UGC Brief Template
A complete UGC brief covers eight things: the goal, the product, the hook, required must-says, tone, format, delivery dates, and what's off-limits. When a brand's brief is too thin, sending this template back to fill in gets you a clear brief before you start filming, not after a wasted draft.
UGC CONTENT BRIEF
Use this to send back to a brand when their brief is thin ("just make something
that feels organic!") — filling this in together avoids a wasted first draft.
1. GOAL
What is this content for? [awareness / conversions / a specific launch]
Where will it run? [organic post / paid ad / whitelisting from my handle]
2. THE PRODUCT
What am I actually using/showing? [product name, key feature to highlight]
Any claims I can or can't make? [e.g. "don't say 'clinically proven'"]
3. THE HOOK
What's the problem this solves, in one sentence?
[e.g. "for people whose skin gets oily by noon"]
4. MUST-SAYS / MUST-SHOWS
- [Required line, e.g. brand name spoken in first 3 seconds]
- [Required shot, e.g. product label clearly visible]
- [Any disclosure requirement, e.g. #ad or #brandpartner]
5. TONE & REFERENCES
[2–3 words: "casual, funny, no hard sell" / links to videos they like]
6. FORMAT
Platform: [TikTok / Instagram Reels / YouTube Shorts]
Length: [15s / 30s / 60s]
Orientation: [9:16 vertical]
7. DELIVERY
Draft due: [date]
Feedback window: [e.g. 3 business days]
Final due: [date]
File format: [raw + captioned, or platform-native export]
8. WHAT'S OFF-LIMITS
[Anything to avoid — competitor mentions, certain language, etc.]Inside Plug, a brief lives on the deal record next to the contract and deliverables — not buried in a DM you'll have to scroll back to find.
What goes in a UGC brief?
When a brief is thin, this becomes your intake form for the brand.
Goal, must-says, format, and delivery dates.
Anything left blank is a question to ask before you film.
FAQ
What should I do if a brand's brief is too vague?
Send this template back and ask them to fill in the blanks — goal, must-says, format, and delivery dates. It turns 'make it feel organic' into something you can actually film from.
What should a UGC brief include?
The goal, the product and any claims, the hook, required must-says, tone, format (platform, length, orientation), delivery dates, and anything off-limits. This template covers all eight.
Who fills out a brief — me or the brand?
Usually the brand, with you asking follow-up questions. If they can't answer something (like the hook), that's useful information too — it means you have more creative freedom there.