Usage rights & exclusivity
Overview
The biggest mistake in creator deals is paying for a post and walking away. The post is often worth less than the right to reuse it.
Why it matters
A great creator video in your ad account can outperform anything your team makes, so the right to run it is frequently worth more than the organic post.
Step-by-step process
- Usage rights — the right to run their content as a paid ad; price it in explicitly, with duration and channels.
- Exclusivity — asking them to skip competitors for a window; costs extra, only pay if you need it.
Anchor on what you get — posts, raw files, rights — not their follower count.
Examples
Script · when the quote is high Totally fair. Our budget for this round is [X] for [deliverables], and we'd want usage rights to run it as an ad for 90 days. If that's off for you, would [a smaller deliverable set] at [X] make sense instead?
Checklist
- Usage rights priced in, with duration + channels
- Exclusivity only if needed
- Anchored on deliverables, not followers
Common mistakes
- Forgetting to buy ad usage rights.
- Paying for exclusivity you don't need.
Next topic
With terms agreed, lock them in writing — next, Contracts.
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