When building out your campaign, follow the next recommendations and best practices to clearly articulate requirements to the creators:
Provide simple and concise directions.
Keep it upbeat, friendly and inspiring.
Prioritize and show what's most important first.
Add information about your product and how it should be featured.
Introduce a few key messaging points to be highlighted.
Point out what style and tone you prefer: location, time of day, color palette, composition, use of props, etc.
Don't force creators into writing an exact caption.
Mention any calls to action to be included.
Incorporate important disclosure details.
Allow room for creativity and personality.
Guidelines Library
Based off on our learnings from running thousands of successful campaigns, we have compiled a list of sample guidelines for your content and captions. Our library will help you ensure that your guidelines:
yield content that meets requirements and expectations and
are positioned as actionable for your creators.
Simply copy and paste these guidelines into your order. You can use them as is, or edit them to make sense for your brand and campaign goals.
This library is broken into two sections: Content Guidelines and Caption Guidelines.
Content Guidelines
MUST OR MUST NOT & Content Type | GUIDELINE |
MUST (All content types) | Create a <<< insert deliverable details>> (ex. Must create a 1:1 in-feed image for Instagram, featuring <<insert product name/ link to sample image of approved product/packaging>> ) |
MUST (All content types) | Include at least one person in your content and MUST show faces |
MUST (All content types) | Include at least one person in your content and MUST show a full body shot |
MUST (All content types) | Include at least one person in your content and MUST show from above the shoulder/waist |
MUST (All content types) | Create a product only image with no human elements (hands, faces, etc). Flatlays are OK, but not required! |
MUST (All content types) | Visit your local x-location. If needed, notify the manager that 'X-person' from corporate has approved your visit |
MUST (All content types) | Include the product in an authentic way where logo is 100% visible and easily legible |
MUST (All content types) | Show product stylized with other elements that tell a story (list elements/props that can be stylized with products to tell the required story) |
MUST (All content types) | Have product take up at least 40% of the frame |
MUST (All content types) | Show product with the logo upright, clearly visible and legible. |
MUST (All content types) | Include the product as the MAIN focal point of your content |
MUST (All content types) | Use the following colors in your content: (specific colors OR types of colors- e.g. bright, neon, etc.) |
MUST (All content types) | Feel as if you are capturing a candid moment and not be overly staged (e.g. Do not look directly at the product or camera, Do show yourself laughing genuinely, Do show authentic interactions between people, Do not use exaggerated gestures or facial expressions, etc.) |
MUST (All content types) | Create content that is seasonaly agnostic (e.g. should not be tied directly to a specific season OR holiday) |
MUST (All content types) | Show food that is colorful and appetizing and is presented in a visually appealing way. |
MUST (All content types) | Follow serving size on package, i.e. if prepping a meal for 2 only show food equal to two serving sizes |
MUST (All content types) | Refer to this vertical style guide to better understand the look/feel of the content you're expected to make. This style guide may contain photos from other brands, but its purpose is to help with quality and composition (client/Social Native to provide content for this style guide. As an example see here: https://rb.gy/xictwm — please note a style guide does not necessarily need to show content from the brand, but rather similar look/feel/aspirational photos that Creators can reference when creating their content. Photos from competitors are acceptable.) |
MUST (All content types) | Refer to this branded mood board to better understand the brand and their expectations for content quality, style, and composition (client/Social Native to provide content for a mood board, showing best-of images of specific brand content for Creators to reference. As an example, see here: https://rb.gy/jhb5gv) |
MUST (In Feed Image, In Feed Video) | Tap-tag @brand in your image |
MUST (Stories) | Have #sponsored and tag the brand handle on each segment of your story |
