How to review UGC before it posts: a 5-point check
Slow review stalls more UGC campaigns than bad creators do. A draft that sits for three days is three days the creator is not posting, and it breaks the rhythm you are paying for.
Here is the check we use to decide fast: approve it, or send it back once with notes that fix it.
Score it on five things, 1 to 5
| Check | The question | A note when it fails |
|---|---|---|
| Hook | Do the first 1 to 2 seconds grab attention? | The first frame would not stop a scroll: open on the payoff. |
| Clarity | Clean audio, good framing, easy to follow? | Clean up the background. |
| Brand fit | Do the tone and values match the product? | Call it a photo coach, not a filter app. |
| Energy | Is the energy right for this product and audience? | Tighten the pacing. |
| Conversion | Would you download or buy after watching? | Show the finished photo before the ending. |
If any check scores 2 or below, request a revision and name that check in your note. If everything is 3 or above, approve it. Do not polish past the bar: a good video posted today beats a perfect one posted next week.
Two habits that matter more than the scores
- One round. Put every note into a single revision. Notes trickling in over several rounds is the classic review bottleneck, and it burns creator goodwill.
- Review within hours, same day at worst. Slow review breaks a creator's posting rhythm more than anything else a brand does.
Notes creators can act on
| Instead of | Try |
|---|---|
| Can you make it more engaging? | The first second needs a stronger visual hook. |
| It is not quite on brand. | Say “photo coach”, not “filter app”. |
| Redo the ending. | At 0:12, show the result before the call to action. |
| A paragraph of ten notes | Lead with the one change that matters most, then the rest as short lines. |
The six things our team checks on every video
On managed campaigns, every video is checked against six standards the brand sets before it posts:
- Lighting
- Framing
- Audio level
- Captions
- Script execution
- Product coverage: is the feature that matters actually on screen?
How this works on NewWave
Drafts land in a review queue. Notes pin to the exact second of the video, and the first note shows to the creator as “the ask”, with the rest listed under it. Approve and the creator posts; request a revision and they upload a new version. The full flow is in reviewing submissions.