# How to brief UGC creators

> A good UGC brief gets you usable ads on the first try. What to include, a copyable brief template and the mistakes that waste creator time.
- **Author**: Marxx
- **Published**: 2026-10-21
- **Category**: Creative
- **URL**: https://marxx.ai/library-guides/how-to-brief-ugc-creators

---

A good UGC brief tells the creator who the ad is for, the one message to land, three hooks to try, what to show on camera and what to avoid. Keep it to one page. Leave room for the creator's own style.

## What to include

1. **The goal.** "A 20 to 30 second ad for new customers on Instagram Reels."
2. **The buyer.** One line: who they are and what bothers them.
3. **The one message.** The single reason to buy. Not five.
4. **Hooks.** Three openings to film, so you can test them.
5. **Must show.** The product in use, the result, the packaging if it matters.
6. **Must say.** Any legal lines, the offer and the call to action.
7. **Do not.** Claims you cannot prove, competitor names, music you cannot license.
8. **Specs.** 9:16, 1080 x 1920, natural light, no filters, captions off (you add them).
9. **Deliverables.** Number of videos, raw clips, deadline and usage rights.

## A copyable mini brief

```
Product: [name, price]
Goal: [platform, length, audience stage]
Buyer: [one line]
One message: [one line]
Hooks to film: 1) [ ] 2) [ ] 3) [ ]
Show: [product in use, result, close-up]
Say: [offer, call to action, disclaimer]
Avoid: [claims, names, music]
Specs: 9:16, 1080x1920, 20-30s, raw + edited
Usage: paid ads, [months], [platforms]
Deadline: [date]
```

For a fuller version, use the [UGC brief template](/templates/ugc-brief-template).

## A worked example

Say a pet food brand's first brief said "make a fun video about our food". It got three dog videos with no product shot. The second brief named the buyer (owners of picky eaters), one message (dogs finish the bowl), three hooks and "show the empty bowl at the end". All three videos were usable as ads.

## Mistakes that waste time

- Scripting every word, which makes creators sound like actors
- No hooks, so every video opens the same way
- Forgetting usage rights, then being unable to run the video as an ad
- Asking for five messages in 30 seconds

## FAQ

### Should I give creators a full script?

Give a structure and key lines, not every word. Natural delivery is the point of UGC.

### How many hooks should each creator film?

Three is a good default. Hooks are cheap to film and easy to test against each other.

---
- [More Creative articles](https://marxx.ai/library-guides/category/creative)
- [All articles](https://marxx.ai/library-guides)