Essential tracking setup (do this first)

Before any outreach, set up tracking infrastructure:

UTM parameters for each creator

• yoursite.com?utm_source=instagram&utm_campaign=creatorname
• Track in Google Analytics under Acquisition > Campaigns

Unique discount codes

• Format: CREATORNAME15 (creator name + discount percentage)
• Set up in your checkout system with individual tracking

Creator-specific landing pages (optional but powerful)

• yoursite.com/creatorname
• Personalize messaging to match their audience

Conversion tracking

• Google Analytics goals or Facebook Pixel events
• Track signups, purchases, or whatever matters most

Time investment: 2-3 hours upfront saves weeks of guesswork later.

Your first creator brief template

Fill in the blanks for your first collaboration:

Background

Our product: [What it is]
Target user: [Who it's for]
Main benefit: [Primary value proposition]
What makes us different: [Key differentiator]

Your creative freedom

• Use your authentic voice and style
• Choose the format that works best for your audience
• Share it in a way that feels natural to you

What we'd love you to mention

• [Specific feature or benefit that solves a real problem]
• [Social proof point - number of users, testimonials, etc.]
• [How to get started - call to action]

Logistics

• Timeline: [When you need it posted]
• Disclosure: Please include #ad or #sponsored at the beginning
• Usage rights: We'd love to share your content on our channels too
• Questions: Text/email me anytime

Success looks like

• [Primary goal: awareness, traffic, signups]
• [How you'll measure: link clicks, code usage, etc.]

Product readiness audit: Are you actually ready?

Before reaching out to creators, audit whether your product can handle influencer traffic and convert it effectively.

Traffic readiness checklist

• Website can handle 5x normal traffic without crashing
• Mobile experience is smooth (most creator traffic comes from mobile)
• Loading times under 3 seconds on mobile and desktop
• Clear value proposition visible within 5 seconds of landing

Conversion readiness checklist

• Onboarding flow is bulletproof - can a confused user figure it out in 2 minutes?
• Social proof is visible - testimonials, user counts, or press mentions on your homepage
• Signup process is frictionless - minimal required fields, clear next steps
• Email sequences are set up to nurture new signups into active users

Red flag audit

Skip influencer marketing if:

• Your product has major usability issues that cause user frustration
• You can't handle customer support for 50+ new users per week
• Your onboarding completion rate is below 40%
• You don't have basic analytics set up to track user behavior

Why this matters: Nothing kills creator relationships faster than sending traffic to a broken experience. Fix your foundation first.

Legal basics (keep it simple for now)

FTC compliance checklist

• Paid partnerships: #ad or #sponsored at the beginning of captions
• Gifted products: #gifted or #pr for anything with value (no minimum threshold)
• Affiliate links: #affiliate or #commission when using trackable links

Simple contract for paid work

Basic Partnership Agreement

Deliverables:

• [X] Instagram posts by [date]
• Tag @[yourcompany] and use #[campaignhashtag]
• Include #ad disclosure

Payment:

• $[amount] within 30 days of content going live
• [Bonus structure if applicable]

Usage rights:

• We can share your content on our channels for 12 months
• You retain ownership of original content

Either party can cancel with 48-hour notice.

Crisis management (the basics)

• ‍If creator posts something off-brand: Contact privately within 24 hours, discuss concerns, and either request clarification or terminate the partnership.‍
• If you get negative comments: Respond helpfully to legitimate complaints, ignore trolls, don't argue publicly.‍
• If creator gets into controversy: Pause active partnerships immediately, assess severity, make decisions based on brand alignment.