A good UGC brief fits on one page: the product, the customer, the one message, what the creator must and must not say, the outfit and background, the language, the filming route and how many videos you need. The most common reason a UGC video gets filmed twice is a guideline that was missed, such as the wrong outfit or not using a white wall when the brand asked for one. Copy the template below and fill it in before you order.
Key takeaways
- One page, one message. A video that tries to say five things says none of them.
- Write the visuals down: outfit, background and props. A missed outfit or background is a typical reason a video is filmed again.
- Name the language and the route: Lebanese Arabic, English or French; the creator’s phone, their place, or our studio.
- Give the creator room. Send points, not a word-for-word script, and we help shape the final script so it sounds natural.
Our network of 25 UGC creators delivers over 80 videos a month, and every one starts from a brief. When a video has to be redone, the most common cause is a creator not reading the brand’s guidelines. Below is the brief template we’d like every brand to send, with notes on each field. When yours is ready, send it on our UGC content creation page.
Finding 1: Most redos come from missed guidelines
The most common mistake we see is a creator not reading the brand’s guidelines, and the video has to be filmed again. Typical cases:
- The wrong outfit: not what the brand asked the creator to wear.
- The wrong background: another setting when the brand asked for a white wall.
Creators must read the guideline before they press record. Brands can help too, by writing the visual requirements down clearly instead of assuming them.
Practical translation: if the outfit or the background matters to you, it goes in the brief, in one line each.
Finding 2: The UGC brief template
Copy this table into a document and fill in every line. Leave a line blank only if you truly don’t mind.
| Field | What to write |
|---|---|
| Brand and product | Name, what it is, the link to it. |
| Customer | Who buys it (age, where they live, what they care about). |
| The one message | The single thing a viewer must remember. |
| The hook | The opening line or image you’d like, or “suggest one”. |
| Must say | The product name, the offer, any exact wording. |
| Must not say | Claims to avoid, competitors’ names, words you never use. |
| Outfit | Colours, style, anything to avoid (logos, patterns). |
| Background and setting | White wall, kitchen, bathroom, outdoors, our studio. |
| Props | What must be in the shot besides the product. |
| Language | Lebanese Arabic, English, French, or the natural mix. |
| Filming route | The creator’s phone, the creator’s place, or our Zouk Mosbeh studio. |
| Format and length | First impression, problem and fix, unboxing, routine, review or “three reasons”; how many seconds. |
| Number of videos | And whether you want different creators or different hooks. |
| Where it will run | TikTok ads, Meta ads, your own pages. |
| Deadline | The date you need the videos. |
Practical translation: attach your brand kit (logo, colours, fonts, product facts) to the brief. The creator works from both.
Finding 3: Points, not a script
UGC works because it sounds like a person talking. A word-for-word script read aloud sounds like an advert, and viewers notice.
So give the creator three or four points in order, plus the exact wording only where it matters (the product name, the offer, a legal line). We help the creator finalise the script from your guideline, so it keeps your message and sounds like them.
For health, supplement and skincare products, add your claims rules. Meta restricts cure and disease claims and flags before-and-after imagery (Influencer Marketing Hub), so the script should describe experience, not medical results.
Practical translation: if a sentence must be said exactly, put it in quotation marks. Everything else is a point the creator says in their own words.
Finding 4: What happens after you send it
- We match the creator by audience, age and look, and by the language. It’s a study, not a random pick.
- You pay upfront, and we hold the payment until the work is delivered. The creator is paid only once it’s done.
- The creator gets your brand kit and the guideline, and we help finalise the script.
- The video is filmed and edited with captions: Arabic videos in Arabic script.
- You receive it within 3 days of the brief, with one round of revisions and paid-ads usage rights.
- The creator posts it on their TikTok as a paid partnership with your brand tagged, and as an Instagram story.
Practical translation: use your one revision for real changes. A complete brief makes it less likely you’ll need it.
Finding 5: Briefs from abroad work the same way
Brands outside Lebanon can send products of any kind, from electronics to supplements and skincare. Write the brief in English if that’s easiest, and say which language the video should be in. Our guide to Arabic UGC videos covers choosing the language and dialect.
If the product needs explaining, such as how to open it, how much to use or what to avoid, write that in the brief too. The creator should never have to guess on camera.
Practical translation: ship the product early, and include anything the creator needs to use it on camera.
An example brief, filled in
Here is the template filled in for an imaginary product, so you can see the level of detail that works:
| Field | Example |
|---|---|
| Brand and product | A Lebanese olive-oil soap brand, the lavender bar, link to the product page |
| Customer | Women aged 25 to 40 in Lebanon who prefer natural products |
| The one message | Made in Lebanon from olive oil, gentle enough for every day |
| The hook | Start on the bar lathering in the creator’s hands |
| Must say | The brand name and “made in Lebanon” |
| Must not say | Any claim that it treats eczema or acne |
| Outfit | Plain, light colours, no logos |
| Background and setting | The creator’s bathroom, tidy, with natural light |
| Props | The box, a towel |
| Language | Lebanese Arabic, with the brand name in English |
| Filming route | At the creator’s place |
| Format and length | Routine, 20 to 30 seconds |
| Number of videos | 3, with three different creators |
| Where it will run | Instagram and TikTok ads |
| Deadline | A fixed date, at least 3 days after the brief |
Notice what the brief doesn’t do: it doesn’t script every sentence. The creator gets the message, the limits and the visuals, and says the rest in their own words.
Three myths about briefing UGC
Myth 1: “A UGC brief should be short and loose.” Loose on wording, yes. Strict on the visuals and the message, always.
Myth 2: “A tight script makes a safer video.” It makes a stiffer one. Points plus a few exact lines give you control and a natural delivery.
Myth 3: “The creator will know our brand.” They know what you write down. The outfit, the background and the must-not-say list exist only if they’re in the brief.
What to do this week
- Copy the template above into a document.
- Write the one message first. If you can’t, the video isn’t ready to brief.
- Fill in outfit, background and props: the lines that prevent redos.
- List what must and must not be said.
- Choose the filming route and the number of videos. What UGC costs in Lebanon explains how both affect the price.
- Send your brief. UGC starts from $140 per video, depending on the creator.
UGC briefs: questions
What should a UGC brief include?
The product, the customer, the one message, must-say and must-not-say lines, outfit, background, language, filming route, format, number of videos and the deadline. Attach your brand kit too.
Who writes the UGC script?
You send the points and the guideline; we help the creator finalise the script so it sounds natural.
What’s the most common reason a UGC video is filmed again?
A creator not reading the brand’s guidelines, such as the wrong outfit or the wrong background. Writing both clearly in the brief helps prevent it.
How many revisions are included?
One round of revisions, and videos are delivered within 3 days of the brief.
Can I brief in English for an Arabic video?
Yes. Write the brief in English and say which language the video should be in.
How long should a UGC brief be?
One page. Long enough for the message, the limits and the visuals. The creator says the rest in their own words, which is what makes UGC sound real.
Written by the StudioLebanon team: a photo, video and UGC studio in Zouk Mosbeh, Lebanon, working with 25 UGC creators and delivering over 80 UGC videos a month.