• 27 May, 2025

Who Really Owns Influencer Content? What Creators & Agencies Often Get Wrong

You’ve found the right creator, the campaign is live, the brand is happy, and then someone from the client’s team asks, “Can we use this reel for ads?” Or worse, they already have.

This is where influencer marketing gets messy.

Content rights are one of the most misunderstood parts of the process. And when creators and agencies don’t clarify who owns the content, and how it can be used, it can lead to confusion, copyright issues, and broken trust. In the rush to launch campaigns, many skip this critical step. But if you’re serious about working in influencer marketing, whether as a creator or agency, understanding this is non-negotiable.

The Most Common (and Costly) Mistake

One of the biggest misconceptions is that once a brand pays for content, they automatically own it. But unless it’s clearly agreed upon in writing, that’s simply not true. Most of the time, what brands are paying for is temporary usage rights, not full ownership. That means the content can be used only in the format and timeframe that was agreed upon, say, a 30-day Instagram post or a one-time story boost.

Using it in ads, repurposing it for a different platform, or reposting it six months later? 

That’s a violation of content rights unless additional terms have been discussed.

A Real-Life Example

A food brand once reposted a creator’s reel on their national ad campaign without permission. The creator only found out when their friends spotted it in a mall, and they hadn’t been paid for it. What followed was a public fallout, frustrated creators speaking out online, and an agency stuck trying to fix something that should have been clear from the start. All of this could have been avoided with one clause in the contract: usage rights.

The Difference: Usage Rights vs. Ownership

Let’s break it down simply. When a creator shares content, they’re essentially renting it out for a specific purpose, not handing over full ownership. Think of it like booking a hotel room, you’re paying to stay, not to own the building. If a brand wants full freedom to use and reuse that content anytime, anywhere, that needs to be clearly mentioned in the agreement and should come with a higher price. Ownership costs more, and rightfully so, because creators aren’t just sharing a video, they’re sharing their work, their face, their voice, and their brand.

What Smart Campaigns Do Differently

The best influencer marketing platform today ensures that these rights are defined up front. Before a single post goes live, platforms like BookYourCreator give both parties the option to set content terms. You can choose where the content can be used (Instagram, YouTube, etc.), how long it can be used, whether the brand can promote it through paid ads, and if the creator will allow repurposing it for future campaigns. This transparency protects creators from losing control of their content and protects agencies from accidentally over-promising to brands.

For creators, this clarity helps maintain boundaries. It prevents situations where their face ends up in an ad campaign they never approved or on a brand’s website without additional payment. For agencies, it builds trust and ensures they don’t put their clients, or their own reputation, at risk. Brands influencer marketing only works long-term when all sides feel respected and protected.

How BookYourCreator Makes It Easy

At BookYourCreator, we’ve designed our platform to make this process smooth and fair for both creators and agencies. Every campaign includes a content rights section where creators can set their preferences, and agencies can select the level of usage they need. No back-and-forth emails, no confusion, no legal gray areas. Whether you're an emerging content creator or a full-service agency managing multiple campaigns, having clear rights in place makes every collaboration smarter.

As one of the top influencer platforms in the market, BookYourCreator is focused on simplifying influencer marketing, not just by helping you find the right creator, but by helping you work with them the right way.