Brands should start creating UGC for Black Friday and Cyber Monday well before November. For most campaigns, September and early October are the best times to begin creator outreach and production, giving teams enough room to receive products, film content, make revisions, and test different creative before competition peaks.

Waiting until November can leave brands with fewer creators, rushed videos, and almost no time to learn which ads actually perform.

Why BFCM UGC Needs To Start Early

Black Friday and Cyber Monday have expanded far beyond one weekend. Customers start researching products, comparing prices, and watching holiday content weeks before Black Friday arrives.

The opportunity is also getting larger. Shopify merchants generated $14.6 billion during Black Friday Cyber Monday in 2025, up 27% from the previous year. More than 81 million customers purchased from Shopify-powered brands during the weekend.

That level of demand also means brands are competing for the same customers at the same time.

UGC gives brands more creative options without relying on a single polished holiday campaign. Creators can produce product demonstrations, testimonials, gift ideas, unboxings, problem-solution videos, and promotional clips that brands can test across several placements.

But those assets need to exist before the highest-intent shopping period begins.

September: Start Planning And Finding Creators

September is a good time to determine what your BFCM creator campaign actually needs.

Brands should identify which products will be promoted, what offers are likely to run, who the target customer is, and what types of videos need to be produced.

Creator outreach should begin during this stage as well. Waiting until late October can make scheduling harder as creators take on other holiday campaigns.

Brands do not necessarily need every discount finalized before filming. Creators can record product-focused footage, reactions, demonstrations, and B-roll first. Promotional text, pricing, and Black Friday messaging can often be added during editing once the final offer is confirmed.

October: Create And Test Different Versions

October should be the main production and testing period.

TikTok's Black Friday advertising guidance recommends using September and October to test creative variations, calls to action, and placements rather than waiting until the shopping weekend itself.

Instead of requesting one finished video from each creator, brands can capture enough footage to produce multiple versions.

For example, the same creator footage might become:

• A gift-focused video
• A product demonstration
• A customer problem and solution
• A Black Friday offer video
• A short retargeting ad

Testing these variations early helps brands figure out which hooks, creators, and messages deserve more budget once BFCM traffic increases.

Early November: Shift Toward Purchase Intent

By November, most of the heavy filming should already be complete.

The focus can shift toward creating promotional variations and content for people who are getting closer to buying.

A customer seeing your product for the first time may respond to a demonstration or creator recommendation. Someone who has visited your website already may need a different message, such as a testimonial, product benefit, limited-time offer, or reminder about the upcoming sale.

Brands should also keep some flexible footage available. Raw creator clips make it easier to change offers, hooks, captions, and CTAs without asking creators to film an entirely new video.

During BFCM: Keep Creative Moving

Brands should not rely on one winning ad for the entire weekend.

More shoppers and advertisers are active during BFCM, which means audiences can see similar promotions repeatedly. Having several creator videos available gives a brand room to rotate ads and respond to performance.

That could mean switching from an early-access message to a Black Friday discount, then updating the same creative again for Cyber Monday.

The goal is to enter BFCM with options instead of scrambling to create them once the sale has already started.

Build The Content Before The Rush

The strongest BFCM UGC campaigns are usually built before shoppers ever see the discount.

Starting in September gives brands time to find creators, ship products, collect footage, make revisions, and test multiple concepts. October can then be used to identify stronger creative, while November becomes the time to refine messaging and push proven ideas.

For brands planning to use creator content during Black Friday and Cyber Monday, the best time to start is before the holiday rush begins.

FAQ

When Should Brands Start Creating UGC For Black Friday?

September is a good starting point for creator outreach and planning, with most production taking place through September and October.

Is October Too Early For Black Friday Content?

No. October gives brands time to test videos and identify stronger hooks and formats before competition increases in November.

How Many UGC Videos Should A Brand Prepare?

There is no single number for every campaign. Brands should prioritize having multiple creators, hooks, formats, and promotional variations rather than depending on one piece of content.

Should Creators Mention The Black Friday Discount While Filming?

Not always. Brands can have creators film evergreen product footage first and add promotional messaging later. This makes the footage easier to reuse for Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and future campaigns.