UGC formats

Use these structures as planning shortcuts. Keep each format short enough for the requested platform and runtime.

Direct-to-camera testimonial

Best when a face and voice matter.

I tried [product] because [problem]. The first thing I noticed was [visible or
sensory detail]. Here is [demo/proof]. If you [audience situation], this is
worth checking out.

Guardrail: do not invent personal experience. If the user did not provide a real testimonial, frame it as a scripted creator ad.

Problem-solution demo

Best for products with visible use.

Start with the frustrating moment. Show the product entering the scene. Show
one clean action. Show the result. End on the product or next step.

Unboxing or first reaction

Best for physical products, packaging, and novelty.

Package in frame, hands open it, quick close-up of texture or detail, reaction
line, product in use, final product beauty frame.

Before-after

Use only when the before and after can be shown without unsupported claims.

Before state, product action, after state, one visible difference, no medical,
financial, legal, or performance claim unless supplied.

Founder or expert explain

Best for SaaS, tools, education, and technical products.

One sentence problem, why existing options are annoying, what the product does
differently, one screen or physical demo, simple CTA.

Faceless voiceover

Best when the user has product media but no speaker image.

Voiceover drives the hook and proof. Visuals are product b-roll, hands, screen
recording, process detail, or lifestyle inserts. No talking face required.

Split-screen proof

Use when comparison is central.

Left side shows old workflow or problem. Right side shows product or result.
Keep labels for external editing unless the selected model is reliable with
text rendering.

Hook bank

• "I did not expect [specific result] from [product category]."
• "If you are dealing with [problem], watch this part."
• "This is the smallest detail that changed [workflow/use case]."
• "Here is what I would check before buying [category]."
• "I used [product] for [scenario], and this was the useful part."

Remove any hook that implies a fact the user did not provide.