The short answer

A good brief fits on one page. It names one objective, one message the viewer should remember, the exact deliverables and dates, how many rounds of changes are included, what you can do with the content afterwards, the disclosure line and the fee. The template below covers all of that, and the example shows it filled in.

What the brief is for

The brief has two jobs. Before the deal, it lets a creator give you an accurate quote, because the fee depends on deliverables, usage and exclusivity. After the deal, it’s the reference both sides check when something is unclear. A vague brief leads to a vague quote, then a surprise invoice for “extra usage”.

Keep strategy documents, brand books and mood boards as attachments. The brief itself should take two minutes to read.

The template

Influencer brief template (plain text)

INFLUENCER BRIEF

Brand and product:
What we sell, in one sentence:
Link or code for viewers:

Objective (pick one): awareness / visits / sign-ups / sales
How we'll judge it:

Who we want to reach:
The one thing viewers should remember:
Must say:
Must not say or show:

Deliverables:
- Format and length:
- Number of posts:
- Platforms:
- Language:
Creative freedom: your concept / our concept / script provided

Timeline:
- Product arrives by:
- Draft or concept due:
- Our feedback within:
- Go-live window:
Revision rounds included:

Usage rights: organic only / paid usage on [platforms] for [days] days
Edit rights: yes / no
Exclusivity: none / [category] until [date]

Disclosure: paid-partnership label on, and this line at the start of the caption:

Fee:
Product value (for your records):
Payment terms:
Your contact at our side:

A filled-in example

Kopi Pagi Co. is a fictional brand, made up for this guide. The fee is illustrative: a figure a creator with 10K–30K followers might quote for this scope. Check our rate guide for the ranges.

Example: Kopi Pagi Co. launch brief

INFLUENCER BRIEF

Brand and product: Kopi Pagi Co. (fictional), oat milk cold brew, 250 ml bottle
What we sell, in one sentence: Kopi-strength cold brew with oat milk, sold chilled at 40 cafés in the Klang Valley.
Link or code for viewers: Store finder at kopipagi.example, code PAGI20 for 20% off a six-pack online

Objective: visits to stockist cafés in the first two weeks
How we'll judge it: code redemptions and stockist feedback; views are secondary

Who we want to reach: office workers aged 22–35 in KL and PJ who buy coffee on the way to work
The one thing viewers should remember: it tastes like kopi, not like a latte
Must say: available chilled at cafés, use the store finder
Must not say or show: "healthy", "dairy-free is better for you", any competitor brand

Deliverables:
- Format and length: one vertical video, 30–60 seconds
- Number of posts: 1, plus 3 Stories with a link sticker on launch day
- Platforms: TikTok and Instagram Reels (same edit)
- Language: your usual mix of Bahasa and English
Creative freedom: your concept; we'd like a first sip on camera

Timeline:
- Product arrives by: 3 November
- Concept due: 5 November (two lines is enough)
- Our feedback within: 1 working day
- Go-live window: 10–14 November
Revision rounds included: 1 on the concept, 1 on the edit

Usage rights: paid usage on Meta and TikTok for 30 days from go-live, via Spark Ads code and Instagram partnership ads
Edit rights: we may trim to 15 seconds; no other changes
Exclusivity: no other ready-to-drink coffee brands from 1 to 30 November

Disclosure: paid-partnership label on, and start the caption with "Iklan: kerjasama berbayar dengan @kopipagico"

Fee: RM900, covering the video, Stories, 30-day usage and exclusivity
Product value (for your records): 2 six-packs, RM96 retail
Payment terms: 14 days after go-live, against your invoice
Your contact at our side: Aisyah, brand manager (WhatsApp in the agreement)

Notes on the hard parts

One objective

“Awareness and sales” gives the creator two jobs, and the video ends up doing neither well. Pick the result you’ll judge the campaign on and say how you’ll measure it. If it’s sales, give them a code or link you can track.

Must say, must not say

Keep “must say” to two items. Every extra mandatory line makes the video sound more like an ad and less like the creator. Use “must not say” for claims you can’t back up and for regulated wording. If your product is a health product, the copy may need approval before anyone films. Our disclosure guide explains when.

Revisions

Say how many rounds you get at each stage. A change to wording or a cut is a revision. A new location or a different concept is a reshoot, and creators are right to charge for it. Collect your team’s feedback into one message per round.

Usage and exclusivity

These are the lines most likely to cause a dispute. Write the platforms, the number of days and whether you can edit. Name the competitor category and the end date for exclusivity. If you might want to run the video as an ad later, price that option now. Asking afterwards usually costs more.

Product value

Since LHDN’s 2026 guideline, gifted products count as income for the creator. Giving the retail value in the brief saves them working it out, and it gives you a record.

Five common mistakes

  1. Writing the script for them. You hired them because their audience trusts how they talk. Give the message and let them find the words.
  2. Leaving the dates open. “Sometime this month” turns into the last day of the month.
  3. Feedback from five people. Choose one person on your side to approve, and send feedback as a single message.
  4. Forgetting the disclosure line. Write it into the brief so it’s in the first draft, not added after you complain.
  5. Paying late. Creators talk to each other. Paying on time is the cheapest way to get good creators to say yes next time.