A comprehensive guide to understanding content creator contracts. Learn what should be included in a content creator contract to ensure your rights and obligations are protected.
It appears that in the past couple of years, being a content creator has become one of the most lucrative professions in the world. And this comes as no surprise, since a lot of brands all over the world, love collaborating with these people.
This truly sounds like a dream come true, however, if you want everything to go smoothly, and be sure that you are protected at any given moment, then you must put your trust in a content creator contract.
Now, if you’ve never heard of it before, then you are probably wondering what it is and what it consists of. If that’s the case, then don’t worry. In this extensive guide, you’ll learn everything there is about it. So let’s check it out together!
Are You Planning On Having A Manager Or Agent?
If the answer is yes, then you should pay attention to this segment. So what can be said about an influencer management contract? Namely, if you are pretty popular as an influencer, and at some point, you decide you want to put your trust in the hands of an agent, or manager, then it would be advisable to first create an influencer management contract.
What does it represent? Basically, it is an agreement where all tasks and duties (from both parties) will be outlined. If you’re not sure what it’s meant by that, then you can take a look at the contract for influencers from Creators Legal where this is thoroughly explained. It is generally recommended to make one, so you can get all your facts straight concerning the terms of it, contract duration, and other essentials.
Let’s Discuss The Deadlines and the Revision Process
Just like any other contract, this one should also contain clear dates because when they are outlined, you're going to prevent dealing with any delays. If you haven't made any agreements of this kind before, then we would like to remind you that practically every client loves a contract that contains milestones and deadlines. Each contract must contain:
- Starting date – this refers to the beginning of your collaboration.
- Content draft deadlines – this will not only inform your client when you're going to finish a particular project but will also showcase the stages that the project was “going through”.
- Leave room for the feedback – it would be advisable to have a particular feedback that will enable the brand you collaborated with to give you feedback. Most content creators opt for forty-eight or seventy-two hours.
- Final content submission – this is when you’re done and it’s sent to the client
- Publication date – this is the moment both parties have been waiting for when the content you've been working for is finally published. This refers to any type of content, video, pictures, blog, reels, etc.
Give Money Only When Everything’s Approved
This section is intended for people who are planning on collaborating with content creators. It means that you’re supposed to pay them only if you approve everything that’s been done. Why does this matter so much?
Namely, if you're not crystal clear about it, you may end up having a dispute with the creator which isn't something that any party wants. Therefore, it's of huge importance to communicate this properly, otherwise, it may turn into a problem.
What About Copyright?
Another pivotal aspect of the agreement that must be discussed. Bear in mind that just because the content creator has agreed to do their side of the bargain, it doesn’t instantly mean that they are handing over the copyright.
If you want them to turn over the copyright, then you must be direct and crystal clear about it as well, otherwise, they will maintain the ownership of it. If by any chance, you want to utilize the content they created for other purposes, then you’ll need to ask for their permission to do so.
This implies any type of content, such as vlogs, blogs, social media posts, and other similar things. Another thing that must be taken into consideration is the protection against indemnification for the stuff others may have in their possession.
Moving On To The Exclusivity Clause
One of the most crucial clauses of the contract is precisely this one. So what does it represent? Namely, it will ensure that the content creator you are collaborating with isn’t collaborating with anyone else (referring to the competitors) during your collaboration.
In these types of situations, it’s essential to determine a time period for this clause and to make sure that both sides are satisfied with it. What is the purpose of the exclusivity clause? It is designed to first and foremost, safeguard the brand and ensure that the content creator isn’t working with anyone else (that’s perceived as a competition) during a specific timeframe that’s determined by both parties.
Payment Terms
If you want everything to go smoothly as far as your payment is concerned, then this is the clause that cannot be overlooked. The payment terms must cover the following:
- Date of payment – this refers to the moment you'll receive the money for all your efforts. Is it going to be when everything's approved? After a week, or two? Whatever suits you two the most.
- Extra work comes with more money – if by any chance your client thinks that there are some things that must be added (that weren’t mentioned before) then you should definitely charge that extra work. Of course, this should also be discussed before you sign anything.
- One-off payment or milestones? – this is also something that you should define before you proceed with everything else. Are you more into receiving several milestones, or do you think that a one-off payment is a bit more convenient?
- Payment methods – nowadays, you can select various payment methods. The most popular ones are bank transfer, Payoneer, PayPal, and traditional bank transfer.
Based on everything that we talked about today, it’s easy to conclude that there are numerous things that you need to pay attention to (referring to both brands and content creators) if you want any project to be successful. Good luck!