Product videos from creators: how to order them for your online store, marketplaces and ads

The simplest way to get a product video for your online store and ads is to order it from UGC creators: you ship the product, describe in the brief which type of video you need (unboxing, demo, product in use) and in which ratios and lengths, and after delivery you get files ready for the product page, marketplaces and campaigns. A studio makes sense for a brand film, but for e-commerce and social ads a handheld, natural video usually works better — it looks like the content people already watch in their feed.

For the video to be usable, settle five things up front: the goal and where it will be published, the video type, format and length, the shot list, and the licence scope. You can look for creators yourself or publish one task on a platform such as Blogger Bank, where UGC creators apply on their own.

Which product videos to order from creators

Each type answers a different shopper question. It is worth ordering two or three at once, because they do different jobs in the store and in ads.

• Unboxing — packaging, what is in the box, first impression. It shows exactly what will arrive and removes the “does it look like the photos” doubt. More on the format itself in the unboxing glossary entry.
• Demo / how-to — how to assemble, switch on, set up or clean it. It answers questions that otherwise go to customer service or end in a return.
• Product in use (lifestyle) — the product in a real home, car, kitchen or on a walk. It gives scale and context a packshot cannot.
• Before and after — only where the effect is visible and fair to show: cleaning, organising, installation. In categories where a before/after comparison may mislead or is restricted by law (e.g. supplements, health products), skip it.
• Close-up details — short shots of texture, a zip, a button, the inside. Useful as editing material and as a looping video in the gallery.

A video in which the creator gives their own opinion to camera is a separate format — we cover it in the article on the video testimonial. Here we mean a video that primarily shows the product.

Examples where a creator video makes the biggest difference:

• pet accessories — a toy, feeder or carrier in action with a real animal (pet creators);
• car accessories — mounting a holder, a car vacuum at work (automotive);
• electronics and gadgets — pairing earbuds, app setup, size in the hand (tech);
• kitchen gear and food — a blender running, a dish prepared step by step (food);
• home furnishings and travel accessories — assembling furniture, packing a suitcase with organisers (home, travel).

Format, aspect ratio and length

Before the creator hits record, they need to know where the video will go. That decides the framing, and cropping a horizontal clip to vertical afterwards usually cuts off the product or the hands.

• Vertical (9:16) — Reels, TikTok, YouTube Shorts, Stories and ads in those placements. Today the default format for social media.
• Square or 4:5 — feed and some ad formats, plus product galleries that crop to a square.
• Horizontal (16:9) — desktop product pages, YouTube, sometimes marketplaces.

The most practical request is vertical footage with room around the product, so it can be safely cropped to a square, plus a separate horizontal version only if you really need one. Match length to placement: for ads order a short cut where the product appears from the first second, for the product page a longer, calmer demo. Often the best deal is one shoot and two or three edits of different lengths.

Add the technical details too: resolution, frame rate, whether you want subtitles, music, voice-over or natural sound, and whether you need a clean version without subtitles and music for your own editing. Popular music often cannot be used in ads, so it is safer to ask for a version without it.

What to put in a product video brief

A good brief is not a long one, but one after which the creator has no questions. The minimum:

• Goal and placement — product page, marketplace, ads on a specific platform.
• Video type — unboxing, demo, product in use, before and after.
• Shot list — e.g. closed packaging, opening, box contents, product in hand for scale, the key feature in action, a final shot with the product in frame.
• Three things the viewer should remember — the features that set the product apart; no more.
• What must not be in frame — competitor logos, mess, other brands, unsafe use.
• Format, length, versions and files — ratios, edit variants, a clean version without subtitles and music, raw footage if you need it.
• Deadline, file delivery method and number of revision rounds.

If the video is meant to work as an ad, the first seconds and the structure matter — we explain how to plan them in the article on the UGC video script. For a pure product video a shot list is often enough; leave the rest to a creator who knows their style.

Write the licence scope in one sentence: which channels (store, marketplace, paid ads), for how long, and whether you may edit the footage. Details are in the article on copyright to an influencer’s reel.

How to accept and check the video

Compare the delivery with the brief, not with your taste. Check in turn:

• whether every shot from the list and every ordered version is there;
• whether the product is sharp and well lit and the colours match reality — a video that distorts colour raises the risk of returns;
• whether ratios and lengths are as ordered and the product still fits when cropped to a square;
• whether the sound is clean and music and subtitles follow the agreement;
• whether anything from the “must not be in frame” list appears;
• whether the files are full quality, not compressed copies from a messenger.

Collect feedback in one message, referring to specific shots and seconds. Distinguish a revision (something that does not match the brief) from a new order (a change of idea after the shoot) — discuss the latter separately.

Where to use a product video

• Store product page — a demo or in-use video in the gallery, ideally right after the main photos. Short looping detail shots work well without sound.
• Marketplaces — most large marketplaces let you add video to a listing, but technical requirements and content rules differ between platforms and change. Check them in the official seller help before ordering and put them in the brief.
• Ads — short vertical cuts for Reels, TikTok and Stories. Several variants of the same video with different openings let you test which grabs attention.
• Your own channels and email — clips for posts, newsletters and category pages, if the licence allows it.

A product video pairs well with product photos from creators — you can often order both with the same product shipment.

How to choose a creator for a product video

For a product video you do not need a creator with a large reach, because you will publish the video on your own channels anyway. What matters is how they shoot. Look through a few of their recent videos and check three things: whether the product is clearly visible and sharp, whether the lighting and sound are clean, and whether the style fits your brand and audience. It helps if the creator actually uses products from your category — a dog owner will show a dog bed more naturally, and someone who cooks every day will handle a food processor more smoothly.

If you need many variants for ad testing, it is better to order videos from several different creators than many versions from one. Different faces, interiors and ways of telling the story show what works on your customers, and the ads take longer to wear out.

Checklist before ordering

• You know where the video will go and have the ratios and lengths for each placement written down.
• The video type is chosen: unboxing, demo, product in use, before and after.
• A shot list and three things the viewer should remember.
• A list of what must not be in frame.
• Agreed edit versions, a clean version without subtitles and music, file delivery method.
• Marketplace requirements checked in the official help.
• Licence scope and duration written in one sentence.
• Deadline and number of revision rounds.

How Blogger Bank solves ordering product videos from creators

• Instead of hunting for video creators and messaging each one — you describe in a task what video you need: type, formats, shot list and usage scope. UGC creators apply on their own, and you pick those whose videos fit your product.
• Instead of drafting a contract for every shoot — you describe the terms once, and the contract with the chosen creator opens automatically.
• Instead of video files scattered across email, messengers and drive links — the conversation with the creator, video delivery, revisions and payment are in one place.
• Instead of one expensive production per season — you can order short videos for new products and fresh ad variants whenever you need them.

You can also browse creators in the influencer catalogue and invite specific people. Create a brand account and publish your first product video task.