Influencer Brief Template (Free, With Disclosure Checklist)

Free, no signup · Updated 14 October 2026 · Opens in Excel, Google Sheets or Numbers

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Brief: filled example (CSV) · blank (CSV)
Deliverables: filled example (CSV) · blank (CSV)
Disclosure checklist: filled example (CSV) · blank (CSV)

In Google Sheets: File, Import, Upload, then pick the CSV.

What's inside

A one-page brief: the business, the goal, the audience, key messages, do's and don'ts, approvals, payment and usage rights
A deliverables sheet with each post's platform, format, draft date, go-live date, link and disclosure
A disclosure checklist drawn from the FTC's influencer guidance and the ASA's tips, both checked on 14 October 2026
A filled example for a fictional plant shop and a blank CSV of each sheet

How to use it

Write the goal in one sentence before you contact anyone. 'More people book a repotting session' is a goal; 'awareness' isn't.
Choose creators whose audience matches your customers, and look at their last few months of posts, not just their follower count.
Fill the brief, but leave room for the creator's own style. Give messages and facts, not a script.
Agree the deliverables, dates, payment and usage rights in writing before anything is made or sent.
Agree how the post will be labelled as an ad, and check the draft for the label and for factual accuracy only.
Give each creator their own UTM link or discount code so you can see what their posts led to.
After the posts go live, record the results in the deliverables sheet and decide whether to work together again.

Preview: Brief

A filled example for a made-up small business, first 8 of 15 rows.

Section	Brief	Note
About us	Little Fern is a small plant shop in Bath selling houseplants, pots and repotting sessions.	Example business, made up for this template
Creator	A local plant and interiors creator (fictional) with an audience mostly in and around Bath.	Pick for audience fit, not size
Goal	Fill the new Saturday repotting sessions in November.	One goal per brief
Audience	People in their first flat or house with a few struggling plants.	Who should feel 'that's me'
Key messages	1. Bring your plant in, leave with it repotted. 2. Sessions are 45 minutes, £18 including compost. 3. Book online.	Facts the post must get right
What we'd love	Bringing your own sad plant in and showing the before and after.	An idea, not a script
Please avoid	Claims that a plant will 'never die', or comparisons with other shops.	Keep it honest and specific
Deliverables	1 Reel, 3 Stories, 1 TikTok video. See the deliverables sheet.

Preview: Deliverables

A filled example for a made-up small business.

Deliverable	Platform	Format	Draft due	Go live	Link or code	Disclosure	Status	Result
Before and after repotting	Instagram	Reel	4 Nov	6 Nov	Link in caption and Story	'Ad' at the start of the caption, said and shown in the video, plus paid partnership label	Approved	Example: 31 bookings via the link (made up)
Arriving at the shop	Instagram	Story frame 1	4 Nov	6 Nov	Link sticker	'Ad' shown on screen long enough to read	Approved
Session in progress	Instagram	Story frame 2	4 Nov	6 Nov	Link sticker	'Ad' on screen	Approved
Plant back home	Instagram	Story frame 3	4 Nov	7 Nov	Code FERNREPOT	'Ad' on screen	Approved
Sad plant rescue	TikTok	Video	4 Nov	8 Nov	Code FERNREPOT	'Ad' at the start of the caption and on screen	Draft

Preview: Disclosure checklist

A filled example for a made-up small business, first 8 of 10 rows.

Check	Why	Source (checked 14 Oct 2026)	Done
Label the post if there's any payment, gift, discount or other connection	The FTC says free or discounted products count, as do family, employment and other relationships.	FTC, Disclosures 101 for Social Media Influencers	Yes
Put the label at the start	The FTC says put it where it's hard to miss, not at the end or behind 'more'. The ASA says the label should be at the beginning.	FTC; ASA top tips (CAP News, 31 Jul 2024)	Yes
Use 'Ad' or '#ad'	The ASA lists 'Ad', 'Advert', 'Advertising' and 'Ad Feature' as very likely acceptable. The FTC lists 'ad', 'advertisement' and 'sponsored'. 'Ad' works for both.	FTC; ASA top tips	Yes
Avoid vague labels	The FTC warns against 'sp', 'spon', 'collab' and a stand-alone 'thanks' or 'ambassador'. The ASA advises avoiding 'sponsored', 'Supported by', 'Funded by', 'Gifted', 'aff' and 'spon'.	FTC; ASA top tips	Yes
Don't rely only on the platform's label	The FTC says not to assume a platform's disclosure tool is enough. Use it as well as your own label.	FTC	Yes
Say it and show it in videos	The FTC says the disclosure should be in the video itself, not only the description, and that audio plus on-screen text is best.	FTC	Yes
Keep it visible in Stories	The FTC says to superimpose the label on Stories-style images long enough to read.	FTC	Yes
Repeat it during live streams	The FTC says to repeat the disclosure so people who join partway through see it.	FTC	n/a

Tips

Little Fern, the creator and every figure in the example are made up. Nothing here is a typical fee or result.
Pay attention to whose comments a creator gets. A smaller account whose followers live near your shop can suit a local business better than a big one.
This template is not legal advice. Disclosure rules differ by country and change; check the regulator's current guidance before you agree a deal.
A brief with facts and freedom gets better posts than a script. Creators know what works with their audience.
Agree usage rights before the post exists. Resharing on your own account and using it in paid ads are different permissions.

Common questions

What should an influencer brief include?

Who you are, the goal, the audience, key messages and facts, ideas and things to avoid, the deliverables and dates, payment, approvals, usage rights, tracking links and how the post will be labelled as an ad. One or two pages is enough for a small campaign.

Does a gifted product need to be labelled as an ad?

Under the FTC's guidance, yes: free or discounted products count as a financial connection, even if the creator wasn't asked to post. The ASA advises against using 'Gifted' as the label; 'Ad' is clearer. Both pages were checked on 14 October 2026.

Is the platform's paid partnership label enough?

The FTC says not to assume a platform's built-in tool is enough on its own, so use it together with a clear 'Ad' at the start of the post. The UK ASA's top tips focus on a clear label at the beginning.

Can I rewrite the creator's caption?

Check drafts for the ad label and for factual accuracy, such as prices and dates. Rewriting their voice tends to make the post feel like an ad in the wrong way, and it's the creator's audience.

Is this legal advice?

No. It's a practical template. Advertising rules differ by country and are being updated in the UK, so check the current guidance or ask an adviser before running a paid partnership.

Influencer brief template with a disclosure checklist