Most pricing stress comes from one place: scope that stays fuzzy until the end.
You agree on “one video,” and then a week later the brand asks:
- Can we run it as an ad?
- Can we use it for 90 days?
- Can we get whitelisting access?
- Can we ask for category exclusivity?
Those are not small details. They are scope. They change value, risk, and opportunity cost.
This post gives you a copy-paste checklist you can use to price consistently. It’s written for creators and photographers, because the same ideas apply.
If you want a quick refresher on why this matters, start here: Why Creators Should Stop Guessing at Pricing.
The three terms that change pricing fast
1) Usage rights
Usage rights describe where the content can be used and for how long. A few common buckets:
- Organic use: posted on the brand’s social feeds, website, or email
- Paid use: used in ads (Meta, TikTok, YouTube, etc.)
- Commercial use for photos: used on product pages, packaging, billboards, or paid placements
If you want an official, plain-English reference for licensing language, WIPO has a helpful overview: WIPO IP assignment and licensing.
2) Whitelisting / Spark Ads access
Whitelisting is when you grant ad access so the brand can run your content as an ad from your handle (or using your post). On TikTok this often shows up as Spark Ads.
This is worth pricing as a line item because it adds:
- extra approvals
- policy and disclosure complexity
- reputation risk if the ad performs poorly or is edited badly elsewhere
For a solid reference you can link brands to, use TikTok’s help docs: Spark Ads creation guide.
3) Exclusivity
Exclusivity means you agree to avoid working with competitors for a period.
Exclusivity is easy to underestimate because it’s “invisible work.” The cost is the deal you cannot take next month.
A simple pricing model (no spreadsheets required)
You can keep this simple and still be consistent:
- Base price: the deliverable itself (one video, one product photo set, one portrait session)
- Add-ons: raw footage, extra hooks, extra edits, rush delivery, extra revision rounds
- Usage adjustments: organic vs paid, time period, platform
- Distribution adjustments: whitelisting / Spark Ads access
- Restrictions: exclusivity window
If you want to make this client-friendly, send a short intake form with these questions before you quote. You can also pair this with the Rate Calculator for a starting point, then apply your scope adjustments.
Turn this into an intake flow
Build a client-friendly pricing flow with built-in usage rights questions
Start free trialCopy-paste checklist for your inquiry form
When you get an inquiry, you want answers to these before you quote. This is the part you can copy.
Deliverables
- What are we making? (video, photos, a bundle)
- How many deliverables?
- Length or format requirements?
- Do you need hook variants or alternate aspect ratios?
- What is the timeline for first draft and final delivery?
Revisions and source files
- How many revision rounds are included?
- Do you want raw footage or project files?
- Do you need captions, subtitles, or cutdowns?
Usage rights (the big one)
- Where will it be used? (organic social, website, email, paid ads)
- What platforms? (TikTok, Meta, YouTube, Amazon, etc.)
- How long is the usage period? (30 days, 90 days, 6 months, 12 months)
- Is it exclusive or non-exclusive?
Whitelisting / Spark Ads
- Do you need whitelisting access?
- What is the authorization period?
- Who is running the ads (brand or agency)?
Exclusivity
- Which competitors are excluded?
- For how long?
- Is exclusivity required for the full term, or only during the campaign?
Disclosures and platform rules (worth linking)
If the content is sponsored, make sure you and the brand are aligned on disclosures and tools.
- FTC overview for disclosures: FTC Endorsement Guides (FAQ)
- Meta branded content policy reference: Meta branded content policies
I am not a lawyer. This is practical guidance, not legal advice. When in doubt, a short contract addendum is worth it.
A quick way to use this inside Roughcut
If you want to turn the checklist into something clients can fill out themselves:
- Put the checklist into your flow as questions
- Add pricing adjustments for usage, whitelisting, and exclusivity
- Send one link instead of 20 DMs
Next up: if you’re a photographer, I wrote a package-based version of this approach: How to quote photography packages (without endless back-and-forth).
