CPM Deal Answers

What is CPM? — Cost per mille (thousand). You pay creators a set amount per 1,000 views their content gets. For example a $1 CPM at 10,000 views is $10.

What is the base fee / flat rate? — You choose a base rate. This is the guaranteed payment per approved video, regardless of views. This encourages creators to participate in your CPM Deal.

What's the difference between CPM deals and regular Deals? —

When should I use CPM vs regular Deals vs Contests? —

How do I set up a CPM deal? — Set daily budget → Create brief (same Brief Builder) → Set flat rate + CPM → Select regions → Launch.

What's the minimum daily budget? — There’s no minimum daily budget. However, larger budgets unlock more content and more shots on target. The more creators you activate, the more variations you get—and the higher your chances of finding something that takes off. This is fundamentally a volume and data game: spending more means more content, more performance signals, and faster learning on what actually goes viral.

What's the minimum/maximum flat rate? — There’s no strict minimum or maximum flat rate. That said, higher flat rates attract more creators and higher-quality creators, which typically results in better concepts, stronger execution, and more usable content.

What's the minimum/maximum CPM? — There’s no fixed minimum or maximum CPM either. A higher CPM makes the opportunity more attractive to creators, especially experienced ones, because it increases their upside if the content performs well.

Can I edit the CPM or flat rate after launching? — Yes, everything is fully editable after launch. You can adjust the CPM, flat rate, total budget, and even the brief at any time.

The best approach is to treat the launch as a live test. Let content start rolling in, see how creators interpret the brief, and then optimize in real time. If creators aren’t quite hitting the mark, you can refine the brief. If you want to attract higher-quality creators or increase volume, you can increase the flat rate, CPM, or overall budget.

Bottom line: nothing is locked. Use early content as signal, then iterate — higher payouts, clearer briefs, and budget shifts based on what’s actually performing.

Do I need to create a separate brief? — Yes, each CPM deal has its own brief, but you use the same Brief Builder.

Can I use the AI Brief Builder? — Yes, you can use our AI brief builder to assist in setting up any campaign.

Can I run multiple CPM deals at the same time? — Yes, and it’s actually the recommended strategy.

Running multiple CPM Deals in parallel lets you test different content angles at once. You can experiment with different formats, hooks, creator styles, and messaging, all while collecting performance data across each variation.

Over time, the winners become clear. Once you see which formats or angles are driving the most views, engagement, or conversions, you can increase spend on the top performers and pull back on the rest—exactly how you’d optimize a paid ads campaign.

Think of CPM Deals as creative A/B testing at scale: launch multiple, read the data, then double down on what works.

Can I run a CPM deal and a regular Deal simultaneously? — Yes, and it’s often a smart move because they serve different but complementary purposes.

Running both simultaneously lets you cover both sides of the funnel:
You use CPM Deals to discover what performs, and Regular Deals to reliably produce high-quality, controllable creative. Together, they give you more data, more leverage, and faster learning—without putting all your budget into one approach.

Think of it as parallel tracks: performance discovery on one side, dependable production on the other.

Should I run separate CPM deals for different content angles? — Yes. You should run one CPM Deal per content angle rather than mixing multiple angles into a single brief.

Separating angles keeps creator output focused and makes performance data cleaner. When each deal represents a single hook, format, or message, it becomes much easier to see what is actually driving views and engagement.

This approach also lets you optimize like paid ads. Once a winning angle emerges, you can increase spend on that CPM Deal and reduce or pause the others. The result is faster learning, better signal, and more efficient scaling.

How does the daily budget work? — The daily budget only applies to the flat-rate portion of the deal. It controls how much you can spend per day on base payments to creators. Once the daily flat-rate budget is used up, no additional creators can submit until the budget refreshes the next day.

Does the daily budget include CPM payments? — No. The daily budget does not include CPM payments. CPM is calculated and charged separately based on actual views.

How does CPM billing work? — Views are tracked for 7 days after a video goes live. After that 7-day tracking window closes, CPM payouts are calculated and the creator is paid. CPM is not charged in real time.

Is there a cap on total CPM spend? — There is no overall CPM spend cap across all videos. However, there is a hard per-video cap of 1 million views for payment purposes. You will only ever pay for up to 1 million views per video. If a video exceeds 1 million views, it must stay live and you keep all additional views at no extra cost. You only pay for the first 1 million views.

Can I set a maximum total budget? — There is no single combined cap across flat rate plus CPM. Budget control happens in two ways:

What happens if I run out of daily budget mid-day? — If the daily flat-rate budget is exhausted, creators will see that the budget has been used up and will be unable to submit to the deal. Submissions reopen automatically when the budget refreshes the next day. You will never go over budget, and creators cannot be approved once the budget is depleted.

