# UGC brief generator

Fill in a short form and get a complete UGC creator brief to copy, download or post free as a casting call on UGCStars.

Free, no sign-up · By [Murat Bo](https://ugcstars.com/about), founder of UGCStars · Updated 26 October 2026 · Guide: 10 min read

## The tool

The generator asks for the product, the goal, the format and length, up to three key messages, must-show shots, do’s and don’ts, the creator you want, usage rights, deliverables, the deadline and the budget. It lays them out as a brief you can copy, download as a text file or print, and you can post it free as a casting call on UGCStars. Use it at https://ugcstars.com/tools/ugc-brief-generator.

## The short version

To get the video you need from a UGC brief, decide what the video is for and where it will run, then answer every field with something a creator can act on: one format and length, three key messages in plain words, the shots the video can’t work without, and exact usage, deliverables, deadline and budget.

The generator above turns those answers into a structured brief you can copy, download as a text file, or print and save as a PDF. If you don’t have creators yet, you can [post a brief](https://ugcstars.com/post-a-brief) free as a UGCStars casting call: matching creators who opted in get it by email and contact you directly.

Below, each field gets weak and useful answers side by side, plus three filled-in briefs. For what a brief is and how much to script, read [How to write a UGC brief](https://ugcstars.com/resources/how-to-write-a-ugc-brief).

1. Choose one goal and every platform the video will run on.
2. Pick one format and a length that suits the placement.
3. Write three key messages, the most important first.
4. List the must-show shots and the real do’s and don’ts.
5. Fill in the creator, usage, deliverables, deadline and budget exactly.

## The goal field decides everything

Fill in the goal and placement first, because every other field depends on them. A paid ad and an organic post can show the same product and still need a different hook, call to action, usage and budget.

Write the goal as one outcome: “Sell the first tube to new customers” or “Show our followers how to use the refill.” If you want sales and awareness, pick the one you’ll judge the video by.

**How paid and organic placement change the brief**

| Field | Paid ad | Organic post |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Hook | Stops a stranger who didn’t choose to see it. Ask for 2–3 hooks to test. | Fits the feed of people who follow you. One hook is often enough. |
| Call to action | One clear next step, such as “tap to shop” | Softer, such as “follow for part two”, or none |
| Usage and budget | Paid channels, a period and countries, priced on top of the starting rate | Your own accounts and website, closer to the starting rate |
| Ad access | Say if it will run from the creator’s account with TikTok Spark Ads or Meta partnership ads | Not needed |

### TikTok, Reels and Shorts

All three use vertical 9:16 video, so one shoot can serve them all. Name each one anyway, so the creator keeps text clear of each app’s buttons and avoids sounds that may not be cleared for ads.

## Choosing the format and length

Pick one format per video, because each format asks the creator for something different. The format field tells them what to prepare, and the table shows what each one needs from you.

**What each format needs from you**

| Format | What the creator needs from you | Length to start with |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Testimonial | Time to use the product first, and the result to talk about | 20–45 seconds |
| Unboxing | The product unopened, in its real packaging | 15–30 seconds |
| Product demo | How it works and the one feature to show | 20–45 seconds |
| Problem–solution | The problem in your customer’s words, and the fix on camera | 20–40 seconds |
| Tutorial | The steps in order and the result at the end | 30–60 seconds |
| Voiceover | The footage or screens to talk over | 15–45 seconds |

_Our starting points, not platform limits._

Length is also a line on the quote: a 60-second tutorial takes longer to plan, film and edit than a 15-second unboxing. If you need several lengths, enter the longest and list the shorter cut-downs under deliverables.

A testimonial says the creator uses the product, so leave time in the deadline for them to use it. A voiceover needs the most from you: the footage, screens or test account they’ll record over.

## Key messages: three, in plain words

Use the first key message slot for the one thing the viewer must remember, and the other two for the reasons to believe it. A short video lands one idea well, so the creator builds around the first.

Write each message the way a customer would say it to a friend. Creators put messages into their own words, and plain words survive that. Marketing phrases get read stiffly or dropped.

**Weak and plain key messages**

| Weak | Plain | Why it works |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Revolutionary hydration technology | My skin doesn’t feel tight by lunchtime | A result the viewer can picture |
| Chef-quality meals, delivered | Dinner is on the table in 20 minutes | A number and a moment, not an adjective |
| Take control of your financial wellness | You see what’s left to spend before you tap your card | Something the app actually shows |

_Example messages for hypothetical products._

Check each one. Can the creator show it? “Sinks in in a minute” can be filmed, “next-level formula” can’t. Can you back it up? Once a creator says it in your ad, it’s your claim.

