HOW TO HIRE · MARKETING, DESIGN & TECH

How to hire a content creator in the UK
The checks, the questions and the paperwork.

No licence applies to content creators. Here is how to agree usage rights, label ads properly and brief the shoot.

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THE 60-SECOND VERSION

Hiring a content creator in five steps

  1. Watch their recent videosPieces in the format you need (a product demo, an unboxing, a walkthrough) and in a style that fits your brand.
  2. Write the brief in one pageThe product, the message, the must-say and must-not-say points, the length, the aspect ratios and the deadline.
  3. Agree usage in writingWhere you may use the content (organic posts, paid ads, website), for how long, and whether you own it outright.
  4. Settle ad labellingAnything the content creator posts on their own channels for payment or a free product must be clearly marked as an ad.
  5. Approve before posting or paying in fullReview the edit, ask for the agreed changes, then pay the balance.

BEFORE YOU BOOK

Check before you book

No register applies

No law licenses content creators or user-generated content makers in England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland. The contract, the content creator's past work and clear ad labelling are what protect you.

Ask for recent work in the format you need and a brand you can contact.

Usage rights or copyright assignment

Under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 the author of a film or photograph owns it unless they made it as your employee, and an assignment has to be written and signed by the content creator. Most creators license their content for a stated use and period instead.

Write down the usage: channels, paid ads or not, territory and duration; or get a signed assignment if you need to own the footage. legislation.gov.uk →

Ads labelled as ads

The CMA's guidance on consumer protection law, now in the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024, says content posted in return for money, a free product or any other incentive must be clearly labelled as an ad, and that everyone involved, brand included, shares responsibility. The Advertising Standards Authority enforces the advertising rules alongside it.

Agree an "Ad" label at the start of any post on the content creator's own channels, and check it on the live post. gov.uk →

Testimonials that are genuine

Under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024, commissioning fake consumer reviews is banned, and the CMA counts spoken opinions in videos as reviews. A scripted video presented as a real customer's verdict crosses that line.

Present creator videos as paid content, not as independent customer reviews. gov.uk →

VAT

Content creation is standard-rated, so a registered content creator adds 20% to the shoot fee, the usage licence and any paid-ad extension of that licence. Registration becomes compulsory once a content creator has VAT-taxable turnover over £90,000 in any rolling 12 months; from then VAT must be charged and shown as a separate line on the invoice.

Ask the content creator for the VAT number with the brief, and look for the shoot fee, the licence fee and the VAT on separate lines. gov.uk →

“Can I see recent content you made in this format?”

A good answer: Links or files from the last few months, in the length and aspect ratio you need. A content creator's best work is usually their newest.

“What usage of the content does your fee include?”

A good answer: A precise answer: organic posting, paid ads or both, the period and the territory, and the price of extending it.

“Will you post it on your own channels, and how will it be labelled?”

A good answer: If yes, with a clear "Ad" label at the start. A content creator who suggests hiding the label is putting you both at risk.

“How many content versions, hooks and revisions are included?”

A good answer: Numbers in writing: for example two hooks, three aspect ratios and one round of edits.

“What claims can you make about my product?”

A good answer: Only what you can back up and what the creator genuinely found when they used it. Good creators ask for the evidence.

“Do I need to send the product, and do I get it back?”

A good answer: Clear terms on shipping, keeping or returning products, and who pays postage.

“When will I get the edited content, and in what formats?”

A good answer: A delivery date within the agreed window, with files in the resolution and ratios you asked for.

Getting the quote right

  • The deliverables: number of videos or photos, length, aspect ratios, hooks and versions
  • Who actually attends the shoot: the content creator you chose, an assistant, or a subcontracted editor for the cut-downs
  • The usage licence: channels, paid ads, territory, duration; or an assignment
  • Revision rounds and what counts as a reshoot
  • Whether posting on the creator's own channels is included, labelled as an ad
  • Product, props and postage: who supplies and who pays
  • The VAT number, and VAT at 20% on the shoot fee and the usage licence

Walk away if

  • No written usage terms
  • Suggests leaving off the ad label or calling it a "review"
  • Wants to make claims about your product you cannot prove
  • Follower numbers that do not match the engagement on their posts
  • Full payment demanded before filming
  • No portfolio in the format you need
LOW
£50
TYPICAL
£98
HIGH
£250

What a content creator costs: £50–£250 per project

Content creators price per project or per video, with the usage licence and the number of versions built into the fee. Content Creator price guide →

Guide prices compiled by the Locufy team from published Irish and UK provider price lists and 2026/27 cost guides. Updated 2026.

