A Comprehensive Guide for Influencers to Prepare a Scope of Work

While the digital landscape continues to evolve at a dizzying pace, one thing remains constant: the need for clarity, structure, and professionalism in our collaborations. An Influencer Scope of Work provides each of these important elements. 

This blog will guide you through creation of your own Scope of Work for use with digital content creation. It will cover three main sections:

1. What is an Influencer Scope of Work?
2. The risks of not Using a Scope of Work in Influencer Brand Campaigns
3. What needs to be included in an Influencers’ Scope of Work?

What Is an Influencer Scope of Work

An Influencer Scope of Work (SOW) is a document crafted by influencers to outline the specifics of their collaboration with a brand. It serves as a roadmap, detailing key elements such as the campaign’s objectives, the nature and description of content to be produced, key deliverables, timelines, and channels of distribution. Beyond just content, the SOW also elaborates on terms related to campaign fees, payment terms, inclusions, exclusions, and general conditions.

By establishing clear expectations and deliverables upfront, the SOW ensures a smooth, transparent, and effective partnership between the influencer and the brand, safeguarding the interests of both parties and paving the way for a successful campaign.

Risks of Not Using a Scope of Work in Influencer Brand Campaigns

1. Ambiguous Deliverables: Without a clear SOW, there might be confusion regarding what exactly is expected from the influencer, leading to potential dissatisfaction from both parties.
2. Misaligned Objectives: Without clear goals, the influencer’s content might not align with the brand’s expectations, impacting campaign effectiveness.
3. Timeline Confusion: Lacking clear key dates can lead to disagreements on content submission, revision timelines, final publishing and campaign end dates.
4. Licensing Issues: Without defined terms, there might be conflicts over content usage, its duration, and channels, potentially leading to unauthorised or overextended use.
5. Overstepping Boundaries: Without defined inclusions and exclusions, brands may expect additional tasks or content pieces not originally agreed upon.
6. Financial Discrepancies: Absence of a clear payment structure can result in delayed payments, underpayments, or disputes over financial terms.
7. Legal Vulnerabilities: Absence of a clear SOW might expose the influencer to legal risks if any disagreements arise, especially without documented terms to refer back to.
8. Professional Reputation: Word of mouth is potent in the influencer industry. Brands often communicate with each other, and a reputation for being unprofessional or unreliable can quickly spread, discouraging other brands from approaching for potential collaborations.
9. Feedback opportunities A well-defined SOW often includes feedback mechanisms. Missing out on this structured feedback deprives influencers of valuable insights that could improve their craft, content, and strategy

What Needs to Be Included in an Influencer Scope of Work?

This format is recommended for a Scope of Work for each campaign. The format has three sections:

1. Section 1 – Campaign Overview
2. Section 2 – Campaign Deliverables, Quote for Work
3. Section 3 – Payment and General Terms

Imagine your document set out in these three sections. Now, let’s work through each section and the detail you need to include.

Section 1 Campaign Overview

1. Confidentiality Statement: eg Commercial in Confidence. This means that the information you’re sharing about your rates or any other information in your scope of work is confidential and the person receiving that information is obligated not to share it without consent.
2. Title: eg Scope of Work.
3. Name of the campaign: eg Barbie Cinema Release
4. Client Name: this might be different to the brand if you’re being instructed via an agency. It’s important to get these details when it comes to getting paid on time. (Learn More: Episode 5 Getting Paid On Time for Your Influencer Campaign.)
5. Date: the date you’ve prepared the Scope of Work.
6. Talent: your name or pseudonym (account name), plus a link to your primary platform
7. Talent Contact Details: including phone number and email address.
8. Description: a brief description or summary of the campaign’s purpose, this may have already been provided to you by the brand.
9. Key Dates: any key dates relevant to the campaign, eg content pre-approval dates, campaign live date, campaign end dates.
10. Term: the Term for which you’re allowing the brand to use your content.
11. Licence – include a statement like “Restricted in Accordance with this Scope of Work”, so if usage isn’t covered by the Scope of Work, the brand should revert to you for additional usage rights. A great opportunity to upsell!
12. A campaign objective: usually the brand will describe the campaign objective they wish to achieve by collaborating with you, eg brand awareness, brand consideration, product launch, event promotion, etc.

Section 2 – Campaign Deliverables, Quote for Work

1. Content Deliverables: Type of content (blog post, video, Instagram post, tweet, etc.).
2. Number of content pieces: for each piece of content, eg 3 xTikTok posts, 2 x Instagram In-Feed Reels, 3 x Instagram Story Sets with minimum 3 frames
3. Content specifications: including length, format, and any branding elements to be included. If it’s a blog post, you might specify how many photos will be included and the length of the blog post. For social video content – the duration of each video, etc.
4. Publication & Distribution (Talent Channels): Talent Platforms or channels where the content will be published. Specify if the content is to be published organically or as paid content.
5. Publication & Distribution (Brand Channels): Brand Platforms or channels where the content will be published. Specify if the content is to be published organically or as paid content. For example, are you giving the brand rights to republish across all their brand social media channels or just the same platform you publish on? Do you give rights for them to publish on their website, newsletters or use the content in other ways?
6. Publication & Distribution (Third Party Channels): Are you giving the Brand rights for distribution across third-party channels? Usually third party channels is paid distribution but not always.
7. Campaign Inclusions and Exclusions: this section provides details about content approvals, feedback rounds, reporting, responsibilities of the brand such as supplying product, and specific tasks or expectations that are or are not part of the agreement. (Learn More: Episode 4 Campaign Inclusions and Exclusions covers this segment in detail.)
8. Campaign Fee: your quote for completing the campaign work, noting any taxes that might be applicable. Usually campaign fees are quoted excluding tax but it must be clear if you are eligible to be charging tax for your work.

Section 3 – Payment and General Terms

1. Payment Terms: Due dates for payments e.g., upfront payment, campaign milestone payment, post-campaign payment.
2. General Terms and Conditions: how long the quote is valid for, eg 14 days. Any cancellation or termination conditions.

Important note: large value or complex campaigns will typically require a campaign contract. This has detailed terms and conditions and clauses that will protect both the brand and talent if there’s any performance issues in delivering the work; plus a higher level of detail around campaign deliverables, payment terms and other general conditions. It’s highly recommended for any high value campaign work that a proper campaign contract is prepared and signed by both parties. A Scope of Work only goes part-way to managing this risk.