How to run ads with UGC creatives: a guide for brands

UGC creatives are today’s most effective format for social ads. They look natural, build trust and... sell better than production. But how exactly do you run them right?

This is a step-by-step guide to using UGC in Facebook, Instagram and TikTok ads.

1. Order a video aligned with your ad goal

First — UGC should be more than a “review”; it should be part of a strategy. If you want sales, the video needs a clear offer, a benefit and a call to action.

🔹 Example brief:
– Goal: sell a cosmetics set
– Who: a woman 25–35
– Format: TikTok style, vertical video up to 30 sec
– Storyline: show the product, use it, say “why I fell for this set”
– CTA: “Link in bio”, “Use the discount”

➡️ Ordering a UGC video is easy on UGC Create — pick a creator, send a brief, get your video.

2. Prepare creatives for testing

It’s not one video that works — it’s variations.

🔸 Change the intro (first 3 seconds):
– “Girls, I found the perfect foundation!”
– “This product surprised me”
– “3 reasons I stay with this brand”

🔸 Test different formats:
– no voiceover, with subtitles
– with on-screen text
– with music / without
– fast pace / calm

This lets you quickly find what actually hooks the audience.

3. Run the ads in Meta or TikTok

Facebook/Instagram Ads
📌 Recommended setup:

Goal: “Sales” or “Leads”
Ad type: Video (Reels or Stories)
Audience: detailed targeting or lookalike
Settings:
– use 3–5 videos in one campaign
– turn off automatic optimisation (at the start)

TikTok Ads
📌 Recommended setup:

Goal: “Conversions” or “Traffic”
Ad type: In-Feed Video
Settings:
– run 3+ UGC clips
– keep the TikTok style (natural, fast delivery)

4. Test. Analyse. Scale.

3–5 days after launch, analyse:

📈 which creative had the lowest CPC (cost per click)
🛒 which had the higher CTR (click-through rate)
💰 where the conversions / sales came from
🔁 Scale the best clips. Replace the weaker ones with new variations.

5. Repeat and refresh the content

UGC works well, but “burns out” fast.
📌 Recommendation: refresh creatives 1–2 times a month, add new angles, new creators, change the message.

Tips from UGC Create
✅ Work with different faces — people respond better when they see “new” faces
✅ Don’t overload the video with graphics — naturalness matters more
✅ Short videos (15–30 sec) = better attention retention
✅ If it’s TikTok — add a hook in the first 1–2 seconds

🎯 Want to test UGC creatives in ads this week?
Sign up on UGC Create, order videos from creators, upload them to Ads Manager — and get results without overpaying for production.