Creator Sourcing
Running a paid sample assignment before a larger booking
Set a small paid UGC sample task, agree on payment and usage, assess the work fairly and decide whether to book a larger project.
A paid sample assignment lets a brand and creator assess a small, defined piece of work before a larger booking. Choose a task that represents the proposed commission, agree the fee and terms before work starts, and assess the result against criteria shared in advance. The sample shows how the creator handled that task; it does not predict ad performance.
Choose one useful task
Select a product action or explanation the larger commission needs. For example, a brief could ask for a short video showing how a storage item opens and closes, with the exact variant visible. For a real assignment, supply the product, current instructions and verified facts.
Keep the sample small enough to deliver and assess on its own. If comparing candidates, give them the same core task and equivalent product information. Leave room for each creator's approach instead of prescribing every word and camera move.
Agree on the sample before shipping
Put the arrangement in writing. State the output, deadline measured from product receipt, fee and payment timing, who covers the product and delivery, the feedback included, and what happens if the item is late or faulty. Australian Government contractor guidance recommends clarity about the work, payment and conditions for completion. Terms should fit the actual arrangement.
Agree on what the brand may do with the sample. Is it for internal selection only, sharing with colleagues, publication on a brand account or use in a paid ad? Name the files and permitted uses. Paying for the exercise does not, by itself, settle every reuse or editing permission. If the brand wants a publishable asset, agree on that use and its review process before filming.
Give a compact brief and one contact
Provide the buyer question, exact product variant, required action, approved facts and claims to avoid. Identify who will answer questions and combine feedback. Ask the creator to flag any first-person claim they cannot make truthfully. For an Australian social media placement, product claims and images must be accurate; do not direct a creator to invent a history with the item.
Review what the assignment can show
Use a short assessment sheet:
| Check | Evidence to record |
|---|---|
| Demonstration | Was the relevant action visible from start to result? |
| Explanation | Did speech and captions match the product and footage? |
| Problem solving | Did the creator raise unclear facts or practical obstacles promptly? |
| Delivery | Did the agreed files arrive in a usable form and on schedule? |
| Revision, if included | Did the correction address the stated issue without changing the claim? |
Separate a missed agreed requirement from a new request introduced after filming. Give feedback tied to a moment in the file. If a revision was included, judge it against the same brief. Do not attribute a rough edge caused by incorrect or incomplete brand instructions solely to the creator.
Decide the next step
Use the observed work to decide whether to book the larger project, commission another separately paid exercise for a genuinely unresolved skill, or stop after paying for the agreed sample. If the full booking changes the product, format or usage, issue a fresh scope and agreement. The sample informs the choice; it does not define the larger job.
