Brief Writing
Part of Writing influencer briefs that leave room for creativity
Setting message requirements without scripting every word
Turn brand messages into clear, supportable creator requirements while leaving wording, examples and honest opinions to the creator.
Set message requirements as meanings viewers need to understand, rather than lines a creator must recite. Separate verified product facts from the point the content should make, then say which wording and examples the creator may choose. Use exact wording only where a detail must stay precise, such as a product name or offer condition.
Define the meaning and its support
Begin with the audience question. If buyers need to know whether an item fits their space, ‘show the relevant dimensions in use’ is more useful than ‘say it is perfect for small homes’. The first identifies information to show; the second demands an opinion the creator may not hold.
For each required message, record four things:
- Meaning:What should viewers understand?
- Basis:Which checked fact or genuine experience supports it?
- Boundary:Which limitation prevents an overstated impression?
- Freedom:Which wording, example or visual treatment can the creator choose?
If the brand cannot identify a basis, remove the claim or obtain evidence before adding it to the brief. In Australian social media advertising, product claims must be accurate and supportable. The ACCC says businesses must not mislead consumers and can require them to back up claims made on social media.
Required Elements for a Supportable Message Brief
- MeaningWhat should viewers understand?
- BasisWhich checked fact or genuine experience supports it?
- BoundaryWhich limitation prevents an overstated impression?
- FreedomWhich wording, example or visual treatment can the creator choose?
Keep facts and opinions distinct
The brand can check a supplied specification. The creator describes their own experience of using the product, including relevant limitations. Do not require a first-person endorsement before they have formed that view.
| Weak instruction | More useful requirement |
|---|---|
| ‘Say it is the best option.’ | ‘Explain the use case it is designed for and show the relevant feature.’ |
| ‘Mention every benefit.’ | ‘Cover the facts needed to answer the main audience question; choose your own example.’ |
| ‘Read this paragraph exactly.’ | ‘Keep the offer condition accurate; explain the rest naturally.’ |
| ‘Do not mention drawbacks.’ | ‘Check factual errors with us while keeping your genuine assessment intact.’ |
These are sample rewrites, not findings about a product. Put a material limitation close to the claim it qualifies. In a short video, an on-screen claim may be seen without the caption, so review the resulting impression in that placement.
Weak vs. Effective Message Requirements
- Weak instructionSay it is the best option.
- More useful requirementExplain the use case it is designed for and show the relevant feature.
- Weak instructionMention every benefit.
- More useful requirementCover the facts needed to answer the main audience question; choose your own example.
- Weak instructionRead this paragraph exactly.
- More useful requirementKeep the offer condition accurate; explain the rest naturally.
- Weak instructionDo not mention drawbacks.
- More useful requirementCheck factual errors with us while keeping your genuine assessment intact.
Include disclosure and the next action
Tell the creator that the commercial relationship must be clear in the finished post. Review how the disclosure appears to viewers, not just the wording. The ACCC has raised concerns about disclosures hidden by formatting or expressed in confusing shorthand.
Treat the call to action as a factual message. If the destination is a waitlist, say so. If an offer applies only to selected variants or locations, state that condition clearly and recheck changing details before publication.
ACCC Guidance on Social Media Advertising in Australia
- Key Requirement
- Claims must be accurate and supportable
- Disclosure Visibility
- Must be clear and not hidden by formatting
- Call to Action Clarity
- State destination (e.g., waitlist) and conditions clearly
Give feedback on the message
At concept review, ask whether the proposed piece communicates the required point within the available evidence. At draft review, name the exact problem: ‘The opening suggests every size fits this shelf, but only the size shown was checked.’ Supply the supported fact and let the creator revise the line or visual in their voice.
Keep a short record of each required meaning, its evidence owner, qualification and reviewed draft. That makes a factual correction identifiable without turning every sentence into brand copy.
