Influencer agencies and platforms: what they do, how much they cost and what to check in the contract
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As your followers grow, the emails start to arrive: “we represent creators and want to work with you”. Sometimes it is a real agency that will bring orders and take care of the contracts. Sometimes it is an intermediary who will take a share of what you would have received anyway. And sometimes it is a person asking you to pay for “inclusion in a catalogue”.
In this article – what an agency actually does, how it earns, what to check before signing and when it is worth working without an intermediary. We do not name or rank specific agencies here – the market players change, but the questions to check stay the same.
In short
- An agency earns from a share of your orders or from a mark-up charged to the client. How large it is – that is agreed in the contract; there is no public “standard” in Lithuania.
- The most important points of the contract: exclusivity, duration, termination and what happens to orders you found yourself.
- An agency that asks you to pay in advance is not an agency – it is a seller of a service or a scam.
Agency, manager, platform: what is the difference
| Intermediary | Who it works for | What it does | How it earns |
|---|---|---|---|
| Influencer marketing agency | The brand | Plans the campaign, selects creators, coordinates the content, reports to the client | The client pays the agency; the creator is paid an agreed amount |
| Creator representative (manager) | You | Looks for orders, negotiates, handles contracts and invoices | A share of your orders – the size is set in the contract |
| Platform (catalogue) | Both sides | Brings brands and creators together, sometimes handles payment | A fee charged to the client, a commission on the deal or a subscription |
| Affiliate programme | The seller | Gives you a link or a code, counts sales | You are paid a commission on sales, there are no negotiations |
The most important thing is to understand whose side the intermediary is on. An agency hired by a brand seeks the best price for the brand, not for you. That is not a bad thing – you simply have to negotiate your own terms yourself.
What an agency does for you
- Brings orders that you would not get yourself, because brands work through agencies.
- Negotiates the price and usage rights.
- Handles the paperwork: contracts, invoices, deadlines, content approval.
- Keeps an eye on the requirements: ad labelling, claims that must not be made.
- Answers to the client if something goes wrong.
What it does not do: it does not grow your audience for you and does not guarantee a number of orders. If the contract contains no commitment on the agency's side, exclusivity gives you nothing.
How much it costs
We did not find a public source stating the usual agency share in Lithuania, so we do not give figures. The remuneration model and its size depend on the contract. Before signing, find out:
| Question | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| What is the share calculated on? | On the amount excluding or including VAT, on the whole order or only on the fee |
| Is a share also taken from barter? | If so – how the value of the goods received is assessed |
| Does it apply to orders you found yourself? | With exclusivity, often yes – this must be clearly written down |
| Are there any other fees? | For a profile, training, a “kit”, administration – there should not be |
| When and how do you get the money? | Whether the agency pays you once it has received payment from the client or within a fixed period |
| Who issues the invoice to the client? | Your accounting and taxes depend on it |
What to check in the contract
Exclusivity
Can you work with other intermediaries and directly with brands? Exclusivity can be full, for a certain category only or only for clients brought in by the agency. The broader it is, the clearer the agency's commitments must be.
Duration and termination
- for how long the contract is concluded and whether it is renewed automatically;
- how far in advance and in what form it can be terminated;
- what happens to campaigns already started and orders already agreed;
- whether after termination you still pay a share on clients the agency brought in, and for how long.
Content rights
You create the content, so the copyright belongs to you until you have transferred it. Under the Law on Copyright and Related Rights, economic rights are transferred by a contract that must state which rights are granted, for which territory and for how long. In a contract with an agency, check that it does not acquire the right to pass your content on without your consent and without remuneration.
Responsibility for advertising
The State Consumer Rights Protection Service (VVTAT) reminds influencers that advertising on social media must be labelled by the influencer themselves. An agency can remind and check, but a contract does not relieve you of responsibility. If an agency asks you not to label advertising – that is a reason not to work with it.
Warning signs
- Asks you to pay for inclusion in a catalogue, a “starter kit”, training or a portfolio.
- Promises a specific number of orders or income, but it is not in the contract.
- The contract is long, exclusive and cannot be terminated.
- There are no company details, or they cannot be found at the Centre of Registers (Registrų centras).
- Asks for the password to log in to your account rather than partner access through the platform's tools.
- Rushes you to sign today.
Questions for the agency before signing
- Which brands have you worked with over the last year? Ask for examples that you can check publicly.
- How many creators do you represent, and how many of them are in my niche? If many – you will compete for the same orders.
- Who exactly will be my contact person? And who will replace them if they leave.
- Can I turn down an order? Because of a brand you would not advertise or claims you would not make.
- Will I see the contract with the client? At least the part that concerns your obligations and content rights.
- Can I consult a lawyer before signing? An agency that rushes you answers this question itself.
Also talk to one or two creators the agency already represents: whether the money arrives on time and whether there really were more orders.
When you do not need an agency
- While orders are few. You can arrange a few collaborations a year yourself – that way you will learn what your audience is worth.
- When you work with small local brands that write to you directly themselves.
- When you earn from commissions. An affiliate link or code needs no intermediary: the terms are public, and the remuneration depends on sales.
An agency becomes useful when there are so many enquiries that you can no longer keep up with replying, when larger campaigns with complex contracts appear or when you want to reach brands that do not work with creators directly.
Frequently asked questions
What percentage does an influencer agency take?
It is set in the contract. We did not find a public source stating the usual size in Lithuania, so ask the specific agency and compare several offers.
Can an agency ask you to pay for representation in advance?
A real agency earns from orders. An upfront fee for a catalogue, training or a “kit” is a warning sign.
After signing with an agency, can I work with brands directly?
It depends on the exclusivity clause. If it is full, direct orders may also go through the agency and its share will be calculated on them.
Who owns content created through an agency?
The author, until the economic rights are transferred by contract. Check which rights are granted, for how long and to whom.
Who is responsible if advertising is not labelled?
The creator themselves must label advertising. An agency's instruction not to label does not remove that responsibility.
Sources
- Valstybinė vartotojų teisių apsaugos tarnyba. VVTAT primena, kaip influenceriai turi žymėti reklamą socialiniuose tinkluose
https://vvtat.lrv.lt/lt/naujienos-ir-pranesimai-ziniasklaidai-377/vvtat-primena-kaip-influenceriai-turi-zymeti-reklama-socialiniuose-tinkluose-1692/ - Lietuvos Respublikos autorių teisių ir gretutinių teisių įstatymas, 38–42 straipsniai
https://e-seimas.lrs.lt/portal/legalAct/lt/TAD/TAIS.81676/asr - Lietuvos Respublikos reklamos įstatymas, 8 straipsnis
https://e-seimas.lrs.lt/portal/legalAct/lt/TAD/TAIS.106104/asr - Valstybinė mokesčių inspekcija. Mokestinės prievolės, susijusios su influencerių (nuomonės formuotojų) veikla
https://www.vmi.lt/evmi/mokestines-prievoles-susijusios-su-influenceriu-nuomones-formuotoju-veikla - VĮ Registrų centras. Juridinių asmenų registro paieška
https://www.registrucentras.lt/jar/p/
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