The report and the repeat booking

The work doesn't end when the video goes live: the report decides the next booking. A repeat booking costs the brand less than finding a new creator, and costs you less than finding a new brand. The report decides whether it happens.

When to capture the stats

Two moments. 24 hours after posting: that's the first wave, and it shows how the content landed with your audience. And 7 days after: by then most of the reach is in, engagement has nearly stopped growing, and the numbers can be treated as final.

If the video has a long tail and keeps growing, you can send a third snapshot a month later, but that's a bonus, not an obligation.

Take the screenshots on the day, not later. Story insights are kept for a limited time and the stories themselves vanish after a day, so save the numbers on the day you post. Post numbers keep changing, so a "day seven" snapshot can't be recreated after the fact.

If the brand has sent its own report template and deadline, use those. If you work through an agency, the report often goes to the agency rather than the brand: check who gets it and in what form.

What the report must include

Link to the post. Date. Reach. Views, if it's a video. Engagement: likes, comments, saves, shares. Link clicks and promo code redemptions, if the brand gave you access to that data or you can see it yourself. Screenshots of the insights backing up the numbers.

Plus two or three comments from under the post if they're about the product. Real comments add colour to the numbers.

If the numbers are below expectations, don't hide them. Give the facts, name a likely reason and suggest what to change next time. The manager will see the stats anyway, and an honest breakdown is valued more than silence.

One file or one message. A five-row table, the images, two sentences from you. Not "have a look in my account": the manager reports to their own boss and needs numbers they can paste into their own report.

Tip. Open the report with the one number that answers the brand's goal from the brief. They wanted sales: clicks and promo codes. They wanted reach: reach. Everything else below.

What to write to the brand

A short email in three parts. Thanks for the work, in one sentence. The numbers, as the report. And one idea for next time: "the audience reacted most to the unboxing moment, next time I'd suggest building around that". It tells the manager you care about the brand's result as well as your fee.

One line like "I'd be glad to work together again" is enough. The idea for next time does the rest.

Why repeat bookings are better for everyone

For the brand: it already knows how you work, no need to search, vet and explain from scratch. For you: no need to sell yourself again, the brief is shorter, approvals are faster. The price on a repeat job shouldn't drop by default. A package of several videos is a reason for a small discount, not an obligation.

The creators brands work with for years are often not the biggest. They're the easiest: on time, on brief, with a report, no surprises.

How to follow up

A month to six weeks after the report. Not "do you have any jobs for me", but a reason: your reach has grown, you've launched a new format, the brand has a new product that fits your audience. Two or three sentences, no pressure.

Tag the brand in your content only if you genuinely use the product, and label it as an ad if there's an agreement behind it. An unpaid mention that looks like hidden advertising hurts both you and the brand.

Keep a simple spreadsheet: brand, contact, what you did, when, result, when to follow up. A year from now, that's your main contact list.

Do this now

• Build a report template: link, date, reach, views, engagement, clicks, screenshots, one idea.
• Put "24 hours" and "7 days" reminders in your calendar for your next post.
• Start a brand spreadsheet and add everyone you've worked with, with a follow-up date.