How to Write a Clipping Campaign Brief (2026 Template and Example)

A clipping campaign brief is the one document every clipper reads before they cut your content. It tells them what to clip, what's off-limits, what each post must include, which platforms count and what they'll be paid. A good one fits on a single page and can be understood in two minutes, because hundreds of creators will each read it once and then start editing.

This guide covers the eight things a brief needs, a template to copy, a worked example, and the mistakes that cost campaigns the most views.

Why the brief matters more in clipping than anywhere else

With one influencer, you can fix a misunderstanding on a call. With a clipping campaign you can't. Our Mischief campaign drew 1,933 clips, and nobody briefs 1,933 clips one at a time. The brief is the only instruction most clippers will ever see.

It's also what review is measured against. Every clip is checked against the brief before its views count, so a vague brief means arguments about what should have been rejected, and a clear one means quick decisions.

The 8 parts of a clipping brief

1. The goal, in one sentence

Say what the campaign is for: app installs, streams of a single, listeners for a podcast, awareness for a launch. Clippers make different choices when they know the point. A clip built for installs shows the product working. A clip built for streams leads with the chorus.

2. What you're promoting, in plain words

Two or three sentences a stranger would understand. What it is, who it's for, and why someone scrolling would care.

3. The source content

Link the raw material and say what's in it: full episodes, the music video, screen recordings, b-roll, a logo pack. Say whether clippers may film their own footage or must use only what's supplied. One long episode or livestream can produce 30 or more clips, so more raw material is better than less.

4. What makes a good clip

Point at the moments you think will travel: a surprising reveal, a strong opinion, the product doing the thing. Give two or three example hooks. Keep these as direction and leave the wording to the clipper, because different cuts of the same idea are what let the algorithm find a winner.

5. What's off-limits

Be specific. List topics to avoid, claims that can't be made, competitors not to mention, and footage that isn't cleared. Include the rules that apply to every campaign: no misleading edits, no reposting another clipper's work and no artificial views.

6. What every post must include

This is where views turn into results. List the required bio link, hashtags, caption line, tagged account or sound. Keep the list short. Every extra requirement is more work for the clipper, and a few that are always met beat ten that are met half the time.

7. Platforms and format

Name the platforms that count toward payment and any format rules: vertical video, captions on screen, a minimum length. If one platform matters more to you, say so.

8. The rate, the cap and how payment works

State the rate per 1,000 verified views, the total budget, any maximum payout per clip and any minimum views before a clip earns. Clippers decide whether to join based on this section, so put real numbers in it. For how to set them, see how much a clipping campaign costs.

A template you can copy

A worked example

The brief below is an illustration for an invented podcast. The show and the numbers in it are made up to show the format.

Notice what's missing: no script, no brand story, no list of fonts. A clipper can read it once and open their editor.

Mistakes that cost views

• Writing a script. If every clipper posts the same edit, you've made one clip hundreds of times. Give direction and let the variety do its work.
• Too many requirements. A bio link and a hashtag is a reasonable ask. Add a pinned comment, a specific sound, three tags and a caption template, and good clippers will pick an easier campaign.
• Vague don'ts. "Keep it on brand" can't be reviewed. "Don't mention pricing" can.
• No conversion hook. Views with nowhere to go are only views. Mischief required custom bio links and hashtags on its clips so the reach could turn into installs.
• Hiding the money. A brief without a rate and a cap gets fewer clippers.
• Never updating it. Once the dashboard shows which angle is pulling views, add it to the brief so the rest of the network can follow.

Who writes the brief?

On an open marketplace like TryShoot, you do. With a managed agency it's written with you: you know the product and the rules, and the agency knows what clippers respond to and what tends to get rejected in review. If you're comparing options, our guide to choosing a clipping agency lists what to ask.

If you'd like a brief drafted for your content, tell us what you're promoting and we'll come back within 24 hours with a plan, a CPM and a budget forecast.

FAQ

What is a clipping campaign brief?

It's the document clippers read before they cut your content. It covers the goal, the source material, what to clip, what to avoid, what every post must include, which platforms count and how clippers are paid.

How long should a clipping brief be?

One page. Clippers read it once before they start editing, so anything that doesn't change how they cut or post a clip should be left out.

Should I give clippers a script?

No. Give them direction and example hooks. Clipping works because many creators test different cuts of the same idea, and a script removes that variety.

What should I require on every clip?

Only what ties views to your goal: usually a bio link and one or two hashtags, plus a tag or caption line if you need it. Keep the list short enough that every clipper meets it.

Can I change the brief after the campaign starts?

Yes, and you should. When the live dashboard shows which angles and platforms are working, update the brief so new clips follow what's performing.