MUST (Stories) | Include the product/branding in the first 3 seconds if it is video and in EACH segment if it is multiple images |
MUST (Stories) | Tell your followers to swipe up to shop now (audio or text overlay) |
MUST (Stories) | Include the unique link provided to you by social native for swipe up feature |
MUST (All content types) | Keep product and packaging in pristine condition until AFTER your content is approved. Please do NOT throw away ANY product or packaging until you have recieved official post approval from Social Native! |
MUST (TikTok Video) | Film using a third party app (like Adobe Rush) or other that mimics TikTok functionalities. Do NOT film in the TikTok app or submit content with the TikTok watermark for review |
MUST (TikTok Video) | Include non copyright music in the background of your video when not speaking (can continue during speaking parts but must be low in volume so speaking points can be clearly and easily heard!). See instructions on how to use non-copyright music on TikTok: https://bit.ly/3O2Awzg |
MUST (TikTok Video) | Have any text hit with the beat of the music if used |
MUST (TikTok Video) | Have text be written in the safe zone if used. See instructions to ensure no text overlays is obstructed: https://bit.ly/3vbeQZ6 |
MUST (TikTok Video) | Submit the link to your live post and a screenshot of your TikTok analytics to support@socialnative.com 3 days after posting |
MUST (All content types) | Submit content in x ratio. See this link for more information on what the different aspect ratios looks like: https://bit.ly/3M0bsXP |
MUST (TikTok Video) | Use TikTok to create a video that feels authentic to you and your channel and leverages one of the below concepts:
Include any concepts agreed upon with the brand or discussed with strategy team to take advantage of trends |
MUST NOT (All content types) | Filter your image OR alter the color of the product —if your channel consistently uses a filter, please submit your unedited image file to Social Native for approval |
MUST NOT (All content types) | Show any visible tattoos or body piercings |
MUST NOT (All content types) | Show faces, but encouraged to show human elements interacting with the product (e.g. hands holding the product, etc.) |
MUST NOT (All content types) | Capture content during the movie screening or of the movie screen |
MUST NOT (All content types) | Show any other logos besides the brand/product. Please be mindful of background logos in the store! |
MUST NOT (All content types) | Show any other products i the x category in your content (even if they are unbranded) |
MUST NOT (All content types) | Show product laying down OR on the ground (product should be elevated or in hand) |
MUST NOT (All content types) | Use the following colors in your content: (specific colors OR types of colors- e.g. bright, neon, dark, moody, etc.) |
MUST NOT (All content types) | Encourage overindulgence or lack of control in consumption |
MUST NOT (In Feed Image, In Feed Video) | Showcase the product as too posed (e.g. a hand holding the product towards the camera) or look directly at the product or camera. The shot should feel organic. |
MUST NOT (In Feed Image, In Feed Video) | Use filters that alter the color of the product in any way, personal watermarks, signatures, collages, or borders |
MUST NOT (Stories) | Add music from Instagram story functionality to your story |
Caption Guidelines
MUST OR MUST NOT & Content Type | GUIDELINE |
MUST (In Feed Image, In Feed Video) | Create caption in English ONLY |
MUST (In Feed Image, In Feed Video) | Always write x brand name with the first letter capitalized |
MUST (In Feed Image, In Feed Video) | Reflect what is occurring in your image in your caption |
MUST (In Feed Image, In Feed Video) | Use initial capitalization to improve legibility for hashtags |
MUST (In Feed Image, In Feed Video) | Have #sponsored at the BEGINNING of your caption |
MUST (In Feed Image, In Feed Video) | Reference at least ONE of the following key product factors in your own words: x, y or z |
MUST (In Feed Image, In Feed Video) | Feel authentic- use your own tone of voice as if talking to a friend. |
MUST (In Feed Image, In Feed Video) | Reflect what is occurring in your image in your caption |
MUST (In Feed Image, In Feed Video) | Always write x brand name with the first letter capitalized |
MUST NOT In Feed Image, In Feed Video | Mention competitive brands such has list competitor brands |
MUST NOT In Feed Image, In Feed Video | Make any health claims or use the word “healthy,” or variations of it in your caption. |
MUST NOT TikTok | Have a caption that is more than 100 characters |