The world of UGC is full of jargon: hook, brief, raw, usage rights, spark ads. We put together a short glossary so brands and creators speak the same language. If the topic is new to you, start with the basics in What UGC is.
User-Generated Content. Video or photos that look like they were made by an ordinary person rather than a brand. Brands order such content from creators for ads and social media.
A person who shoots UGC video on order for brands. Unlike a blogger, they are paid for the video itself, not for an audience, so thousands of followers are not needed.
The first line or shot of a video that stops the scroll and holds attention in the first 1–3 seconds. The hook decides whether the video gets watched.
The task a brand gives a creator: product, benefit, format, hook, where the video will be used. A clear brief is half the success of a clip.
A video review: a real customer story about the problem a product solved. One of the most convincing UGC formats.
A video format that shows opening the packaging and first impressions of a product. It conveys the emotion of first contact.
A format that visibly shows the result of using a product — especially strong in beauty, care and fitness.
Extra footage (product close-ups, details, process) inserted between main scenes to make a video more dynamic.
Unedited video. Brands sometimes ask for raw footage to edit the clip themselves.
The terms that define where, for how long and in which channels a brand can use a video. Agreed within the order.
A TikTok ad format that lets you run organic videos (including UGC) as ads from an account. Whitelisting is a similar mechanism on Meta.
A line at the end of a video telling the viewer what to do next: visit, buy, subscribe.
The frame format for TikTok, Reels and Shorts. UGC for ads is shot exactly this way — vertically.
The category of products or services a creator films in (beauty, food, tech, etc.). A niche creator delivers more relevant video. More in UGC by niche.
Advertising aimed at a measurable result (sales, leads) rather than image. UGC is one of its main creative formats.
A product page on a site or marketplace. A short UGC video on the card raises trust and helps a buyer decide.
A blogger paid for a post on their profile and access to their audience. Unlike a UGC creator, who is paid for the video. The difference is in UGC vs influencer.
The share of viewers who took the target action (bought, left a request). UGC is valued precisely for its effect on conversion.
Join UGC Create — order UGC video or take orders as a creator. Signing up is free.
Get started on UGC Create