How long is the content tracked for views? — Content is tracked for 7 days after the video goes live. All CPM payouts are calculated based on views accumulated during this 7-day tracking window.

How many views can I expect? — There is no guaranteed or predictable view count. Results vary based on a few key factors that are fully within your control:

As the brand owner, you control the inputs. The best results come from building briefs around formats, hooks, and styles that are already proven to go viral.

What happens if I get over a million views? — CPM payments are capped at 1 million views per video. Even if a video reaches 5 million views, the creator is only paid CPM on the first 1 million views. All additional views are free exposure for you.

Do Spark Ads views count toward CPM payouts? — Yes. If you run Spark Ads on a video within the 7-day tracking window, those views will count toward CPM payouts. This is generally not recommended, since it can result in effectively paying twice for the same views.

What if the creator deletes the video? — If a creator deletes the video at any point, they will not be paid, and you will be refunded the flat rate. Videos are required to stay live in order to be eligible for CPM payouts.

Can I see real-time view counts? — Yes. View counts update in real time inside the platform.

Where do view counts come from? — View data is pulled directly from the TikTok API, ensuring accurate and reliable tracking.

How do I approve content? — You do not manually approve content for CPM Deals. All submissions are auto-approved by AI as long as they follow your brief and meet basic quality standards. Your control as a brand comes entirely from how clearly and explicitly you write the brief.

What are the different states a submission goes through? — CPM Deal submissions move through the following states:

Can I decline and request revisions? — No. Brands do not approve, decline, or request revisions for CPM Deals. The only way to influence future submissions is by editing your brief. If creators are missing the mark, update the brief to be clearer or more directional.

Can creators resubmit to CPM deals? — Yes. Creators can submit multiple times as long as they meet a minimum view threshold on their previous submission. If a creator does not reach that threshold, they cannot submit again. This ensures a baseline level of performance and protects you as a brand.

What is AI brief enforcement? — AI brief enforcement automatically reviews every creator submission to ensure it follows the required elements in your brief and meets basic quality standards. Content that does not comply is automatically rejected before it reaches you.

This ensures consistent quality at scale and removes the need for manual review. Your brief acts as the control system, so the clarity and structure of your instructions directly determine what gets approved or declined.

Can I see declined submissions? — Yes. As a brand, you can view all declined submissions. You should regularly review these to understand why content is being rejected. If too many submissions are declined, your brief may be too complex or restrictive. Adjusting the brief can help increase approval rates while still maintaining quality.

How many videos can I expect? — There is no fixed number. Volume depends primarily on three factors:

In general, higher rates combined with a simple, viral-friendly brief lead to more submissions.

Do bigger creators prefer CPM deals? — Yes. Larger creators who are confident in their ability to generate views are often drawn to CPM Deals because their earning potential increases with performance.

What kind of creators apply to CPM deals? — CPM Deals attract performance-oriented creators. These are creators who believe they can drive views and are comfortable tying their earnings to how the content performs.

Can I invite specific creators to my CPM deal? — Yes. Brands can invite specific creators to participate in a CPM Deal, while the deal remains open to the broader creator marketplace. If you want to prevent a specific creator from submitting again, you can block that creator from your CPM Deals.

How does payment work? — CPM Deals are charged based on actual usage. Flat-rate spend is controlled by your daily budget, and CPM charges are calculated after views are tracked. Charges are not made upfront for views and are only applied once spend thresholds are reached.

How does invoicing work? — All payment activity is visible in your wallet. You can view charges, track spend, and download invoices directly from the wallet page.

When does my card get charged? — Your card is charged after spend occurs, not upfront. CPM charges are applied after the 7-day tracking period ends, once views are finalized and verified.

Do I pay upfront or after tracking period? — You are charged after the tracking period. Flat-rate spend is governed by your daily budget, and CPM is only charged after views are tracked during the 7-day window.

What if a video goes viral after I've already been charged? — You are only charged for views that occur during the 7-day tracking window, up to a maximum of 1 million views per video. Any views after the tracking window ends are free and do not result in additional charges.

What if a creator deletes a video? — If a creator deletes a video, reach out to support. You will be refunded for that submission. Videos are required to stay live in order to be eligible for payment.

Do I own the content? — Yes. You fully own the content forever once it is submitted and approved.

Do I get Spark Ads codes? — Yes. Spark Ads codes are provided, so you can run the content as ads directly from the creator’s handle.

