Operations
Part of Short form video marketing operations for UK teams
Short form video quality checks before publication
A short form video quality checklist for muted viewing, captions, claims, disclosure, permissions, platform file checks and approval before publication.
What to take away
A short form video quality checklist is a written set of pass or fail tests a video must clear before it is published on a vertical feed.
- Judge the first two seconds on a muted phone screen, not a desktop monitor.
- Check the file against the platform's current specification sheet before upload.
- Record who approved the video, when, and against which version of the brief.
- Treat privacy, consent and advertising disclosure as release gates.
- Keep the checklist short enough that a busy editor will use it.
The working detail behind these tests sits in the short form video operations and delivery guide, which sets out how the wider delivery process fits together.
Frame and format checks
Start with the frame. For vertical feeds, check that the export matches the placement's aspect-ratio requirement; a horizontal edit can lose its edges when cropped. Check safe areas for captions and on-screen text, because interface elements sit over the lower part of the picture.
Vertical vs horizontal frame
9:16 vertical
- Feed fit
- Full frame
- Safe area
- Text inside
- Captions
- Clear of UI
16:9 horizontal
- Feed fit
- Cropped edges
- Safe area
- Text at risk
- Captions
- Covered by UI
A common target is a 1080 x 1920 pixel export at 9:16, but check resolution and duration caps against the intended placement's current requirements.
Resolution, frame rate and file size limits vary by platform and change over time. For TikTok, Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts, Facebook Reels, Snapchat Spotlight or LinkedIn video, check the current official publishing guidance for the intended placement, including aspect ratio, resolution, frame rate, duration and file size. Date the checklist and record which platform guidance you checked. Google Ads Help announcements cover Google advertising updates and are not a substitute for organic short-form feed specifications.
Preview players are forgiving, but the upload is not, so check the export settings rather than trusting the preview window.
Sound-off viewing
Most feed viewing happens with sound off, at least at first. Watch the edit with the volume muted and ask whether the point lands without audio. Read the opening frame as a still image. If a viewer cannot tell what the video is about from that frame alone, the hook needs work.
Sound-off viewing checks
- Watch edit with volume muted
- Point lands without audio
- Opening frame readable as still
- Hook clear from first frame
- Captions burned in or checked
- Move shot, not words, off faces
Captions should be burned in or auto-generated and checked, not assumed. Where a caption sits over a face or a product, move the shot rather than the words.
Claims, disclosure and permissions
Every claim in a video needs a source you can point to. If a figure came from a client, note the date they supplied it. Keep the source list beside the edit rather than in an email thread, so a reviewer does not have to hunt for where a figure came from.
Paid partnerships need clear labelling in the video itself, not only the caption. Where a video uses an identifiable person's image or voice, confirm the team has a documented lawful basis for using it and has obtained any required permissions before approving the file.
In the UK, the Committee of Advertising Practice Code (the CAP Code) applies to ads and paid partnerships and requires marketing communications to be obviously identifiable as advertising. For paid partnerships, use a prominent “Ad” label at the start of the video, not only in its caption. The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) enforces the CAP Code. For personal data, UK GDPR applies and the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) is the regulator. If consent is the lawful basis, it must be specific, informed, freely given and unambiguous; keep a record.
The Human Rights Act 1998 concerns rights including privacy and freedom of expression; it does not replace a practical release check. As a practical release record, note what uses the person has agreed to, the channels or territory, duration, any limits and how they may withdraw permission, and keep that record with the release pack.
A sign-off checklist
| Done | Check | Pass condition | Who signs |
|---|---|---|---|
| [ ] | Frame | 9:16 picture, text inside safe area | Editor |
| [ ] | Sound off | Message clear with volume muted | Editor |
| [ ] | Captions | Readable, checked, correctly placed | Editor |
| [ ] | Claims | Each figure has a dated source | Producer |
| [ ] | Disclosure | Paid partnership labelled on screen | Producer |
| [ ] | Consent | Release form filed for every contributor | Producer |
| [ ] | File | Meets current platform specification | Editor |
Before completing the approval record, confirm these additional checks pass:
- Captions:Captions are present, readable on a phone screen, checked against the audio and clear of faces, products and interface elements.
- Claims:Each factual claim has a source stored with the edit; client-supplied figures are dated.
- Disclosure:Paid partnerships are clearly labelled in the video, with a prominent “Ad” at the start.
- Consent:Where consent is the lawful basis, the record covers the planned use; any other required permissions are documented.
- File:The export is checked against the current requirements for the intended platform and plays correctly.
In the approval log, record the approved version, the approval date and the names of everyone who signed off.
Use the table as a gate, not a scorecard. A single fail sends the video back, and the version that returns is logged as a new version.
Ownership and records
Someone must own the checklist. On a small team that is usually the producer, who also owns the release pack. On a larger team, split editorial checks from legal ones so the same person is not marking their own work. Name a deputy as well, because cover for holidays and sick leave is where quality failures tend to appear.
Keep a simple log: video title, version number, date, approver, and any change made after approval. That log is what makes a review auditable months later. The short form video team roles and sources note explains how to divide those duties without creating gaps.
Common questions
How long should a quality checklist be?
Long enough to catch the failures your team actually makes. Seven to twelve checks is a workable range for most English marketing teams.
Does the checklist change between platforms?
Yes. Keep one master list and an addendum for each platform you use. Recheck the platform's current guidance for frame, duration, file and caption requirements before each campaign.
Who should sign off a video before publication?
A named editor for craft and a named producer for claims, consent and disclosure. Both names go in the log, with the date and the version approved.
Where does advertising guidance fit in?
Google publishes marketing resources for video advertisers that set out the formats and expectations behind those checks.
