How To Write a Good Influencer Brief: 7 Non-Negotiables

Our 7 influencer campaign brief non-negotiables:

• Explain the brand and product

• Share your campaign goal

• Include key performance indicators (KPIs)

• Lay out deliverables and dates

• Include references and ideas for inspiration

• Add your brand guidelines

• Track your total impact

Partnering up with the right creators is essential to the success of any influencer marketing strategy. But what happens when you fail to nail the brief?

Without a clear and purposeful brief, you could leave your creators wading around in the dark. When that happens, you usually end up with content or messaging that fails to make an impact.

On the flip side, write a clear influencer brief offering definitive direction, and you’ll ensure a successful collaboration from the start (hello ROI). Giving your creators a certain level of creative freedom is also important as they’ve built a strong connection with their audience so know what kind of content or messaging resonates.

If you’re struggling with your creator briefs, you’ve come to the right place. Here, we’ll explain how to write an influencer brief that gets results. There are seven sections you should include and we’ll walk you through them now.

1. Explain the brand and product

Give your creator a brief overview of the brand, its mission, and any specific product or services related to the campaign. 

Be clear, concise, and conversational (no jargon). Add any sources or URLs you feel will help your influencer better understand what you sell or what you do. Remember, they don’t know the brand on the same level as you, so give them all of the information they need to succeed from the offset.

2. Share your campaign goal

If you don’t explain your goal, it’s unlikely that your influencer campaign will reach its full potential. So, when you’re writing your influencer brief, make your key campaign goal (or goals) crystal clear. Share:

• The outcome you want to achieve (brand awareness, user acquisition, increasing specific product sales, etc.)

• The call-to-action (CTA) you’d like your creator to use

Spell it out and keep your desired campaign goals to one paragraph maximum. Short, sweet, and actionable is the best approach here.

3. Include key performance indicators (KPIs)

Once you’ve shared your goals, you should outline the KPIs and metrics you’d like to track to measure your campaign’s impact.

For instance, if you want to build brand awareness, your core KPIs can be impressions or engagement metrics like shares, likes, and comments. When you’ve set your KPIs, you should place them in order of priority so your influencer knows how to approach the content they create.

4. Lay out deliverables and dates

Without clarity on deliverables and deadlines, your influencer campaign can become chaotic. The best campaigns are consistent and cohesive so it’s important to outline:

• The number and type of content deliverables you need from your influencer

• When you need the first draft of each deliverable

• The dates you want your final drafts to go live

Include these key pieces details in your influencer marketing brief and everything should flow smoothly from start to finish.

5. Include references and ideas for inspiration

You likely have a strong vision for your campaign. While giving your influencer a level of creative freedom (remember, it’s a partnership) is vital, sharing references will help to guide things in the right direction.

For instance, are you especially inspired by this year’s Met Gala theme? Are there brands with aesthetics or messaging that you’d like to use for inspiration? Include these references in your influencer brief.

FYI: Always ensure your references are visual (not solely text-based) for context. You should also choose references that gel with your influencer’s personal style or aesthetic.

6. Add your brand guidelines

Adding brand guidelines is one of the most vital parts of any influencer campaign brief. The aim here is not to pigeonhole your influencer and stifle their creative freedom but to preserve your brand aesthetic.

If you have one, add a link to your brand style guide to your brief. You should also outline some ‘dos and don’ts’ to ensure your influencer campaign content is consistent with the rest of your branding while protecting your brand image. 

Do you want them to add your logo to their images or videos? Do you want them to use specific hashtags to promote the campaign? Are there particular words or phrases they should avoid at all costs? These details count – so add them to your brief.

7. Track your total impact

Okay, this isn’t something to include in your influencer brief, but it’s important.

Around 90% of untagged, unmentioned brand content is missed during your average influencer campaign – the kind that traditional tools and metrics can’t track.

To solve this pressing issue, we’ve developed a visual AI and video recognition tool that uncovers hidden influencer value and helps brands track their total impact.

Tracking the full impact of your influencer campaign will give you a true gauge of your performance. Plus, if your campaign performs well, you’ll know you’ve written an influencer brief that’s clear, concise, and hits the mark. Over to you.

Want more insider insights to elevate your strategy? Explore our essential 2025 influencer trends index.