The UGC swipe file
A swipe file is a collection of videos worth copying. For UGC teams it's the fastest way to brief creators: instead of describing the video you want, you show them five that already work.
Updated September 29, 2026
What is a UGC swipe file?
A UGC swipe file is a shared library of short-form videos (TikToks, Reels, Shorts) that a brand uses as references for its creators. Each video is there for a reason: a hook, a format, a pacing or a look you want to recreate for your product.
Copywriters have kept swipe files of great ads for a century. Short-form video just makes it more useful, because a 20-second example explains tone, framing and pacing better than any written brief.
What to save
- Winners in your niche: videos from brands like yours that clearly worked (high views, lots of comments, used again and again as ads).
- Winners outside your niche: a great format from a cooking account can sell a finance app. Save the shape, not the topic.
- Your own best posts: the videos that worked for you are the clearest brief there is.
- Creators you want to work with: save their profile so you can find them later.
Organize it by format, not by topic
The most useful way to sort a swipe file is by video format: one list for talking head, one for slideshows, one for face to demo, and so on. A creator who's shooting a slideshow wants to see ten great slideshows, not everything tagged “sleep”.
Formats also make testing easy: when a format works, you have a whole list of variations ready to brief. See the 9 formats that work for UGC.
Write why each video works
A saved video with no notes is just a link. Next to each example, write three short things:
- Why it works: “Problem in the first second.” “Feels like a friend, not an ad.”
- Make it ours: how your version should go. “Open on the 3am scroll. Show the app by second 3.”
- Do's and don'ts: “Film in natural light.” “No reading from a script.” “Don't say link in bio.”
Share one link with your creators
The swipe file only works if creators actually open it. Give them one link with every list, every video playing in place, and your notes right next to each one. No logins, no downloads, no 40-link Google Doc.
When you add a new example, it shows up in the same link, so the brief stays current without resending anything.
Ways to keep a swipe file
| Videos play in place | Notes per video | All platforms | Easy to share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TikTok / Instagram collections | Yes | No | No, one app each | No, they're private |
| Google Doc or Notion page | No, just links | Yes | Yes | Yes, but nobody clicks 40 links |
| Spreadsheet | No | Yes | Yes | Clunky for creators |
| inspo | Yes | Yes, why it works, make it ours, do's & don'ts | TikTok, Reels, Shorts | One link, no login |
Questions
What's the difference between a swipe file and a mood board?
A mood board sets a look. A swipe file is a set of working examples you want recreated: each video comes with the reason it works and how to adapt it.
How many videos should a swipe file have?
Start with 3 to 5 examples per format you want to test. That's enough for a creator to see the pattern without drowning in options. Add more as you find winners.
Can creators use a swipe file without an account?
In inspo, yes. You share one link and creators watch every example and read your notes without signing in.