Platform & campaign best practices: What should I include in my brief?

At Vamp, our mission is to establish the highest standards for creator marketing best practices. To maintain these standards, we expect brands to adhere to our Codes of Conduct when using our platform for brief creation. This article outlines the key guidelines for crafting effective briefs that ensure compliance and promote successful collaborations with creators.

Important Guidelines

Before you create a brief, please review any applicable advertising codes related to your brand, product, campaign, or industry.

General Rules

• Professional Tone: Phrase your briefs as if you are addressing an external party. Remember, creators are freelancers, not agencies. Tailor your communication accordingly.

• Language Accuracy: Use correct grammar, punctuation, and spelling in all communications.

• Usage Rights: Do not refer to usage rights within your brief. This aspect is managed separately. For more information on usage rights, click here.  

• Objective Language: Avoid using subjective language that may lead to misunderstandings.

• No External References: Do not refer to or link any external briefs or additional briefing points. All necessary information should be contained within the platform brief. This ensures creators are fully informed and accountable for the brief they see when applying. This practice helps maintain the integrity of the content review process.

• Include #ad: Ensure that #ad is included in all influencer briefs, as this applies to all regions and channels.

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Introducing Smart Briefs

Vamp’s Smart Briefs are designed to guide you through the briefing process with best practices to get you started efficiently. They are divided into four main sections:

1. Overview
2. Campaign Description
3. Content Rules
4. Creator Survey

Pro Tips for Brief Creation:

  Overview Section: This is the first piece of information creators will see. Clearly communicate your brand's image and the reputation you aim to build to encourage better opt-ins.

  Enhance Your Writing: Use tools like ChatGPT to improve your creative brief and make it more appealing for creators to opt-in.

  Category-Specific Guides: Utilize our category-specific guide alongside this article to inform your brief creation process.

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Section 1: Overview

This section provides creators with an initial snapshot of your campaign. Make sure to include a clear representation of your brand and the reputation you wish to cultivate.

Character Limit: 230 characters

Examples:

1. Example 1:
   "UrbanThreads is launching its Life in Winter range. We want creators to explore our brand-new catalogue that blends urban style with cozy comfort. Join us in crafting a reputation for trendsetting warmth and modern fashion."

2. Example 2:
   "UrbanThreads is a retail brand. We are launching a winter range."

3. Example 3:
   "Get ready for a fun challenge! UrbanThreads wants you to share the excitement of everyday deals on their app. Record a video & show how easy it is to get our trending deals, all within the UT app. Join us in spreading the word!"

4. Example 4:
   "UrbanThreads has an app and would like you to feature it. Show the great deals on the app."

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Section 2: Campaign Description

Describe your main objectives and the type of content you want creators to produce for your campaign.

Character Limit: 600 characters

Tips for Crafting Your Description:

Structure: Present a clear objective, key details, requirements, and expectations.

Example:
"UrbanThreads is launching its brand-new Life In Winter range and needs your help to create engaging looks that showcase its entire catalogue. We want creators to highlight that UrbanThreads is made from sustainable materials."

Content Direction: Include specific themes or trends you’d like creators to adopt.

Example:
"We want creators to jump on one of the following video trends and take their audience on a journey: Day In The Life, Get Ready With Me, #BrandSpecific Hashtag Challenge."

Specific Requirements: Mention any requirements related to the brief, channel, or format upfront.

Example:
"You will be able to choose 2x outfits from the Spring collection—all items must feature in your content."

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Section 3: Content Rules

Specify the requirements that creators must follow, as these will impact how you review content.

Writing Dos and Don'ts:

• Key Messaging: Clearly outline the messages that creators should and should not communicate, considering any specifics related to your category.

• Output Requirements: Specify content length, brand mentions, and any other output-related needs.

• Best Practices: Reference best practices for each social channel to cover safe zones, music usage, content length, etc, if it’s applicable (TikTok, Instagram, YouTube)

General Example Dos and Don'ts:

Dos:

• Do ensure branding/product is shown within the first 3 seconds of the video and features throughout the content in ad-safe zones
• If you are speaking in your video, ensure you add closed captions or text overlay to ensure audiences can follow along without sound.
• Do ensure branding/logo is clear & legible in content
• Do use music from the Facebook Sound Collection only. If not used, you will be asked to repost.
• Do add the brand as a paid partner & use Paid Partnership tool on any content posted (this includes stories, posts & reels). If not used, you will be asked repost.
• Do use music from the TikTok Commercial Library only. If not used, you will be asked to repost.
• Spark Codes (TikTok) must be provided in a timely manner, i.e. same day of posting content
• Must have #ad at beginning of caption (TikTok), if you do not comply you will be asked to repost
• Do ensure ‘branded content’ toggle in TikTok is switched on and content is shared publicly. If not followed, you will be asked to repost.

Don'ts:

• Don’t feature any other logos or branding
• Don’t post content that is not your own
• Don’t feature nudity, alcohol, inappropriate behaviour or make political statements
• Do not mention, feature, tag or show any other brands, or mention, feature, tag or show any other retailer (including on clothing and other items).
• Do not upload a screen recording of your content or content with any screen recordings or watermarks. Content must be in original, high-definition format.

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Section 4: Creator Survey

This feature allows you to qualify creators beyond the provided profile and audience data during the application process. You can ask multiple-choice or open-ended questions.

Pro Tip:

Limit your survey to three questions to prevent application dropouts.

Examples of Survey Questions:

1. Creative Concept Idea:
   "Share a quick idea/concept for your content below—this will help us identify the best fit for our campaign!"

2. Concept Selection:
   "List 3-4 general concept ideas (e.g., GRWM, clothing haul, day in the life) and ask creators to choose the one they resonate with the most."

   This would be a multiple-choice question where you list concept ideas. 

3. Competitor Collaboration:
   "Have you worked with any of the following competitors in the past 3 months?" (Provide a list of competitors)

   This would be a multiple-choice question where you list concept ideas. 

The survey tool is also great for gaining a better understanding of the creator that is applying - some examples include;

Do you have kids, and what are their ages?

Do you have any pets?

What shoe size are you? Great to manage stock levels and available colours and sizes.

Which option below would define your dietary preferences? You could then include multiple-choice answers to ensure the creators you choose align with the product/brand

Please select your foundation shade from the below: You could then include multiple-choice answers with each shade

What is your local audience breakdown? The platform surfaces this data at the next stage

Can you include usage rights in your fee? All fees include basic usage (60 days boosting), with the option for purchasing 12 months of digital usage once content later\

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By following these guidelines, brands can create effective and compliant briefs that enhance collaboration with creators and foster a successful marketing strategy. If you have any questions or need further assistance, please reach out to our support team.