How small creators get paid brand deals: a practical guide

The four kinds of brand deals

Almost every brand deal is one of these four, or a mix. Know which one you are being offered before you say yes.

Type	How you are paid	Good to know
Gifted	You get the product for free and post an honest review.	No money, so keep the work small. It still counts as a paid relationship, so you still label it as sponsored.
Flat fee	A fixed amount for agreed content, for example one video.	The clearest deal. You know what you get before you start.
Commission (affiliate)	A percentage of each sale made through your link or shop tag.	Only works if the brand has stock and a shop in your country. Income is uncertain.
Ambassador (long-term)	Several posts over months, often a monthly fee, sometimes plus commission.	Steadier, but read the exclusivity rules: can you still work with other brands?

Many Chinese factories have no stock in Indonesia yet. For them commission makes no sense, because your followers can't buy the product locally. What they usually want is a flat-fee video they can show to local distributors. If a brand without local stock offers you commission only, ask where your followers would buy.

What brands look at

Follower count is only the first thing. Brands that have worked with creators before usually look at:

Who your audience is. Which country and city they live in, their age range. A home goods brand selling in Indonesia wants viewers in Indonesia.
Real engagement. Comments that are real conversations, not only emojis. Saves and shares.
Steady views. Your normal views per video, not one viral hit.
Fit. Does the product make sense in your content? A pet bowl on a pet account feels natural. On a gaming account it doesn't.
Quality and reliability. Clear video, good light, clear voice, and posting when you say you will.
Honesty. Past sponsored posts that were clearly labeled, and no signs of bought followers.

All the platforms show you these numbers in your own analytics. Take screenshots: brands trust screenshots from your account more than numbers typed in a message.

Make a simple media kit

A media kit is one page (or one PDF, or one pinned note) that tells a brand who you are. Keep it short:

Name and one line about you. For example: "Home tips and small upgrades for rented rooms, in Bahasa Indonesia."
Links to your accounts. The main one first.
Audience. Followers, top countries and cities, age range, from your analytics screenshots.
Usual performance. Normal views and engagement over the last month or two, not your best day.
Three examples. Links to videos that show your style, ideally one product video.
Past brand work. Only if it is real. If you have none, leave this out. That is fine.
How to reach you. WhatsApp or another contact you check every day.

Update it every few months. Old numbers look bad when a brand checks your profile and sees something different.

Make a rate card (without guessing)

A rate card lists what you offer and your price for each. We won't tell you numbers here, because the right rate depends on your audience, your work and your market. But the structure is simple:

One short video on your main account. This is your base rate.
Extra formats: stories, a second platform, a live session.
Usage rights: if the brand wants to use your video in ads or on its own account, that is extra value and usually extra money. Say how long they can use it.
Exclusivity: if you can't work with similar brands for a period, charge for that.
Rush work: very short deadlines can cost more.

To find a fair base rate, think about how many hours one video really takes (idea, shooting, editing, posting, replying to comments), ask creators of a similar size you trust, and adjust after a few deals. It's normal to start lower and raise your rate as you learn. It's also fine to say no when a price is too low.

How to pitch a brand

Brands get many messages. A short, specific pitch stands out:

Pick brands you already use or would really use. Your honest interest shows in the content.
Find the right contact. The official account (check it's verified or linked from the brand's website) or a business contact listed there.
Say why you, in two or three lines. Who your followers are and why the product fits them.
Offer one clear idea. For example: "A 30-second video showing how the cable organizer cleans up my desk."
Attach your media kit and say your rate or ask for their budget.
Follow up once after a week. If there is no answer, move on.

Matchmaking services like ours work the other way around: the brand comes first, and we contact creators who fit. Either way, the same preparation helps. If you want us to contact you when a fitting product comes in, sign up here.

Get these in writing before you start

A chat message is fine if it is clear. A written brief or agreement is better. Before you film anything, make sure you have:

Item	Questions to answer
Deliverables	How many videos or posts? Which platform? Length? Any must-show points? Is a draft review needed?
Deadline	When does the product arrive? When is the draft due? When do you post?
Usage rights	Can the brand repost it or use it in ads? For how long? In which countries?
Payment	How much, which method (bank transfer, e-wallet), and when: before posting, after, or split?
Disclosure	Which built-in label will you use? The brand must agree to it.
Product	Do you keep it or send it back? Who pays shipping?
Changes	How many rounds of changes are included? What if the brand asks for more?

About disclosure: each platform has its own tool. TikTok asks you to turn on the content disclosure setting when you promote a brand (TikTok Help). Instagram has the paid partnership label (Instagram Help). YouTube has a paid promotion setting in YouTube Studio that adds a disclosure label (YouTube Help). Free products count too: the US Federal Trade Commission, for example, says free or discounted products are a financial relationship you should disclose (FTC: Disclosures 101). Rules differ by country, so check your own country's official guidance too. Our short version is on What we ask from you.

Red flags: when to stop

The golden rule: in a real brand deal, money goes from the brand to you. If anyone asks you to send money first, stop.

Asked to pay upfront. "Pay a registration fee", "buy the product first and we refund you", "pay for shipping to receive your contract". Real brands don't charge creators to work with them. Neither do we: we never charge creators.
Fake brand accounts. A copy of a famous brand's name with an extra letter, a new account with few posts, a message from a free email address instead of the brand's own domain. Check the brand's official website and see if it links to that account.
Overpayment scams. The "brand" sends you a check or transfer for more than agreed and asks you to send the difference back, or to pay a "designer" or "shipping agent". The first payment later turns out to be fake, and the money you sent is gone. The US FTC explains how this works: How to spot, avoid and report fake check scams.
Links and files that ask you to log in. A "contract" link that asks for your account password, or a file you must install to "see the brief". Never give your password to anyone.
Pressure. "Decide in one hour or the offer is gone." Real brands can wait a day while you read.
No written terms. If a brand won't write down what you do and how you get paid, it will be hard to get paid later.
Asked to hide the ad. If a brand asks you not to label the post, it is asking you to break platform rules and trick your followers.

After the deal

Post on time, label it, and send the brand a short update with a link and, after a few days, a screenshot of the results. Keep copies of the brief, chats and payment proof. A brand that had a smooth experience often comes back, and that is how small creators build steady income: not one big deal, but many reliable small ones.