Brand deal checklist for creators: what to check before you sign

Twelve terms to look for in every sponsorship or UGC agreement — deliverables, usage rights, exclusivity, payment — and what to ask when they are missing.

Before you sign: 12 things to find in the agreement

Term	What it should say	Ask if missing
Deliverables	Exactly what you make: 1 Reel, 3 Stories, 1 TikTok, length, format	“Can we list each piece and its format?”
Deadlines	Draft date, approval date, posting date	“When do you need the draft, and when does it go live?”
Revisions	How many rounds are included (often 1–2)	“How many rounds of changes are included?”
Approval	Who approves and how fast they reply	“If I don't hear back in 3 days, can I post?”
Usage rights	Where the brand may use your content, and for how long	“Is it organic use only, or paid ads too?”
Paid ads / whitelisting	Whether ads run from your account or theirs; extra fee	“Is ad usage priced separately?”
Exclusivity	Which competitors, which category, for how long	“Which brands exactly, and until when?”
Fee and currency	The amount, currency and what it covers	“Is this fee per piece or for the whole package?”
Payment terms	When you get paid (e.g. 30 days after invoice), deposit	“Can we do 50% upfront?”
Cancellation	What you are paid if the brand cancels (a kill fee)	“What happens if the campaign is cancelled after I've filmed?”
Ad disclosure	How the post is labelled as an ad	“I'll use the platform's paid-partnership label — okay?”
Product	Whether you keep it or return it	“Do I need to send the product back?”

This is a practical checklist, not legal advice. For large or long deals, a short review by a lawyer is worth it.

The three terms that cost creators the most

1. Usage rights with no end date

“The brand may use the content in perpetuity, in all media” means they can run your face in ads for years. Usage is a separate thing from the post itself, and it is usually priced separately — often by month and by channel. A common middle ground: organic use on the brand's own channels for 3–12 months, paid ads only by agreement.

2. Wide exclusivity

“No competing brands for 6 months” can quietly block your best-paying category. Ask for a short list of named competitors and a period that matches the campaign. Exclusivity is worth money — if it is broad, the fee should be higher.

3. Vague payment

“Payment after the campaign” can mean anything. Ask for a number of days after your invoice, the currency and who pays transfer fees. For new brands, a deposit before you start filming is normal.

Label the ad clearly

In many countries sponsored posts must be clearly marked — for example under FTC guidance in the US or ASA/CAP rules in the UK. The simplest way is the platform's own label (“Paid partnership”) plus a clear word like “Ad” at the start of the caption. A brand cannot ask you to hide it.

After you sign

Put every date in your calendar: draft, approval, posting, invoice, payment due.
Save the brief and the final agreement in one place.
Send the invoice on the day you post, not a week later.
Note when usage rights end, and check the brand stops using the content.
If payment is late, send a short, polite reminder with the invoice attached.

Keeping several brands straight

With two or three deals at once, dates and terms slip easily. Sponzo keeps every deal in one place — deadlines, payments, usage rights and exclusivity — with a checklist before you sign and a polite payment reminder in one tap. Your deals stay on your iPhone, with nothing to log in to.