What to put in an influencer brief (and what to leave to the creator)

Updated 8 November 2026.

An influencer brief needs five things: what you're paying for (a post on their account, content for your channels, or views), the date it's due, the fee, the lines that must be in the post (the #ad disclosure, your handle, one exact phrase, the link, how long it stays up), and what you can reuse afterwards. It should fit on one screen. Tone, setting and length belong to the creator.

The five parts

1. Deliverable. One Instagram Reel on your account; or three 15-second videos delivered as files; or views on a post, priced per thousand. Pick one.
2. Date. A day, not "soon". Give at least ten days.
3. Fee. A number, and whether it's flat or per view.
4. Must-haves. Four or five lines, each checkable: #ad in the caption; mention @yourhandle; say "fragrance-free and safe for sensitive skin"; link in bio for seven days. These are what you'll check the post against.
5. Reuse. Can you repost it? Use it in paid ads? Edit it? Say so now.

What to leave out

Scripts, shot lists and adjectives. The creator's audience follows them for how they talk; a post that sounds like your ad copy performs worse for both of you. If a claim must be said a certain way, make it one of the must-have lines; leave the rest.

How UpShout helps

On UpShout the brief is the form: the five parts above, nothing else. It becomes the terms the creator accepts line by line, and the list you check the post against 48 hours after it goes live. Try the 2-minute demo

Questions people ask

How long should an influencer brief be? One screen. If it's longer, you're writing the post for them.

Should the brief include the exact caption? No. Include the lines that must appear; let the creator write the caption around them.

Do I need a separate contract as well as the brief? You need the terms in writing and accepted; a brief that the creator accepts as written does that job.