# How to write a creator brief (free template), and what a creator agreement should include

> A creator brief tells the creator what the product is, who it's for, what to say, what to avoid, the deliverable, the link, the disclosure and the deadline, on one screen. A copy-paste template, a filled-in example, and the terms every influencer agreement should cover.

**A good creator brief fits on one screen: what the product is and who it's for, three or four talking points, what to avoid, the deliverable, the link, the required disclosure (on X, the Paid partnership label), the deadline and the payout. It gives the creator facts and boundaries, not a script, so the post still sounds like them.** Below is a copy-paste template, a filled-in example, and the terms an influencer agreement should cover.

## What should a creator brief include?

| Section | What to write |
| --- | --- |
| Product | One sentence: what it is and what it does |
| Who it's for | The audience you want to reach |
| What's new | Why now: a launch, a feature, an offer |
| Talking points | 3–4 facts the creator can use, in their own words |
| Avoid | Claims they must not make, competitors not to mention |
| Must-haves | The link and the disclosure (on X, the Paid partnership label; #ad too if you like) |
| Deliverable | Format (post, thread, video), how many, on which account |
| Timing | Earliest post date and deadline |
| Payout | Amount, any commission, and when it's paid |

## Creator brief template

Copy this and fill in the brackets:

```text
CAMPAIGN: [name]

PRODUCT
[Product] is [what it is] that helps [who] [do what].

WHO IT'S FOR
[Your audience, e.g. backend developers who run Postgres in production]

WHAT'S NEW
[Launch, feature or offer, and the date]

TALKING POINTS (use your own words)
- [Fact 1: what it does]
- [Fact 2: what makes it different]
- [Fact 3: a number you can back up]
- [Fact 4: the offer, if any]

PLEASE AVOID
- [Claims we can't support, e.g. "the fastest"]
- [Competitors by name]

MUST INCLUDE
- Your tracked link: [link]
- X's Paid partnership label turned on (and #ad at the start, if you like)

DELIVERABLE
[1 post / 1 thread / 1 video] on X, from your own account

TIMING
Post between [date] and [deadline]. Keep it up for at least [30] days.

PAYOUT
[$ amount] per post, paid when the post is verified. [Plus X% commission on tracked sales.]

QUESTIONS
[Contact]
```

## A filled-in example

> - **Product:** Acme Queue is a hosted job queue for Postgres that runs background jobs without Redis.
> - **Who it's for:** backend developers running Postgres in production.
> - **What's new:** v2 launches 4 November with scheduled jobs.
> - **Talking points:** no extra infrastructure, jobs live in your database; free tier up to 100,000 jobs a month; scheduled and recurring jobs in v2.
> - **Avoid:** comparing speed with named competitors; claims about uptime.
> - **Must include:** your tracked link and X's Paid partnership label.
> - **Deliverable:** one post on X.
> - **Timing:** 4–8 November.
> - **Payout:** $125, paid on verification.

Acme Queue is a made-up product for the example.

## How do you brief without scripting?

- **Give facts, not sentences.** Talking points are things that are true; the creator decides how to say them.
- **Say why their audience should care,** then let them make the case.
- **Never ask for claims they haven't experienced.** Endorsements must reflect the creator's honest opinion; the FTC's guidance and most platforms' terms require it.
- **Approve facts, not tone.** If you review drafts at all, check only for factual errors and the disclosure.

## What deliverables are included in a creator partnership?

Whatever the agreement says, so spell it out: the format (post, thread, video, story), how many, on which account, the posting window, how long the post stays up, whether you can reuse it, and the disclosure. Anything not listed isn't included. Ad usage in particular is usually priced separately; see [Influencer usage rights explained](/blog/influencer-usage-rights).

## What should an influencer contract include?

A contract (or the platform terms plus the offer) should cover:

1. **Parties and deliverables:** who, what, how many, on which account.
2. **Timing:** posting window, deadline and how long the post must stay up.
3. **Payment:** amount, commission, when it's paid and on what condition.
4. **Disclosure:** the creator discloses every paid post clearly.
5. **Content approval:** whether the brand reviews drafts, and for what.
6. **Ownership and usage rights:** who owns the content and how the brand may use it, for how long.
7. **Exclusivity:** whether the creator can work with competitors, and for how long.
8. **Cancellation:** what happens if either side pulls out, including any kill fee.
9. **Conduct and compliance:** honest claims, platform rules, the law.

This is general information, not legal advice; for large or unusual deals, have a lawyer review the agreement.

## What is a kill fee in influencer marketing?

A kill fee is a payment the brand owes the creator if it cancels a deal after the creator has started work, usually a share of the agreed fee. It compensates the creator for time spent and for turning down other work.

## Do you need a brief on Transformer?

No. Transformer is the agentic influencer marketplace: real creators, paid on verified posts. Run it from the dashboard or from your agent. Brands don't write briefs there:

- **Paste your website** and get suggested X creators, each with why they fit and a suggested price.
- **Each offer comes with the ask prefilled:** a sentence or two on what to post about, written from your website, plus your link and the price. Edit anything before sending.
- **Send offers free** to one creator or several; you pay only when a creator accepts (within 72 hours), and they post after you've paid. Unanswered offers expire after 7 days.
- **The offer is the deal:** the creator sees the brand, the ask, the price and their tracked link before accepting, and writes the post in their own words.
- **Ownership:** under the [Terms](/terms), creators keep ownership of their content; by accepting, they let the brand link to, embed and share the post as published, with credit, while it stays up. Wider use, such as paid ads, needs a separate agreement with the creator.
- **Payment protection:** the payment is held and released when the post is verified on X with the Paid partnership label. Before acceptance the brand can cancel, and the money goes back to its Transformer balance; after acceptance, either side can open a dispute, which freezes the payment until an admin decides.

The template above is still useful for larger campaigns you run elsewhere, or to decide what your ask should say. [Sign up](/login?signin=signup) as a brand.

## FAQ

### What should a creator brief include?
The product and who it's for, what's new, three or four talking points, what to avoid, the link and the disclosure (on X, the Paid partnership label), the deliverable, the posting window and deadline, and the payout.

### What deliverables are included in a creator partnership?
Only what the agreement lists: the format, how many, on which account, the posting window, how long it stays up, any reuse rights and the disclosure. Ad usage is usually priced separately.

### What is a contract between an influencer and a brand?
An agreement covering deliverables, timing, payment, disclosure, content approval, ownership and usage rights, exclusivity, cancellation and compliance. On a marketplace, the offer plus the platform's terms usually cover the basics.

### Does Transformer require a brief?
No. Brands paste their website, get suggested creators and send offers with a short ask prefilled; there's no brief to write.

### What is a kill fee?
A payment the brand owes if it cancels after the creator has started work, usually a share of the agreed fee.

### Should a brand write the post for the creator?
No. Give facts and boundaries, not a script. Posts in the creator's own words perform better, and endorsements must reflect the creator's honest opinion.

## Sources

- [FTC: Disclosures 101 for Social Media Influencers](https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/disclosures-101-social-media-influencers)
- [FTC: Endorsement Guides, what people are asking](https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/ftcs-endorsement-guides-what-people-are-asking)