UGC Briefing: How to Write a Brief That Gets Great Videos
When a brand receives a disappointing UGC video, 90% of the time the problem wasn't the creator — it was the brief. A vague brief produces vague videos; a suffocating brief produces infomercial-style ads. This guide teaches you to write the middle ground — the one-page brief that gets natural, on-brand videos — and includes a ready-to-copy template.
Why the brief decides the outcome
The UGC creator doesn't know your product, your customer or your story. Everything they know is in your brief. If you don't tell them your cream is for sensitive skin, they'll film a generic "moisturising cream" video that differentiates nothing. And the reverse is also true: if you impose a word-for-word script, you'll kill the naturalness — which is exactly why UGC converts better than brand-produced content (if you need context, start with what is UGC).
The rule that sums up this guide: fix the WHAT, free the HOW.
The 8 sections of a complete UGC brief
1. The product in one sentence
What it is and its main benefit, in your customer's language. Not "innovative dermal hydration solution" but "cream that calms sensitive skin in one application".
2. Who you're talking to
Describe the person who will watch the video: age, situation, what problem they have. "Women aged 25-40 with reactive skin who've already tried everything" gives infinitely more direction than "general audience".
3. Where the video will be used
Organic on your profile, paid ads (Meta Ads, TikTok Ads), or both. This changes how the creator films and affects usage rights — and therefore the price, as we explain in how much a UGC creator charges.
4. Format and length
Vertical 9:16, target length (15-30-60 seconds), with or without subtitles, and the type of piece: testimonial, unboxing, problem→solution, demo… If you're going to run it as an ad, say which structure you want to test.
5. The must-haves (max. 3)
The messages that absolutely must appear: the brand name spoken aloud, the headline benefit, the call to action. If everything is a must-have, nothing is — more than 3 mandatory points and the video will start to sound like an ad.
6. The forbidden
Claims you legally can't make ("cures", "makes you lose weight"), comparisons with competitors, words your brand doesn't use. It's much cheaper to forbid it in the brief than to ask for a reshoot.
7. References
Two or three links to videos (yours, from your industry, or simply for style) with one line on what you like about each: "this hook", "this relatable tone", "this cutting rhythm".
8. Logistics
Delivery date, revision rounds included, how the creator will receive the product, and in what format they'll deliver the video.
The 4 mistakes that ruin briefs (and videos)
- The dictated script. If you write every word, hire an actor. The UGC creator works when they tell your product's story in their own voice.
- The infinite brief. Nobody reads an eight-page brand manual. One page. If it doesn't fit, it isn't clear to you either.
- The telegram brief. "30-second video showing the product" produces exactly that: a run-of-the-mill video. Vagueness isn't creative freedom, it's a lack of direction.
- Asking for one video to do everything. A video that wants to be an ad, organic content and a corporate pitch at the same time works for none of them. One video, one objective.
UGC brief template (copy it)
Fill in these lines and you'll have a better brief than most brands:
- Product: [what it is + main benefit in one sentence]
- Customer: [who they are and what problem they have]
- Video use: [organic / ads / both + licence duration]
- Format: [9:16, length, type of piece, subtitles yes/no]
- Must include (max. 3): [must-have messages]
- Can't include: [forbidden claims, banned words]
- References: [2-3 links + what you like about each]
- Delivery: [date, revisions included, product shipping]
The brief is half the job; the other half is choosing well
A perfect brief in the wrong creator's hands still produces a bad video. That's why the ideal process is to publish your campaign with the brief and receive several applications from creators aligned with your niche, compare their portfolios, and choose. And if the goal is to run ads, produce variants with more than one creator to test — we explain how in UGC ads.
Publish your brief and get candidates today
On SparkMatch you publish your campaign with your brief for free and receive applications from verified Spanish micro-creators. Compare portfolios, choose, and only pay when you approve the video.
Frequently asked questions
What should a UGC brief include?
Product and benefit, audience, where the video will be used, format and length, a maximum of 3 mandatory messages, what's forbidden, references, and delivery logistics.
Should I write the full script?
No. Fix the structure and key messages and let the creator tell it in their own words: that's where the conversion lives.
How long should it be?
One page. If it takes more than 5 minutes to understand, it's wrong.
Note: mentions of advertising claim regulations are indicative and do not constitute legal advice. Check the regulations for your industry.