KNOW WHAT TO LOOK FOR? NOW FIND ONE

Content creators near you, with the badges that matter shown

ID checked, trader status and one score from every review — on the card, before you message anyone. Nearest first. No account needed to look.

Or post the job free and let them come to you.

  1. Brief and contractProduct, message, deliverables, usage, labelling and dates agreed in writing.
  2. Product receivedThe content creator gets the product and confirms it works before filming.
  3. FilmingFootage or photos captured to the brief, often with several hooks or openings.
  4. EditCuts, captions and music where included, delivered for one round of changes.
  5. Delivery and postingFinal files in each ratio, and posts on the creator's channels labelled as ads where agreed.

UGC
User-generated content: videos and photos made to look like a customer's own, produced by a paid creator.
Hook
The first seconds of a video, written to stop people scrolling.
Usage rights
The licence that says where and for how long you may use the content.
Whitelisting
Running paid ads through the creator's own account, with their permission.
Video format
The shape of the video, such as vertical 9:16 or square 1:1, which each platform expects.
Ad label
A clear marker such as "Ad" that tells viewers the post was paid for or rewarded.

AFTER

When the job is done

Save the licence with the filesThe usage terms tell you where and how long you may run the content. Diary the end date if it is time-limited.
Check every live postThe ad label, the claims and the tags as agreed. Ask for fixes straight away if anything is wrong.
Track what the content didNote views, clicks and sales for each piece. It is the best brief for the next content creator you hire.
Rate the workReviews on Locufy come only from booked jobs, so yours counts. If the content creator fell short, use the make-it-right step first and they get the chance to put it right.

STEP 1Raise it with the content creatorDescribe the fault and give a fair deadline to fix it. The Consumer Rights Act 2015 expects reasonable care and skill from the content creator as a trader, so you can insist on the work being put right or the bill cut.
STEP 2Ask Locufy to help put it rightA rating under four stars asks whether the content creator should hear about it first. Agree, and the make-it-right step runs before your review appears.
STEP 3Trading Standards, through the helplineFor advice on your rights against the content creator, or to report a trader who breaks the law, call Citizens Advice on 0808 223 1133 in England and Wales, Advice Direct Scotland on 0808 800 9060 or Consumerline on 0300 123 6262 in Northern Ireland.
STEP 4Small claims courtSmall claims is the last step against the content creator: the limit is £10,000 in England and Wales, £5,000 in Scotland (simple procedure) and £5,000 in Northern Ireland.

Hiring a content creator: questions people ask

No. Making videos for brands needs no licence in England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland. What applies is consumer protection law on honest advertising and copyright in what they make.

Yes. The CMA says content posted in return for any incentive, including a free product, must be clearly labelled as an ad, and the brand shares responsibility for it.

Not by default. The creator owns the copyright; you get the usage the contract gives you, unless they assign the copyright in a signed document.

Expect £50–£250 per project; £98 is typical. Paid-ad usage, scripting and editing, and extra versions push the fee up; a short organic clip sits at the bottom. Our content creator price guide breaks the figures down, and your town above brings up content creators close by.

Only if the licence covers paid use. Paid-ad usage usually costs more and should be priced up front.

Most short videos are delivered within one to two weeks of the creator receiving the product.

MORE GUIDES

More hiring guides in marketing, design & tech

How to hire: Influencer MarketingHow to hire: Social Media ManagerHow to hire: CopywriterHow to hire: Motion Graphics DesignerHow to hire: AnimatorHow to hire: Digital Marketing ConsultantHow to hire: Podcast EditorHow to hire: Graphic DesignerAll 701 hiring guides →

Content creators near you

Content creators in LondonContent creators in ManchesterContent creators in BirminghamContent creators in GlasgowContent creators in BelfastAll content creators on Locufy →

Sources — checked October 2026

  1. Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, section 11 — first ownership
  2. Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, section 90 — assignment in writing
  3. gov.uk (CMA) — social media endorsements: guidance for content creators
  4. gov.uk (CMA) — short guide on consumer reviews and fake reviews
  5. Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 49 — reasonable care and skill
  6. Citizens Advice — more help with a consumer issue
  7. gov.uk — make a court claim for money: court fees
  8. VAT rates — VAT rates for goods and services: standard rate 20% on most goods and services
  9. GOV.UK — Register for VAT: when to register