UGC (user-generated style content) is one of the best-performing ad formats today. But most of the videos produced can’t be used in advertising.
The reason is usually not the creator. It’s the brief.
A brief that says “use the product, talk naturally, shoot something nice” produces a video nobody stops for. The structure below raises the share of usable content noticeably.
The 8 things a brief must contain
1. Who are we talking to
Not age and gender — write the situation.
Bad: “Women aged 25-40” Good: “Mothers with two children, rushing in the morning, who don’t want to lose time in the kitchen”
If the creator doesn’t know who they’re talking to, they talk to everyone and reach no one.
2. One single message
There must be one thing the video says. Listing five benefits leaves none of them in the memory.
“This is ready in 30 seconds.” That’s it. The other benefits are the subject of other videos.
3. The hook — word for word
Write the first sentence yourself; don’t leave it to the creator. The hook is the most critical part of the ad.
In the brief it should look like this:
First line (to be said exactly): “If I’d known this six months ago I’d have saved a lot of money.” First frame: a hand pulling the product out of a bag — nothing static
4. The flow
Write it in seconds:
- 0-3s: hook, product in hand
- 3-8s: the problem — “the same thing every morning”
- 8-18s: usage, in real time
- 18-25s: the result, facial expression
- 25-30s: the action — “tap the link”
5. Shooting conditions
- Vertical 9:16, a phone camera is enough
- Natural light, facing a window
- Sound from the phone — no background music (we add that)
- Not one take: shoot each section separately
Don’t ask for studio quality. The reason UGC works is precisely that it doesn’t look like an ad.
6. What must not be said
Write the legal restrictions up front. Especially in cosmetics, supplements and health:
- No “treats”, “heals”, “cures”
- No definite timeframe for results
- No competitor brand names
If these get said, the video goes in the bin.
7. How many variations
Don’t ask for a single video. Have 3-5 different hooks shot with the same body. It barely raises the cost and multiplies what you can test.
8. Delivery format
- Raw files, unedited
- No subtitles (we add them)
- At least 1080x1920
If you receive an edited video, you can’t test it.
Five common mistakes
1. Leaving the script completely open. “Make it natural” doesn’t mean “make it directionless”. Give the hook and the flow; leave the wording to the creator.
2. Showing the product too late. The product should appear within the first 5 seconds. Hiding it to build curiosity loses the viewer.
3. Making the video too long. 30 seconds is the upper limit for most products. 15-20 seconds usually works better.
4. Working with a single creator. A different face, a different voice, a different home reaches different audiences. One video each from three creators beats three videos from one.
5. Not sharing the results. Tell the creator which video worked. The second batch of content comes back noticeably better.
Short brief template
Copy and fill in:
PRODUCT:
AUDIENCE: (as a situation)
ONE MESSAGE:
FIRST LINE: (to be said exactly)
FIRST FRAME:
FLOW: 0-3 / 3-8 / 8-18 / 18-25 / 25-30
SHOOTING: vertical, natural light, no music
DO NOT SAY:
VARIATIONS: ... different hooks
DELIVERY: raw, no subtitles, 1080x1920Content shot from a brief like this comes back with a visibly higher usable rate than content shot from an open brief. The reason is simple: the creator knows what to do.