Our first minisode of the ninth season of “The Creative Influencer” podcast is available today.
Jon continues our in-depth discussion of influencer agreements and brand deals, discussing Content Submission & Review.
This step is where you submit your deliverables to the brand for approval before the campaign goes live. It’s essentially a quality check to make sure your content aligns with the brand’s vision, meets legal and creative guidelines, and delivers the right message. It is also often outlined in the Influencer Brand Agreement—specifically the exact steps and the number of rounds for revisions.
We will continue to take a deep dive into each section of an influencer agreement in the minisodes to come in this special series.
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A transcript of the episode follows:
Welcome back to The Creative Influencer podcast! This is minisode one of the ninth season and the seventh installment in our series on Influencer Brand Agreements. Today, we’re covering a crucial step in the influencer-brand collaboration process: Content Submission and Review.
This step is where you submit your deliverables to the brand for approval before the campaign goes live. It’s essentially a quality check to make sure your content aligns with the brand’s vision, meets legal and creative guidelines, and delivers the right message. It is also often outlined in the Influencer Brand Agreement—specifically the exact steps and the number of rounds for revisions.
The content review process helps brands ensure three things. First, it ensures consistency in Brand Messaging: Brands want to make sure your content aligns with their overall messaging and tone. This review also ensures the content complies with advertising laws (such as FTC rules) and platform guidelines. Finally, the review acts as a layer of quality control. Reviewing content before publication allows brands to catch any errors, off-brand language, or visual inconsistencies.
In short, the review process protects the brand’s image while also safeguarding you, the influencer, from potential missteps.
While each brand may have its own specific process, here’s a general outline of what to expect in the submission and review stage:
First, content submission. Once you complete the deliverables, you’ll submit them to the brand for review. This may be done via email, a content management tool, or an influencer marketing platform. Make sure you submit everything the brand has requested—images, videos, captions, hashtags, and any other materials required in the Creative Brief.
Second, initial review and feedback. After submission, the brand’s team will review your content. They’ll check to see if it meets all the requirements outlined in the creative brief, including proper use of logos, adherence to brand tone, and compliance with any regulatory guidelines.
Third, revisions (If needed). Often, brands will come back with requests for tweaks or adjustments. These revisions might be minor, like rephrasing a caption, or more involved, like reshooting a portion of a video.
Finally, final approval. Once you’ve made the necessary changes, you’ll resubmit the content. Ideally, this step is just a formality if you’ve addressed all feedback. With final approval, you’re ready to post or go live on the scheduled date.
The review process can be frustrating, especially if you feel the brand’s revisions are extensive or restrictive. Here are some common issues influencers encounter during this stage—and tips on how to avoid them:
The first issue is ignoring the Creative Brief: If you’re asked to revise your content, it’s often because you missed something in the creative brief. Maybe you didn’t use the correct hashtag or missed a mandatory talking point. Before submitting, cross-check your content against the brief to make sure you haven’t overlooked any details.
The next issue is forgetting Disclosures: Brands are—or at least should be!—strict about disclosures—think of “#ad” and phrases like “sponsored by.” For more about why these are so important, check out our past minisodes. But suffice to say that omitting the proper disclosures can at the very least delay approval and even put you at risk for legal fines and penalties.
The next problem that influencers can run into during the review phase is resisting feedback. Revision requests can sometimes feel like an attack on your creative vision. But remember, this isn’t about undermining your style—it’s about aligning with the brand’s objectives. Keep an open mind and remember that brand feedback is part of the process.
And the last issue that causes problems during the review stage is missing deadlines for resubmission. If you take too long to make revisions, you could delay the entire campaign. Most influencer agreements have tight timelines, so be responsive to feedback and submit revisions promptly. Brands may also have penalties or withhold payment if deadlines aren’t met.
To avoid delays and frustrations, here are a few strategies to streamline the review process:
First, review the Creative Brief (again): Before submitting, revisit the creative brief and checklist to make sure your content checks every box. This helps reduce the chance of needing revisions.
Second, submit Ahead of the Deadline: Whenever possible, submit your content early. This gives you more time to address feedback without rushing or delaying the campaign launch.
Third, clarify Feedback Requests: If feedback is unclear or seems excessive, don’t hesitate to reach out to your brand contact for clarification. It’s better to ask questions upfront than to make revisions that still don’t meet expectations.
Lastly, adopt a Collaborative Attitude: Revision requests are a normal part of the process. Approach them as a learning experience and an opportunity to improve your content. Maintaining a collaborative attitude can also strengthen your relationship with the brand and potentially lead to future partnerships.
So some final thoughts to wrap up this discussion, the content submission and review process might feel tedious or restrictive at times, but following this step ensures your content aligns with the brand’s vision and meets legal standards. By approaching this stage thoughtfully, staying organized, and being open to feedback, you can navigate content reviews smoothly—and increase the likelihood of future opportunities with the brand or agency.
In our next minisode, we’ll dive into the use of deliverables.
Until then, keep creating!
The Creative Influencer is a weekly podcast where we discuss all things creative with an emphasis on Influencers. It is hosted by Jon Pfeiffer, an entertainment attorney in Santa Monica, California. Jon interviews influencers, creatives and the professionals who work with them.
Contact Jon and his team today.
