How brands in Brazil use different UGC at the top, middle and bottom of the funnel, with formats for each stage.
The three missions of UGC
Three intentions, with what each has to accomplish.
Catching the attention of somebody who was not looking for anything.
Answering the doubt of somebody hesitating between several options.
And making safe the decision of somebody who already wants to buy.
A fourth mission exists, almost always forgotten: reassuring after the purchase, which reduces returns and prepares the repeat buy.
Top of funnel: winning attention
Six formats that work at this stage.
The named problem, where the video describes a situation before showing a product.
The unexpected use, which surprises and keeps people watching.
The immediate demonstration, where the result appears in the first second.
Useful content with no brand, which is helpful and gets shared.
The comparison with the usual method, without naming a competitor.
And the cultural or regional format, which works particularly well in Brazil because it creates immediate recognition.
The call to action at this stage is weak and single: follow, save, or simply watch on.
Middle of funnel: answering the doubt
Six formats, for somebody comparing.
The answer to a precise objection, the most profitable of all.
The test over time, a week or a month of real use.
Scale and material, shown close up, with a reference object.
The comparison between two items from the same brand, which helps to choose.
The complete demonstration, without a cut, of the most doubtful gesture.
And the nuanced review, saying who the product is not for.
The call to action here invites finding out more, not buying: see the page, compare, read the reviews.
Bottom of funnel: making the purchase safe
Six formats, for somebody who has decided but still hesitates.
Proof of delivery: what really arrives, in what state, in how many days.
The contents of the box, with what has to be bought in addition.
The answer to the item's most frequent return reason.
Proof of price, showing what the product replaces.
The warranty and after-sales service, explained simply.
And factual urgency: the order deadline for delivery in time.
The call to action is direct and single: order, with a link leading exactly to the right place.
After the sale, what almost nobody exploits
Five formats that pay without costing much.
Correct set-up, which reduces returns due to misuse.
Maintenance, which increases lifespan and therefore satisfaction.
Secondary uses, which give the feeling of having bought well.
The invitation to leave a review, made by a person and not by an automatic email.
And the complementary product, presented at the moment when trust is highest.
How to split a budget
Five splitting principles.
Never put more than half the budget on a single stage.
Start with the middle of the funnel, the most profitable and the fastest to measure.
Produce several opening variants for the top of the funnel, which wears out fastest.
Reserve a share for the bottom of the funnel, often neglected although it converts sales almost already won.
And keep a reserve for after-sales, whose effect shows in returns and not in sales.
What the video does at each stage
| Stage | The video's role | The metric that counts |
|---|---|---|
| Discovery | Stop the scroll | 3-second retention |
| Consideration | Lift a precise objection | The click to the listing |
| Decision | Reassure at the last moment | The add-to-cart rate |
| After purchase | Reduce returns | The product return rate |
The stage everyone forgets
The last one. A video explaining how to use the product after delivery lowers returns, and that is a direct saving nobody measures.
What is reused from one stage to the next
The same shoot, cut three times. Production cost divides without changing a single shot, and that is the calculation that makes a setup profitable from the first campaign.
Briefing so each stage gets what it needs
Six elements to write into every brief.
The stage targeted, explicitly named.
The single objection to handle.
The call to action, one only, dealt with above.
The audience: somebody who does not know, who is comparing, or who is about to buy.
The duration, shorter at the top and longer in the middle.
And where the video will run, which changes the rhythm and the framing.
One last marker: in Brazil, most campaigns fail not because the videos are bad, but because they all occupy the same stage. Spreading three videos across three intentions costs the same and covers the whole journey.
