claude. Drop 20 finished ads in their inbox by end of day. They're locked in.
The Real Unlock You don't need to be good at video. You need to be good at briefs and good at outreach. The stack handles the rest.