Can I download the MP4? — Yes. You can download the MP4 file and store or use it however you like.

Can I use the content on other platforms like Meta/YouTube? — Yes. You can use the content anywhere, on any platform, with no time limit. Ownership and usage rights are permanent.

Can I pause a CPM deal? — Yes. You can pause a CPM Deal at any time. When paused, the deal is immediately removed from the creator marketplace and no new creators can submit.

What happens to videos already approved if I stop the deal? — Any videos that are already live and in the tracking state will continue to track views for the remainder of their 7-day tracking window. You are still responsible for paying for content that is already in the tracking period.

Can I restart a paused CPM deal? — Yes. A paused CPM Deal can be restarted at any time with the same settings. You do not need to create a new deal.

Is there a minimum duration? — No. There is no enforced minimum runtime. You can start, pause, or stop a CPM Deal at any time without penalties.

Can I target specific regions? — Yes. You can target specific regions the same way you would with Regular Deals. Regional targeting controls which creators can see and participate in your CPM Deal.

Does creator location affect what rates I should set? — Yes, creator location can influence effective pricing. Creators in certain regions may expect higher flat rates or CPMs due to market norms, audience value, or cost of production. If you are targeting higher-cost regions or more competitive markets, increasing your flat rate or CPM can help attract stronger creators and increase participation.

As always, rates act as an incentive lever. Higher payouts expand the creator pool and improve quality regardless of region.

How do I know if my CPM deal is performing well? — The two primary signals are submission volume and view performance.

Low performance is almost always solvable by adjusting inputs.

What's a good CPM rate to set? — There is no universal “good” CPM. The right CPM is whatever you are comfortable paying for views. Higher CPMs increase creator participation and attract more experienced, performance-oriented creators. Lower CPMs reduce volume and upside.

Think of CPM as a lever. Increasing it expands reach and data.

What's a good flat rate to set? — There is no fixed benchmark. Your flat rate should reflect what you are willing to pay per video as a base cost. Higher flat rates attract more creators, increase submission volume, and generally improve content quality.

If you want more content and more shots on target, increasing the flat rate is one of the fastest ways to do that.

How do I optimize an underperforming CPM deal? — Optimization starts with the understanding that the brief controls everything. Creators will only produce what you guide them to produce, so performance is largely determined by how well your brief sets creators up to make viral content.

You have four primary levers:

The most important lever is the brief.

High-performing CPM Deals are built around viral concepts, not generic instructions. To do this effectively:

Your goal is not to tell creators to “be creative.” Your goal is to give them a proven content framework that already has a high chance of going viral.

If a CPM Deal is underperforming, the fix is usually not fewer rules, but better direction. Strong inspiration plus clear incentives leads to better content, more views, and faster iteration.

Can I A/B test different CPM rates? — Yes. The best way to test pricing is to run multiple CPM Deals in parallel with different flat rates, CPMs, or angles. Compare submission volume and performance, then increase spend on the deals that perform best and reduce spend on the rest.

This works the same way you would optimize paid ads: test, learn, and scale what works.

How do you prevent low-quality or spammy submissions? — CPM Deals include multiple built-in guardrails to protect quality at scale. Every submission is reviewed by AI brief enforcement to ensure it follows your required brief elements and meets basic quality standards. Content that does not comply is automatically rejected.

Creators must also meet a minimum performance threshold to continue submitting, which prevents repeat low-performing creators from flooding your deal. As a brand, you can view declined submissions to understand why content was rejected and block specific creators from submitting again if needed.

What is the minimum view threshold for CPM submissions? — Creators must reach a minimum view threshold on their previous submission in order to submit again to a CPM Deal. If they do not meet this threshold, they are prevented from resubmitting.

This system protects brands by ensuring every CPM submission meets a baseline level of performance and discourages repeated low-effort or low-distribution content.

What are the most common mistakes brands make with CPM Deals? — Most underperforming CPM Deals fail for a few predictable reasons:

CPM Deals work best when brands focus on clarity, incentives, and iteration.

What happens when a CPM Deal ends? — When a CPM Deal is stopped or paused, no new creators can submit. Any videos that are already live and in the tracking state will continue tracking views for the remainder of their 7-day tracking window.

Once tracking and verification are complete, creators are paid and no additional charges occur. You retain full ownership and usage rights to all content generated.

What are best practices for launching your first CPM Deal? — For first-time CPM users, the goal should be learning and iteration, not perfection.

Recommended best practices:

CPM Deals reward brands who treat content as a volume and optimization game.