When working with a content partner, you might not think a written contract is necessary. After all, you’re partners, right? Why on earth would there be mistrust or unspoken friction? It doesn’t seem such a big deal.
Well, even if you trust your partner implicitly and feel like everything is covered in your agreements verbally, having a written contract can help you avoid potential pitfalls down the road and future misunderstandings.
If you work with content creators for your marketing, social media campaigns, or any other type of project, now is the time to get that written contract in place. Here are three reasons why content creators must have written contracts.
1. Written Contracts Help Articulate Your Goals
Creating specific and measurable goals will help ensure your campaign meets your expectations. It’s easy to get wrapped up in wanting more followers or shares, but if you don’t have a precise goal, chances are you won’t know whether the campaign has been successful.
Moreover, it’s also possible to engage in metrics that may not be as important to your campaign’s overall success. Or you can be drowned in pursuing vanity metrics, which are the ones that might seem important for your campaign effectiveness, but at the end of the day, don’t help you understand your overall performance.
Make sure you include your goals in the contract, especially if the campaign is focused on a specific event or period. So, it pays to know how many impressions you want a post to receive, how many shares you want it to receive, and how many new followers you want it to gain. Everything depends on what your focus and your purpose are.
2. Written Contracts Establish Responsibilities and Expectations
When it comes to content partnerships, the expectations can sometimes be a bit blurry. For example, if one partner creates the posts and the other partner’s job is to publish them, the smartest thing is to have that expectation spelled out in the agreement. If a series of posts are planned, both parties must know how many of them must be done and when their due date is.
To make sure you have all the bases covered, outline the responsibilities of each partner so there are no disagreements. For example, if you expect the partner to create posts based on your content, let them know they must reference your company and products. On the other hand, if you’re expected to publish those posts, you must have them done by a previously defined time.
3. Written Contracts Provide a Basis for Legal Action if Things Go Wrong
If you have a complaint against a content partner, try to sit down and discuss it with them before taking any sort of legal action. However, if the complaint is about a written contract, it’s essential to have this document on hand, so you can prove your side of the story.
Before you sign any agreement with a content partner, take your time. Read it thoroughly to find any blaring issues. If you feel like a section is a bit vague, ask for clarification. For instance, if the responsibilities of each partner aren’t specifically laid out, ask for more details.
It can also occur that you have a partner who is not meeting the expectations specified in the contract. If that’s the case, don’t be afraid to draw from the written contract to show that they violate the agreement.
The Wrap
A written contract is a great way to maintain a professional relationship with your partners. It’s also quite useful to protect yourself from any potential issues that might arise. However, having a contract in place doesn’t just protect you. It also shows your partners that you’re professional and committed to the partnership.
With a written agreement, you will make clear what you expect from your partner and vice versa. You never know what might happen down the road. Partners change, businesses fail, and people move on to new ventures. Having a signed contract will prepare you for any problem or misunderstanding there might be in the future.
Creators Legal is the first and only legal platform for content creators. We designed a platform just for content creators to craft simple, straightforward, and trustworthy contracts in a fast, easy-to-use platform. With a powerful form builder, a secure e-signature system, and your own personalized dashboard to store and organize all your contracts, you can get yourself protected in minutes without the need for expensive entertainment lawyers!