You don’t have to fill all three. One clear message beats three that compete for the same 30 seconds.

## Must-show shots and do’s and don’ts

These fields control what the viewer sees and what the video avoids. Keep both short, and leave the rest to the creator.

### Must-show shots

List the shots the video fails without, written as what the viewer should see. “The label, readable, in the first five seconds” says what matters. “Close-up, slow push in” says how to film it, which is the creator’s call. Typical entries: the product in hand, the product in use, the result, and the size or texture buyers check.

Keep the list short enough to film from memory. For a scene-by-scene plan, use the [Shot list and script outline](https://ugcstars.com/templates/shot-list).

### Do’s and don’ts

Use them for hard limits and for things the creator can’t know. Taste is easier to show with a reference video than to describe.

**What belongs in do’s and don’ts**

| Type of entry | Example | Keep it? |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Claims | Don’t say it treats acne. Say “for oily skin.” | Yes. The creator can’t know what’s approved. |
| Practical needs | Film with the cap off so the pump shows. | Yes. It saves a reshoot. |
| Taste | Be authentic. High energy. | No. Send a reference video instead. |

_Example entries._

Leave the wording, the room, the order of the middle beats and the edit to the creator. That’s what you hire them for.

## Creator, usage, deliverables, deadline and budget fields

These fields decide the quote. A creator prices what you write, so a vague answer comes back as a question or a padded quote.

**Vague and quotable answers**

| Field | Vague | Quotable |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Creator | Young, relatable, good energy | Women 25–40 in the US with oily skin, filming at home |
| Usage rights | Full rights | Paid ads on Meta and TikTok in the US for 90 days |
| Deliverables | A few videos and some B-roll | 2 videos of 30 seconds, 9:16, 3 hooks each, raw clips |
| Deadline | ASAP | Final files by 14 November, product arrives by 31 October |
| Budget | Open to offers | $250–300 per video including usage, plus the product |

_Example entries for a hypothetical brand._

### Who the creator should be

Describe what has to be true on camera, not a look: age, country, language, the situation the product fits and anything they must own, such as a dog. Mark which details are musts. [How to find UGC creators](https://ugcstars.com/resources/how-to-find-ugc-creators) covers the shortlist.

### Usage rights

Write the channels, period, countries and ad access. “Full rights” can mean organic posts or a buyout with no end date, and creators price the widest reading. [How to charge for UGC usage rights](https://ugcstars.com/resources/how-to-charge-for-ugc-usage-rights) shows how each term moves the price.

### Deliverables, deadline and budget

List every file, from hooks and cut-downs to raw footage and photos, because each is a line on the quote. Set a deadline that leaves time to ship, use the product, film and edit.

Give the budget as a number or a range, and say what it includes. The [UGC budget calculator](https://ugcstars.com/tools/ugc-budget-calculator) adds up videos, hooks and usage, and the [UGC Rate Index](https://ugcstars.com/rates) shows the starting rates creators set on their profiles.

## Three filled-in examples

Each example is a complete set of generator answers for a different format and placement.

**Example brief: skincare testimonial for paid ads**

| Field | Answer |
| --- | --- |
| Product | Dewlane Gel Moisturizer for oily skin, $26 |
| Goal and placement | Sales, from paid ads on TikTok and Instagram Reels |
| Format | Testimonial, 30 seconds |
| Creator | Women 25–40 in the US with oily skin |
| Key messages | 1. It doesn’t leave my skin shiny. 2. It sits well under makeup. 3. One pump is enough. |
| Must-show shots | The name on the bottle, the gel on a fingertip, skin a few minutes later |
| Do’s and don’ts | Use your own words. Don’t say it treats acne. |
| Usage and deliverables | US ads on Meta and TikTok for 90 days. 2 videos, 3 hooks each. |
| Deadline and budget | Files by 21 November. $275 per video, usage and hooks included. |

