Usage rights explained in plain terms.
What a brand is asking for when a brief mentions usage rights: organic or paid, how long, where, whitelisting and exclusivity, with the checklist to read it against.
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What usage rights cover
where, how long, how
When you post a video on your own account, you control it. Usage rights are the permission you give a brand to use that video somewhere else or for something else, such as in ads.
A clear brief answers four questions: where the video can appear, how long the brand can use it, in which regions, and whether it is organic or paid.
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The terms to look for
each one is a line in the brief
Organic or paid
Organic use means posting on the brand's channels. Paid use means the video appears in ads. Ask which one the brief covers, and ask for a separate line if both are intended.
Duration
Put a number of months and an end date in the brief. The rate-card template has a blank for it: usage rights for paid ads ([__] months).
Platforms and regions
List the platforms and the regions where the video may run, instead of leaving them open.
Whitelisting
Whitelisting, also called Spark Ads access, lets the brand run ads from your account. Ask for how long, and keep it as its own line.
Exclusivity
Check whether you are barred from working with competitors, and for how long.
Raw footage
If the brand wants the raw files, ask whether they are priced separately.
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When the window ends
decide it before you agree
Write down what happens on the last day: the brand stops using the video, or you both agree renewal terms. Without that line, nobody knows what the end date means.
Disclosure
If the content is posted on your own accounts as an endorsement, the FTC says to disclose the brand relationship clearly in the post itself. "Ad" or "sponsored" are options, and in videos the disclosure should be in the video, not only the description. FTC: Disclosures 101 for Social Media Influencers
Put a number on it
Once the rights are clear, price them from your own numbers with the rate calculator.
Quick answers
What are UGC usage rights?
Permission for the brand to use your video beyond your own post: on its channels, in ads or on its site. The brief should say where, for how long and in which regions.
What is the difference between organic and paid use?
Organic use is the brand posting the video without putting ad spend behind it. Paid use puts the video into ads. Many creators price the two differently.
What is whitelisting?
The brand runs ads through your account handle, sometimes called Spark Ads access. Ask for how long, and whether it is priced separately.
What happens when the usage window ends?
Agree it in writing: the brand stops using the video, or both sides agree renewal terms.