UGC
What to include in a UGC brief
A UGC brief should tell the creator what to make, how it will be used, what rights are needed, and what must be submitted without scripting away their natural style.
UGC is often confused with influencer posting. Sometimes a UGC creator posts from their own account. Often, they create assets for the business to use. The brief needs to say which one applies.
A good UGC brief gives structure without turning the creator into a robot. It should explain the business, objective, audience, deliverables, usage rights, revision process, disclosure expectations, and deadline.
Key points
- UGC briefs need deliverables and usage rights, not just creative direction.
- Say whether content is posted, delivered as files, or both.
- Disclosure still matters when UGC is publicly posted as campaign content.
Campaign objective
Start by explaining what the content is meant to support. Keep it practical.
- Local discovery.
- Product or service explanation.
- Landing-page proof.
- Paid ad creative testing.
- Launch or offer support.
Audience and content angle
Tell the creator who the content is for and what problem or desire the content should address.
- First-time visitor uncertainty.
- Booking confidence.
- Menu or service discovery.
- Before/after education.
- Local recommendation and trust.
Deliverables
Be specific about what the creator must deliver.
- Number of videos or photos.
- Length of each video.
- Aspect ratio.
- Raw footage included or not.
- Hooks, captions, thumbnails, or subtitles.
- Posted content, delivered files, or both.
Creative guidance
Give useful direction without over-scripting.
- Must-capture moments.
- Talking points.
- Words or claims to avoid.
- Brand tone.
- Examples of content structure, such as problem, experience, result, and next step.
Usage rights
UGC rights should be written clearly before content is created.
- Organic social use.
- Website or landing-page use.
- Paid ads use.
- Usage duration.
- Editing permissions.
- Whether the creator must be tagged or credited.
Submission and review
The brief should say exactly how the creator submits content and how feedback works.
- Submission method.
- Deadline.
- Number of revision rounds.
- Approval process.
- Payment or offer release timing.
Research sources
FAQs
Common questions
Is UGC the same as influencer marketing?
Not always. Influencer marketing usually involves posting to the creator's audience. UGC may be created for the business to use independently.
Should a UGC brief include usage rights?
Yes. Usage rights are central to UGC because the business often wants to reuse the content.
How many revisions should be included?
One revision round is common for simple briefs, but the exact number should be agreed before work starts.
Does UGC need disclosure?
If the creator posts the content publicly and receives payment, gifts, credits, or other rewards, disclosure may be needed.
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