In short: When several creators submit a video to the same campaign, you do not have to pick one winner. Approve every video that meets the brief, and use a short scorecard to decide which ones are worth your money. Vidovo’s approval guide separates firm requirements, such as disclosures and legal restrictions, from creative preferences like camera angle or setting; check the first, then choose on the second. 8x warns that “one video rarely creates enough learning,” so a mix of creators, hooks and formats is worth more than six copies of the same one.
When several videos arrive
Having a choice is the point of a campaign that creators answer. Three videos for the same product will differ in hook, setting, pace and voice, and those differences are what you are buying. The skill is to review them in two steps: first against the brief, then against each other.
Step 1: does it meet the brief?
Vidovo says a brief can separate firm requirements from creative preferences, and lists product pronunciation, offer details, disclosures and legal restrictions as likely non-negotiables, with camera angle, wording, setting and delivery as areas where the creator has room. Start there. A video that fails a firm requirement is not a candidate, whatever its style. Notes for those cases are in UGC feedback note templates.
- The product is the right one, shown clearly.
- Every claim is inside your approved wording.
- The disclosure is in the video.
- It was made for this campaign, not as a sample.
- The sound and picture are good enough to use.
Step 2: which ones are worth your money?
Vidovo suggests dividing review feedback into brand, creative, technical and compliance categories. Compliance is what step one already checked, so three of the four carry over to a scorecard for videos that all pass it, with a fourth question about use:
| Question | What you are looking for |
|---|---|
| Brand | Does it sound like a person talking about your product, in a way you are glad to put your name behind? |
| Creative | Is the first moment strong, and does the video hold attention to the end? |
| Technical | Is it sharp and well lit, with clear sound, in the shape your channels need? |
| Use | Where will it run: as an ad, on the product page, in email? Does it do that job? |
Write a one-line verdict for each video. Comparing three one-liners is faster and fairer than comparing three impressions.
Why approve more than one
8x argues that UGC should be judged by what it teaches you: it advises using several creators, angles and formats, because one video rarely gives you enough to learn from, and it says a winning video can inform paid ad experiments, landing page copy and upcoming briefs. Collabstr’s briefing guide says every video should serve one purpose, which makes a good test: if two approved videos serve the same purpose, check that they differ in hook or voice. If they do not, approve one and keep the other spot for a different angle. See UGC ad creative testing.
Match the video to the job
| Job | What to pick |
|---|---|
| Paid social | The strongest opening, even if the rest is plain |
| Product page | A clear demo with the product close up |
| Email and organic | The warmest, most personal voice |
| Reaching a new group | A creator who looks like that group, see inclusive UGC |
Set the spots to what you will approve
On Usicri you set the number of videos you want, and once you have approved that many the campaign closes to new submissions. If you want one video, set one. If you want a spread, set the number higher and approve across it. You can raise the number at any time, so a small start costs nothing; you can lower it too, as long as it stays at or above the number you have already approved.
Review promptly
Twirl advises reviewing promptly and sending one complete response. A creator is waiting on your decision, and a quick review keeps your campaign attractive to the next creator. After approval, brand and creator can rate each other from 1 to 5 stars, which helps you remember who you would work with again.
On Usicri
On Usicri the videos come to you. You publish the brief and the payout, creators on Usicri choose your campaign and upload finished videos, and you pick which to approve. There is nothing to search for and nothing to negotiate: you watch each submission and decide. You pay only for the videos you approve, with no platform fee on videos approved through December 31 and a platform fee of 15% after that, a rejected video costs nothing and an approved one comes with a license that covers advertising (section 5 of the Terms of Service). See how it works for brands, or create a free brand account.