Brand deal

A brand deal is a paid agreement between a creator and a company to make content that features the company's product or message. It is the main way most creators earn money that does not come from a platform.

What a deal usually contains

Four things, and a deal that is missing any of them is not finished being negotiated:

• Deliverables. Exactly what you will make and where it goes. "One TikTok" is not the same as "one TikTok and a story frame".
• The fee. A number, and when it is paid relative to delivery.
• Usage. How long the brand may use what you made, and whether they can put money behind it.
• Timing. When it goes live, and how long it must stay up.

What it is not

A brand deal is not a gift. If a company sends you a product and you post about it without a fee, that is gifting, and it is worth being honest with yourself about which one you have agreed to.

It is also not the same as affiliate marketing, where you are paid from what your audience buys rather than for the post itself. Some deals combine both: a flat fee plus a share of sales.

Getting paid for one

Payment usually follows an invoice rather than arriving automatically, and the gap between delivering the work and sending the invoice is where most late payment actually starts.