Questions to ask a brand before you say yes

Most disagreements between creators and brands start with an assumption nobody wrote down. One side expected three posts and the other expected five, or one side believed the content would come down after a month while the brand planned to run it for a year. Asking targeted questions in writing before you say yes gives both sides a shared picture, and it gives you a record if that picture changes later.

The six areas below cover the questions most worth asking. You do not need to send all of them in one email, and some answers may already be in the brief. Where a question stays unanswered, treat that gap as information about the deal.

Confirm exactly what you will deliver

Ask for the full list of deliverables: how many posts, on which platform, in what format and length, and whether the brand wants a feed post, a short video, a story, a live session or a link placed in a caption. Find out the posting window and whether the content must go live on a specific day or within a range. Ask whether the brand expects specific key messages and whether they are required or optional.

Write the deliverables into a short list in your reply so both sides confirm the same thing. Vague phrases such as "a few posts" or "some content" are a frequent source of unpaid extra work, because each side may have a different number in mind.

Clarify how the brand may use your content

Usage rights decide what happens to the content after it posts. Ask whether the brand may repost it on its own channels, use it in paid advertising or adapt it for websites, email or in-store screens. Ask how long those rights last, which countries or regions they cover and which platforms are included. Some brands ask to run your post as a paid ad through your account, sometimes called a partnership or branded-content ad. That usually needs separate terms and often a separate fee, so do not agree to it by default.

Also ask whether you may keep the content in your portfolio and on your own profile after the campaign ends, and whether the brand would take it down on request. Those answers affect how much the work is worth to you beyond the fee.

Ask about exclusivity as well. Does the deal bar you from working with competing brands, and if so, in which product categories and for how long? An exclusivity clause can limit your other paid work long after the campaign ends, so ask whether the fee already covers that restriction or whether it should be priced separately.

Set deadlines and review rounds

Ask for every date in writing: the brief, the first draft, the feedback deadline, the revision deadline, the publication date and any date by which the posts must stay live. Find out how many rounds of feedback are included. A common structure is one or two rounds of revisions, with extra rounds billed separately. Ask how quickly the brand responds, because a slow reply can push back both the publication date and your own schedule.

Ask what happens if the timeline changes. Find out whether a delay on the brand's side extends your deadline, what happens if the campaign is canceled after you have started and whether there is a kill fee, which is a payment for work completed when a project is stopped early. Those terms matter most when the plan changes after you have already spent time on it.

Understand approvals and creative control

Find out who approves the work and at which stage. Does the brand review a concept, a script, a rough cut and a final post, or only the finished version? Is approval required before you post, and is there a deadline for responses? Ask which claims must appear, which are optional and which the brand wants you to avoid. If the brand requires exact wording, ask for it in advance and check that it is accurate for your audience.

Ask about your own creative judgment too. You should be able to decline a line you cannot honestly say, and you should be able to adjust captions or formats for your platform as long as the core message stays intact. Confirm the disclosure wording the brand expects. Brands often supply the label, but you remain responsible for placing it clearly where your audience will see it.

Confirm payment terms and what triggers payment

Ask for the fee in writing, with the currency, the amount for each deliverable and any bonus or performance terms. Clarify when payment is due, such as upfront, on publication or a set number of days after an invoice, and which documents the brand needs, such as an invoice or a tax form. Ask whether the fee covers production costs, travel or product shipping, and whether any product you receive has a value you need to report. Tax treatment depends on where you live, so consult a qualified tax adviser rather than relying on a general rule.

Find out what happens if the platform removes the content or the brand asks you to take it down early. A clear agreement explains whether the fee still applies, whether a replacement post is required and how any refund is calculated. Those details decide who absorbs the cost when something goes wrong outside either party's control.

Put every answer in writing before you start

Once the answers are clear, ask for a written agreement or a summary email that restates the deliverables, rights, dates, fees and cancellation terms. Do not begin work on verbal promises. Keep copies of every message, brief and approval, and note the name and role of your contact at the brand. For a long or high-value contract, ask a qualified lawyer to review the terms before you sign.

A short exchange before you start saves hours of rework later. Brands that answer these questions clearly tend to be easier to work with, and a brand that avoids them has given you useful information before any work began.