Content filmed by real people for a brand, which runs it itself. Definition, differences from influencer marketing, formats, prices and rights.
What the term means
A creator films a video at a brand's request, then delivers it as a file. The brand becomes responsible for distribution: it publishes, it crops, it pushes it in advertising if it wants. The creator is not paid to publish, they are paid to produce.
The three things people confuse
Six markers to settle it.
Influence buys an audience.
UGC buys production.
Customer content is spontaneous and free.
UGC is ordered and paid for.
Influence is priced on follower count.
And UGC is priced on the deliverable and the rights.
Why brands come to it
Seven observed reasons.
The format does not break the reading of the feed.
The result looks like it came from a person, not an agency.
The cost allows several versions to be tested.
Production is fast.
The message comes from somebody who resembles the buyer.
Demonstration replaces argument.
And the content crops for each platform.
The most ordered formats
Seven formats.
The short testimonial.
The usage demonstration.
The unboxing with a check.
The before and after.
The answer to an objection.
The comparison with a current habit.
And the questions and answers format.
What a brand receives exactly
Six elements, to specify in the quote.
One or more video files.
One or more image formats.
Subtitles, burned in or separate.
Possibly the raw takes.
A usage right, with a duration.
And a defined territory of use.
How brands source it
Six channels, from the fastest to the slowest.
A specialised marketplace.
A published call for applications.
A specialised agency.
Recruiting among its own customers.
Direct contact with creators they spotted.
And in-house production, rarely credible.
What it costs, and what the price depends on
Seven factors.
The number of videos.
The length of each video.
The number of formats delivered.
The duration of the rights.
The territory.
Advertising use or organic only.
And exclusivity, if requested.
Who owns the video
By default the creator remains the author of what they filmed, and the brand buys a usage right, not ownership. What that right covers depends entirely on what is written down: the duration, the territory, the media, paid advertising. A contract silent on those four points is an incomplete contract, and that is the point to have reviewed by a lawyer when the sums justify it.
The four questions that define a usage right
Six wordings, to write down plainly.
For how long.
In which countries.
On which media.
With or without an advertising budget.
With or without modification.
And with or without exclusivity.
What UGC is not
Six confusions to clear up.
It is not a spontaneous customer review.
It is not a paid post on the creator's account.
It is not automatically generated content.
It is not an agency video shot in a studio.
It is not free because it looks amateur.
And it is not reserved for big brands.
What makes a good video
Seven elements, in this order.
A hook that fits in one sentence.
Clean sound.
A gesture shown, not described.
Natural light.
A short length, held.
One single idea per video.
And a clean ending.
How you start, on both sides
Seven decisions, in order.
Decide the distribution budget over four weeks.
Deduce the number of creatives from it.
Write a single promise.
List three different angles.
Choose three distinct creators.
Order, with the rights written down.
And change nothing for two weeks.
How a creator starts
Six steps.
Film three videos with their own products.
Create a clear profile.
Declare a category and a language.
Publish three readable packages.
Write to brands they are a customer of.
And deliver on the announced date.
The vocabulary to know
Seven terms that come up in exchanges.
The deliverable, what is handed over.
The brief, the written order.
The hook, the first seconds.
The licence, the usage right granted.
The creative, a video run as an ad.
The crop, the adaptation to a format.
And the renewal, the extension of a licence.
Who does what in an order
Six roles, to keep separate.
The brand writes the brief and pays.
The creator films and delivers.
The brand approves or asks for a revision.
The brand runs it and measures.
The creator supplies the requested formats.
And nobody changes the agreement without writing it down.
How long a production takes
Six markers, counting everything.
One to three days to ship the product.
Two to five days for the shoot.
Two to four days for the edit.
One to two days for the brand's feedback.
One day for the corrected version.
And a margin before the release date.
How to judge a video received
Seven criteria, before approving.
The hook works with the sound off.
The sound is audible on headphones.
The product is recognisable.
The main message is said.
No forbidden claim appears.
The requested formats are delivered.
And the length respects the brief.
The most frequent mistakes
Seven mistakes, on both sides.
Ordering a single video.
Judging a creative on views.
Forgetting the advertising rights.
Confusing the production price with the price of the rights.
Writing a ten-page brief.
Changing two variables at once in a test.
And expecting a result in three days.
The signs of a well-framed order
Seven elements present from the first message.
The number of videos is written down.
The expected length is stated.
The number of revisions is capped.
The use is qualified, organic or advertising.
The licence duration carries an end date.
The territory is named.
And the payment date is specified.
What this format is, and what it is not
| It is not | It is |
|---|---|
| An influencer post paid for reach | A video produced for a brand |
| A spontaneous customer review | Commissioned, paid work |
| An ad shot in a studio | A shoot in real conditions |
Who owns the video in the end
The brand, strictly within the rights bought: media, territory and term. Outside those bounds it bought nothing, even holding the file on its server.
What explains its effectiveness
The point of view. Viewers recognise a kitchen, a hesitating hand, a room sound. That familiarity carries an argument the same words, said in a studio, would not carry.
What UGC MATCH does
On UGC MATCH, joining is free and there is no subscription: creators define their own packages, brands filter by category, language and country, and the order keeps a record of the brief and the delivery. The brand pays at ordering, the funds are not released straight away, and payment goes out on approval. The platform retains 10% of the price on the creator side, who therefore keeps 90%, and charges the brand a 6% service fee, with a minimum of 1.50 EUR.
One last marker: if you only keep one sentence, keep this one. You are not buying an audience, you are buying a file and the right to use it for a written period.
