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3.4Creator selection, fair pay and reward
Now, and only now, pick the creators. You know the behaviour, the report and the plan. That tells you what kind of creator you need.
Start with the creators who've already delivered
Selection gets easier the longer a programme runs. Your top performers from previous campaigns (3.8) are your first shortlist. You already know they’re believable, and you already have proof they can deliver: their results with us. That’s why you’re bringing them back.
Keep some places for new creators, though. It’s how you find the next top performers, and it matters most when the campaign needs to reach a new audience.
For every new creator you recommend, you must show two things
Why they're believable
Proof they can deliver
If you can’t show both, don’t shortlist them.
Three checks for every creator
New or returning, every creator must pass these. Run them before anyone reaches the shortlist you send to the client.
- Recognition, not reach.Followers don’t tell you who recognises them. Recognition often comes from a creator’s world (a format, a place, a catchphrase), not their face.
- The tax test, for big gifts.Would they still want it if they had to pay the tax on it? If not, it’s probably not a believable fit.
- Brand safety.Run every creator through the client’s vetting and blacklist process, plus a scan of past content, before they reach the shortlist.
Checklist
- New creators: believability and content references
- Returning creators: past results attached
- Brand-safety check passed
- Fee priced against the benchmark
Fair pay and reward
Pay creators fairly, and pay the good ones more. Fair pay attracts better creators, keeps the good ones, and protects everyone if something goes wrong.
Choose the payment model
| Model | What it is | Why use it | Watch out |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flat fee | Payment for agreed deliverables | Clear expectations, easy to manage, can include usage | It’s guaranteed money, so pair it with incentives for top performers |
| Gifting and experiences | Product or an experience instead of a fee | Builds genuine advocacy, cost-effective, first-hand experience | The gift has to be something the creator genuinely values. They may also owe tax on its value. |
| Affiliate or commission | Paid on sales or leads | Pay tracks results, and it scales | Needs tracking, and creators commit less upfront |
What you get for what you pay
Gifted
Paid
Pricing it
For paid content, use cost per engagement as the fair-value benchmark. We publish CPE benchmarks every year, by industry and category. Price each creator against them, then negotiate from there, but never below our minimum fee per piece for the market.
Rewarding results, and more than results
- Hold back 20% to 30% for variable incentives.Benchmark each creator’s expected performance. When they beat it, pay a bonus. Tie bonuses to the campaign’s primary behaviour metric, using verified numbers like sales or brand segment views. Bonuses on raw engagement invite engagement pods.
- Keep a prize pool on gifting campaigns.Always have cash ready to pay creators whose gifted content you want to use in ads.
- Reward loyalty and professionalism.A creator who’s delivered for us for a long time, on time and without drama, should earn a premium. Results matter. So does being easy to work with.
- For rising creators, pay in more than money.Visibility boosts, reposts from bigger creators, masterclasses. Things that help them grow, and that money alone can’t buy.