# How to edit UGC ads > Edit a UGC ad in six steps: cut to the hook, trim pauses, add captions in the safe zone, clean the sound and export 9:16. With a worked cut list. - **Author**: Marxx - **Published**: 2026-11-13 - **Category**: Video editing - **URL**: https://marxx.ai/library-guides/how-to-edit-ugc-ads --- To edit a UGC ad, cut the creator's clip to a hook, one proof and an offer. Then add captions in the safe zone, clean the sound and export 9:16. ## Six steps 1. Watch the raw clip once. Mark the hook line, the best proof shot and the offer line. 2. Move the hook to second zero. Cut the hello, the logo and the setup. See [how to edit the first three seconds](/guides/how-to-edit-a-video-ad-hook). 3. Cut pauses, filler words and repeated takes. Cover each jump cut with a close-up or a small zoom. 4. Add captions in the creator's own words. Keep them out of the edges listed below. See [how to add captions to video ads](/guides/how-to-add-captions-to-video-ads). 5. Clean the sound. Keep the creator's voice clear and the music low or off. Meta's developer blog says over 75% of Reels views on Instagram are [sound on](https://developers.facebook.com/blog/post/2024/11/07/unlock-the-power-of-reel-ads/). 6. Export a 9:16 MP4 and watch it on a phone. Keep a little roughness on purpose. The ad should still look like a post, not a studio shoot. We make Marxx. In [Marxx's AI video editor](/features/ai-video-editor) you can remove silences and filler words and add auto-captions at word, phrase or sentence level. Cut is $9 a month at launch prices (checked 3 Nov 2026). ## Mind the safe zone Meta says to leave roughly 14% of the top, 35% of the bottom and 6% of each side free of text and logos. This applies to Reels and Stories (Meta ads guide, checked 3 Nov 2026). The app's buttons cover those edges. | Edge | Share of the frame | At 1080 x 1920 (worked out) | |---|---|---| | Top | 14% | 269 px | | Bottom | 35% | 672 px | | Each side | 6% | 65 px | The pixel figures are our arithmetic from Meta's percentages. Meta does not publish them. ## A worked example Say a creator sends a 60-second clip for a INR 799 desk lamp. You cut it to 24 seconds. | Final time | What stays | What goes | |---|---|---| | 0 to 3 s | "My desk was always dark after 8 pm." The lamp switching on | The 8-second hello and intro | | 3 to 10 s | She turns the lamp through three brightness levels | Two repeated takes and the long pauses | | 10 to 18 s | Close-up of the folding arm, then the price tag | A story about how she found the brand | | 18 to 24 s | "INR 799, link below" and the offer | The sign-off and the goodbye | 3 + 7 + 8 + 6 = 24 seconds. The lines are example copy we wrote. Now make a second cut with a different first three seconds, and test both. ## Mistakes to avoid - Polishing so hard that the ad stops feeling like UGC - Leaving the creator's hello at the start - Putting captions in the bottom third, where the buttons sit - Running loud music over the creator's voice - Skipping a read of auto-captions. Check names, prices and INR amounts For the brief that comes before the edit, see [how to brief UGC creators](/guides/how-to-brief-ugc-creators). For tools, see the [best video editors for UGC ads](/best/best-video-editors-for-ugc-ads). To shoot and run the ad, see [how to make UGC ads](/guides/how-to-make-ugc-ads). ## FAQ ### How long should a UGC ad be? As short as it takes to land the offer. Instagram Stories play videos under 16 seconds in full. Facebook Stories play 15 seconds or less in full (Meta ads guide, checked 3 Nov 2026). ### Should I add music? Keep it low under the voice. Meta's Reels ad spec does not allow licensed music in Reels ads. ### Do I need to colour grade a UGC clip? Not much. Fix exposure so clips from different creators match, and leave the natural look. --- - [More Video editing articles](https://marxx.ai/library-guides/category/video-editing) - [All articles](https://marxx.ai/library-guides)