Pricing Your First Brand Deal: A Composite Guide

Your first brand deal email arrives, and the brand asks: "What are your rates?" Many new creators freeze, underprice or accept free product for significant work. This composite guide synthesises pricing approaches widely taught in creator education and industry resources. It contains no invented quotes and no fixed rate tables, because rates vary enormously by niche, platform, region and audience.

Pricing approaches commonly taught

1. Audience-based (CPM-style)

Price based on expected views or impressions, similar to advertising CPM (cost per thousand impressions). For example, you estimate average views per post and multiply by a per-thousand rate appropriate for your niche.

• Pros: easy for brands to compare with advertising.
• Cons: ignores production effort and audience quality.

2. Follower-based rules of thumb

Widely shared rules suggest a rate per thousand followers. These are crude and often criticised because followers do not equal reach.

• Use: as a sanity check only.

3. Time and cost based

Calculate the hours involved (concept, scripting, shooting, editing, revisions, posting, reporting) and multiply by a reasonable hourly rate, plus expenses.

• Pros: protects you from losing money on labour-intensive work.
• Cons: does not capture audience value.

4. Value-based

Price based on value delivered to the brand: audience fit, trust, conversion potential, usage rights and exclusivity.

• Pros: captures what makes you valuable.
• Cons: requires confidence and data.

Many creators combine approaches: they calculate a floor from time and costs, check audience-based estimates and adjust for value.

Factors that change the rate

• Deliverables: number and type of posts, formats and lengths.
• Production complexity: locations, props, models, editing.
• Usage rights: whether the brand can use your content in ads, on its website or elsewhere, and for how long. Usage rights are commonly priced separately and can be significant.
• Exclusivity: agreeing not to work with competitors for a period should increase the fee.
• Timeline: rush jobs cost more.
• Revisions: include a set number; extra revisions cost more.
• Whitelisting/paid amplification: allowing the brand to run ads through your account.
• Reporting: performance reports take time.

What to include in a quote

1. Deliverables in detail.
2. Timeline.
3. Fee per deliverable or package.
4. Usage rights and duration.
5. Exclusivity terms.
6. Number of revisions.
7. Payment terms (for example, a deposit upfront, the balance on delivery, net 30 days).
8. Disclosure requirements.

Negotiation tips commonly shared

• Ask for the budget first. Brands often have one.
• Don't answer immediately. Take time to calculate.
• Offer packages. Bundles can increase value for both sides.
• Negotiate scope, not just price. If a budget is low, reduce deliverables or usage rights rather than your rate.
• Get it in writing. Always use a contract or at least a written agreement.
• Know your walk-away point.

Gifted product versus paid work

Gifted product is not payment for work. Many creators accept gifts with no obligation, but if a brand expects content in exchange, that is a commercial arrangement and must be disclosed. See our guide to PR packages and gifting and our disclosure guide.

Red flags

• Requests for unlimited usage rights for a small fee.
• Payment only "based on performance" with no base fee.
• Pressure to avoid disclosure.
• Vague contracts or no contract.
• Brands asking you to pay for product.

After the deal

• Deliver on time.
• Share a brief performance summary.
• Ask for feedback.
• Raise rates as your audience and experience grow.

The summary

Calculate a floor based on time and costs, check audience-based estimates, adjust for value, and price usage rights and exclusivity separately. Ask for budgets, negotiate scope rather than slashing rates, put everything in writing and always disclose. See also our guide to media kits and rates.

A worked example of building a quote

Imagine an Instagram creator in the home-styling niche is asked for one Reel and three Stories.

Step 1: time floor. Concept and script: 2 hours. Shoot: 3 hours. Edit: 3 hours. Revisions and admin: 2 hours. Total: 10 hours. At a self-set rate of £35 an hour, the time floor is £350. Add £40 for props, and the minimum is £390.

Step 2: audience check. The creator's Reels average 12,000 views and Stories average 1,500 views each, for about 16,500 expected views. At a hypothetical £25 per thousand views, the audience-based estimate is about £410.

Step 3: adjust for value. The audience closely matches the brand's customers, and past sponsored posts produced comments asking where to buy. The creator rounds up to a base fee of £450.

Step 4: price extras. The brand wants to use the Reel in paid ads for three months. The creator quotes usage rights as a separate line, and a month of category exclusivity as another.

These numbers are invented for illustration only. Your own rates depend on your niche, region and audience. The method is what transfers.

Sample quote layout

• Deliverables: 1 × Reel (30–60 seconds), 3 × Stories with link sticker
• Timeline: draft for approval by [date]; live on [date]
• Fee: base fee for organic posting
• Usage rights: paid social usage for 3 months, quoted separately
• Exclusivity: no competing brands in [category] for 30 days, quoted separately
• Revisions: one round included
• Payment: 50 per cent on signing, 50 per cent within 30 days of posting
• Disclosure: paid partnership label plus "#ad" in caption

Scripts for common situations

When asked "what are your rates?" "Thanks for reaching out. Could you share the deliverables, timeline, usage needs and budget range you have in mind? I'll put together a proposal."

When the budget is too low. "That budget doesn't cover the full package, but I could deliver [smaller scope] within it. Would that work?"

When asked for unlimited usage. "Organic posting is included. Usage in paid ads is licensed separately; here are options for three and six months."

Frequently asked questions

Should I publish my rates? Some creators publish starting rates to filter enquiries; others prefer custom quotes. Both are fine.

How often should I raise rates? Many creators review rates every six months or after significant audience growth.

Do I charge for revisions? Include a set number and charge for extra rounds, stated in the contract.

What if a brand never pays? Contracts with clear payment terms, deposits and invoices help. Follow up in writing, and seek advice if a significant sum is unpaid.