InstagramCheck fit before you message
- Read the last ten posts, not the best three. Check that tone and setting suit the brand.
- Check whether the audience looks like the client's buyers. Follower count alone does not show fit.
- Check for conflicts. A current partnership with a direct competitor is a reason to pass.
Agree the rights in writing
- Write down which channels the client may use the content on, for how long, whether paid use is included, and whether edits are allowed.
- Agree the terms before the brief is sent, not after the video is delivered.
Made-up scenario: a creator delivers a strong video, but the agreement covers organic use only. The client wants it as a paid ad. The fee for paid use is agreed first, and the ad waits until the amended terms are signed.
- Keep the signed terms with the creative file, so the rights can be checked later.
Test with a small batch
- Start with three to five creators on the same brief. Compare them against the same offer, not against a different one.
- Pay in full only after the files are delivered and checked for quality, length and the brief.
- Record the delivery date, the number of revisions and the creative ID of each delivered file.
Track each creator
- Keep one row per creator: rights terms, expiry date, fee, deliverables and the ads that used the content.
- Take the content out of paid use when the rights period ends, and log the date.
- Ask the client before reusing a creator outside the agreed scope, even for a small test.
