When I'm briefed on a new piece of UGC content, one of the first decisions is whether it should be talking head — me on camera, speaking directly to the viewer — or voiceover, where I narrate over footage. They feel completely different to watch and they serve different purposes.
Talking head: connection and credibility
Talking head content — where you're looking at the creator speaking directly to camera — is the most personal format in UGC. It creates a direct person-to-person connection that's hard to replicate any other way. When someone looks at you and tells you something worked for them, there's an implicit trust transaction happening.
It's best for: confession-style hooks, direct address content, anything that benefits from personal recommendation energy. Skincare testimonials, fitness product recommendations, anything where the creator's genuine conviction needs to be felt.
The limitation: the product is harder to feature visually when the creator's face is on screen. You're usually showing the product briefly or relying on verbal description.
Voiceover: visual storytelling with a human voice
Voiceover content lets the visual do the heavy lifting — you can show the product in use, show results, show the lifestyle context — while a genuine human voice narrates the experience. It tends to feel more cinematic, more editorial.
It's best for: fragrance (show the bottle, the ritual, the aesthetic while describing the feeling), fashion (show the piece moving, being worn, styled), beauty products where you want to show the texture or result clearly without a face in the way.
The limitation: it's slightly easier for voiceover to feel like a script because the creator isn't on camera. The writing has to be genuinely conversational to avoid that.
The hybrid approach
My favorite content often uses both — start with a brief talking head moment (establishes the person, creates connection), then cut to voiceover B-roll for the product features and results, then maybe return to talking head for the close. This is the most flexible structure and when it's executed well it tends to perform best.
I create both formats and adapt based on what the product and brief calls for. If you want to figure out what format makes sense for your brand, reach out.