Reframing vertical UGC without cutting off the product

Reframe the full product action, not just the first frame. Mark where the product, hands and essential details move through the clip, then choose a crop or layout that keeps them visible in the intended placement. If the source does not contain enough space around the action, use another shot or request new footage; a new export of the same tight frame cannot reveal what was never recorded.

Find the shot’s essential area

Watch the source and note every moment that answers the buyer’s question. A bottle may be centred when introduced but move to the edge when opened. A bag may fit until the creator extends its strap. Include any reference needed to judge the item’s size or use.

Make a duplicate timeline for each destination. Set the intended canvas and inspect the whole sequence with the relevant placement guide over it. TikTok’s auction in-feed safe zone depends on orientation, ad caption length and added formats, and its preview may differ slightly from a live view. A single fixed margin is therefore unreliable across placements.

Choose a workable frame

Use a direct crop when the product and action remain inside it. Reposition the crop when necessary, checking that the shift does not make the object appear to jump. If the product travels too far, a wider view may preserve more useful information.

A wider image can sit within a vertical canvas against a neutral background or in a deliberate split layout. Check that the product remains legible at phone size. A blurred enlargement behind a smaller original can fill space, but it should not compete with the demonstration or distort the product’s apparent scale. Do not stretch the image to fill the canvas.

If the only available file is a compressed platform download, ask for the original recording or editing project. Enlarging the download cannot restore lost detail.

Check what the frame implies

A crop can hide an accessory, a scale reference, a setup step or a visible limitation while leaving the spoken claim intact. Compare the new cut with the approved source and ask whether a buyer would understand the same result. ACCC guidance covers avoiding false or misleading claims in social media advertising, and the ACCC can require businesses to back up claims they make on social media.

Review the export on a phone, pausing when the product reaches an edge, when the creator handles it and when captions appear. Use a destination preview if one is available, allowing for differences from a live view. Record approval against the actual exported crop.