Historically, many creators have thought of brand deals as a simple exchange: post a video, get paid, and move on to the next campaign. But hidden in almost every contract is a much bigger opportunity, one that many creators overlook, and that’s costing them thousands, sometimes even millions, every single year. That’s right, we’re talking about usage rights.
Usage rights are the permissions a brand negotiates to reuse your content beyond the original post. That could mean running your TikTok video as a paid ad, cutting your Instagram Story into a TV spot, putting your image onto a billboard campaign, or keeping your content live for months or even years after the live date. In short, if your content is travelling further than your own channel, usage rights are involved.
The problem is that many creators either give usage away for free or don’t realise when brands are - often unknowingly - exceeding the rights they originally paid for. Imagine a lifestyle creator who charges £2,000 for an Instagram Reel. The brand then turns that content into a global ad campaign running for three months; usage here could have been worth closer to £20,000. Or think of a beauty influencer who agrees to one month of usage in her contract, only to discover her content is still running a year later. That’s six-figure revenue she hasn’t seen. In some cases, a creator’s video is repurposed across entirely separate campaigns without permission, without mention of an additional licensing deal. None of this is unusual, but just because it’s “the way it’s always been done” doesn’t mean it’s fair. Every time this happens, creators are leaving money on the table.
The truth is that content is your intellectual property. There are huge similarities here with music. When a musician records a song, they don’t sell it once and walk away. They license it for streaming, radio, ads, film placements, and more. That’s how the music industry generates billions in royalties. Creators should think the same way about their work. Every post, photo, or video has value far beyond the first time it goes live. Usage rights are the royalties of the creator economy.
So how do you reclaim what’s yours? The first step is to pay close attention to your contracts. Don’t skim over the fine print; check how long the brand can use your content, in what formats, and in what regions. Next, make sure you price usage separately. Your posting fee is one thing, licensing is another, and the two should never be bundled without thought. It’s also worth monitoring where your content appears. If your face is popping up in ads months after your campaign ended, that’s a red flag. And finally, don’t be afraid to push back. Brands expect negotiation, and saying “no”, or charging more, for unlimited usage is completely normal and professional.
This is where TrueRights comes in. In just three weeks, we’ve unlocked over $300,000 in usage rights revenue for creators; money that would otherwise have gone unclaimed. The TrueRights Calculator, TrueRates, is a first-of-its-kind tool that standardises how content usage rights are priced across the industry. The Calculator is powered by thousandshundreds of real-world data points, allowing it to deliver accurate rates based on key variables like media type, channel, region, exclusivity, AI vs. traditional production, and paid vs. organic use. Built for talent, agencies, and brands, it brings clarity, fairness, and control to every content licensing conversation.
The next time a brand asks for usage rights, don’t think of it as just another clause in the contract. Think of it as a royalty. Because that “one post” could be the hidden goldmine in your career.
To sign up for the TrueRights Calculator, click here.
