Gift guides aren’t just for Christmas. Here’s how brands use UGC creators to make gifting content feel human, helpful and relevant all year - plus what to plan ahead for if you’re thinking about Black Friday or any special occasion.
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Back when gift guides only lived in glossy magazines and big Christmas catalogues, the goal was simple: narrow the choice.
That hasn’t changed, but the format has. Now those guides live on TikTok, Instagram, YouTube Shorts, email and even product pages. And instead of flicking through a list, people want someone to walk them through options in a way that feels honest and familiar.
That’s why UGC creators fit this format so naturally. A short video saying “here’s what I’d get my mate who loves skincare” lands better than a polished campaign and a “Top 10 Gifts” banner. It feels human, easy to digest, and answers the real question people have when gifting: does this feel right for the person I’m buying for?
Gift guides aren’t just for December anymore. People buy presents all year — birthdays, baby showers, Father’s Day, friendship gifts, payday treats, apology gifts… life has plenty of “I need something thoughtful” moments. Using UGC for this format means you can show up in all of them, not only at Christmas.
“Help me choose something they’ll actually like”
Buying gifts is emotional and slightly stressful - even for organised shoppers. People don’t want to scroll endless product pages or risk gifting something bland. A creator who casually explains “I’d pick this because…” takes the pressure off.
It’s essentially a friend doing the thinking for you.
And there’s a reason it converts. Social proof reduces hesitation and speeds decisions. When someone sees a creator holding a product, talking about why it makes a good gift and who it suits, it gives clarity fast.
Those little personality hooks help people mentally match a product to a person. Once that clicks, the purchase is usually a yes.
Gift guide UGC works really well when it doesn’t feel like an ad. So keep your brief clear but natural.
Try this approach:
“Gift for a colleague, under £15, something small and thoughtful.”
One or two genuine benefits, not the full spec sheet.
Viewers can tell when someone’s reading off notes.
Hooks matter. A second opening line gives you options.
The more natural the delivery, the better the response. Think “friend recommending something in the group chat” energy.
Three to five products per video is usually enough. One product works too, as long as the creator builds a small story around it. The goal isn’t to show everything you sell - it’s to make one or two items feel spot-on for someone specific.
Keep edits tight, keep pacing steady, and make saving the content easy. Gift guides live in saved folders and group chats before they live in baskets.
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The best performing brands don’t treat gift guides as a last minute scramble. They line them up early so they have content ready for:
And once filmed, reuse everywhere: social, ads, email, landing pages, PDP sections, Stories, and even in-store screens.
One piece of content should work across channels - that’s where UGC becomes efficient, not just effective.
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If you want creators who can film gift-guide content that feels human and lands with the right audience, Twirl can help. We keep briefs straightforward, the delivery process clean, and timelines steady — the kind of setup teams look for when searching for the best UGC platform in the UK, without us needing to shout about it.
We have a strong UK creator network, a team who stay hands-on where it matters most, and content that fits real behaviour and real social culture - not acting. Plus, with over 6,000+ creators in our community, there’s a very good chance someone already loves your product! 😍 🎁
Seasonal content isn’t just for December, so whether you're planning for Christmas, birthdays, Mother’s Day or those “I need a gift idea today” moments, we’ll help keep things organised and stress-free. And if you're scaling or working with smaller budgets, you still get a tight workflow and a smooth process.
Twirl is your go-to partner for UGC. Whether you're a brand, agency or a UGC creator, we bring together 6000+ talented creators to produce authentic, scroll-stopping content for ads, websites, emails, and social channels.
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