Half of Influencers Don't Read the Brief Before Filming — It Might Be Your Fault

One influencer we work with told us this: 'Sometimes the brief is eight pages. Every sentence has been approved, every word has cleared the brand guidelines. When I get something like that, I genuinely don't know what to do — there's no room left for my voice.' This isn't an isolated complaint. It's a very common one.

A good brief tells a creator what to achieve, not what to do. That's a significant distinction. Saying 'keep the product on a purple background, say these lines, use this music' is very different from saying 'our goal is reaching 25-35 year old fitness people — show how this fits into a real daily routine.' The second approach consistently produces better content.

Practically, a solid brief should include: the campaign goal in one sentence, the target audience (who they are, what they care about), required elements (product shot, hashtag, link), things to avoid, and a few reference videos to illustrate the tone. That's it. It should fit on one page.

One last thing: before you send the brief, ask the influencer 'what kind of content does this make you think of?' If their answer surprises or worries you, rewrite the brief. If it excites you, you're in good shape.