_Hypothetical brand, product and figures._

**Example brief: meal kit unboxing for organic posts**

| Field | Answer |
| --- | --- |
| Product | Simmerbox, a weekly kit with three dinners for two |
| Goal and placement | Show what arrives, organic on TikTok and YouTube Shorts |
| Format | Unboxing, 20–30 seconds |
| Creator | Couples in the US who cook at home |
| Key messages | 1. Three dinners in one box. 2. Everything is measured, so nothing is wasted. 3. It stays cold on the doorstep. |
| Must-show shots | The box on the doorstep, opening it, one finished dish |
| Do’s and don’ts | React as you open it. Don’t open it before filming. |
| Usage and deliverables | Organic on our accounts and website for 12 months. 1 video plus 5 photos. |
| Deadline and budget | Files by 15 November. $200, plus the box. |

_Hypothetical brand, product and figures._

**Example brief: budgeting app voiceover for paid ads**

| Field | Answer |
| --- | --- |
| Product | Nestcount, a budgeting app for couples, free or $5 a month |
| Goal and placement | App installs from paid ads on TikTok and Instagram Reels |
| Format | Voiceover over our screen recordings, 20 seconds |
| Creator | People 25–40 in the US or UK who share bills with a partner |
| Key messages | 1. You both see the same balance. 2. Shared bills split automatically. 3. Setup takes two minutes. |
| Must-show shots | The shared balance and a bill being split (our recordings), then you holding the phone |
| Do’s and don’ts | Record in a quiet room. Don’t call it financial advice. |
| Usage and deliverables | US and UK ads on Meta and TikTok for 6 months. 2 videos plus the voice tracks. |
| Deadline and budget | Files by 12 November. $220 per video, usage included. |

_Hypothetical brand, product and figures._

Each fixes the message, the proof and the terms, and leaves the hook and the edit open. Once a creator says yes, the [Campaign brief template](https://ugcstars.com/templates/campaign-brief) turns these answers into the full brief you send with the agreement.

## How creators read a brief

A creator reads a brief to answer two questions: can I quote this, and can I film it? They tend to check it in this order.

1. **Deliverables, usage, deadline and budget.** Together these decide whether the job is possible and worth it.
2. **The creator description.** If they don’t match your viewer, they pass.
3. **The must-show shots.** Shots that need a garden, a child or a second person rule some creators out.
4. **The key messages and don’ts.** These tell them whether they can say it honestly.

### What makes them decline

- A budget that covers the video but not the usage you ask for.
- A deadline that leaves no time to use the product.
- Unlimited rounds of changes, or no named person who approves.
- Messages that make claims the creator can’t stand behind.

Most of these are about terms, not the idea. A creator can work with almost any format, but not with terms that don’t add up.

## For creators: what to ask when a brief is missing something

If a field is empty or vague, ask before you quote, and put every question in one message so the brand can answer in one reply.

- **No usage:** ask where it will run, for how long and in which countries, and quote paid use separately.
- **No deliverables count:** ask how many videos, hooks and cut-downs, and whether they want raw footage.
- **No deadline:** ask when they need final files and when the product ships.
- **No budget:** quote your starting rate and list each add-on on its own line.

The Creator Hub [brand email templates](https://ugcstars.com/creator-hub/email-replies) include an email for asking a brand for a full brief.

## Before you send the brief

Go through these before you copy, download or post the brief, or before you reply to one.

### For brands

- [ ] Does the goal name one outcome and every platform?
- [ ] Is there one format, with a length that suits the placement?
- [ ] Is the first key message the one thing the viewer must remember?
- [ ] Is every must-show shot one the video fails without?
- [ ] Does usage name the channels, period, countries and ad access?
- [ ] Is every file counted, with a deadline and a budget that cover it?

### For creators

- [ ] Do I fit the creator description?
- [ ] Can I film every must-show shot where I live?
- [ ] Can I say the key messages honestly?
- [ ] Does the budget cover the usage, not only the video?
- [ ] Is there time to use the product before the deadline?

A brief a creator can quote and film from without a question back gets you quotes you can compare and a first cut close to the video you pictured.

## Post a free brief

We send it to matching creators who opted in. No account needed. [Post a Free Brief](https://ugcstars.com/post-a-brief)

## More free tools

- [UGC rate calculator](https://ugcstars.com/tools/ugc-rate-calculator) (For Creators)
- [UGC budget calculator](https://ugcstars.com/tools/ugc-budget-calculator) (For Brands)
- [UGC portfolio checker](https://ugcstars.com/tools/ugc-portfolio-checker) (For Creators)
- [UGC invoice generator](https://ugcstars.com/tools/ugc-invoice-generator) (For Creators)