Would you have said yes?
Before you publish your next creator campaign, ask yourself a simple question: would you have said yes to the offer?
Would you want a chocolate bar in exchange for coming up with an idea, filming and editing a video, handing over raw footage and creating an image bank?
A very good chocolate bar, perhaps. But still a chocolate bar.
It sounds obvious. But when you are the one writing the brief, it is easy to forget how much work the creator actually does.
A video is more than the time it takes to film it
Behind a short video there is often an idea, a rough plan, filming, several takes, editing, music, subtitles and perhaps a round of revisions. If you also ask for raw footage and photos, the assignment grows.
Many creators run their own business. Their time, equipment and experience are what they sell. When the brief grows but the compensation stays the same, the creators you most want to work with often say no. Or they never apply.
Gifted or paid?
There are two common ways to compensate creators. Both can work well, depending on what you offer and what you want done.
Gifted
The creator receives products or services as compensation for an agreed assignment. If you sell consumer products, it can be a good way to get started, provided the offer is relevant and valuable to the creator.
A skincare brand sending products to a creator who already talks about skincare is a natural match. The same parcel to someone who has never mentioned the subject is not.
Gifting can also work for B2B and service companies, for example access to software, a course or a consultation. The same rule applies: it has to be something the creator actually wants and can use.
Paid
The creator is paid for the assignment. It suits you when, for example, you want to order more extensive content or work with creators who charge a fee. Products can of course be included too. It’s hard to review a drink you’ve never tasted.
Let the value match the work
Product collaborations can work well. The value you offer just needs to be in proportion to the work you ask for.
Your enthusiasm for the product is lovely. It is, however, quite hard to pay rent with.
A simple way to check the balance is to list what you are asking for:
- How many videos or photos?
- Do you want the raw footage?
- Will the material be used in ads, and if so, where and for how long?
- How many rounds of revisions are included?
- Do you need the content by a specific date?
Every yes on that list adds work for the creator. Let the compensation reflect that.
What do creators ask for?
In BOOSTIFIED—Pay, creators set their own bid when they apply to a campaign. We have compiled the bids from September 2025 to October 2026 in our new Creator Economy Report.
The median bid is EUR 250 for bids in euros.
Keep in mind that a bid is what the creator asks for the whole campaign. It is not a price per video, and not necessarily what was finally agreed. But it gives a good sense of the level many creators expect.
In the report, you can see how the bids spread, how they differ between categories and currencies, and how to read the figures.
Read the Creator Economy Report
Start small and be clear
Start with a smaller, clear assignment. One video, a clear message and an agreed deadline make a good first collaboration. If it works well, you can build on it.
Agree on the deliverables, and on how and for how long the material may be used, before the collaboration starts. It prevents misunderstandings and makes it easier for both sides to say yes.
A good brief usually answers these questions:
- What do you want to achieve?
- Who is the audience?
- What should be delivered, and in which format?
- Where and for how long will the material be used?
- What is the compensation, and when is it paid?
The question is worth asking every time
Would you have said yes yourself? If the honest answer is a hesitant maybe, adjust the offer before you publish. It is usually easier than finding creators for an offer nobody wants.
In BOOSTIFIED—Pay, you publish a campaign with the assignment and compensation, receive applications and choose who you want to work with.