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Contests vs Deals vs CPM Deals: Which One Should You Use?

Posted offers three ways to work with creators. Here's how to choose the right one for your goals.

Updated this week

Each feature on Posted serves a different purpose. Understanding the differences helps you pick the right approach — or combine them for maximum results.


Quick Overview

Contests Creators compete by posting content and driving views. You set a prize pool, and winners are determined by performance. Best for big brand moments and attracting larger creators.

Deals Creators submit videos with a bid (their price). You review each submission, negotiate if needed, and only pay for what you approve. Best for full control and ad-ready content.

CPM Deals You set a flat rate plus a CPM rate. Creators submit content, AI approves it against your brief, and creators earn based on views. Best for volume, scale, and viral potential.


Contests

How it works: You create a contest with a prize pool (starting from $5,000). Creators submit content and post it to their social channels. The leaderboard ranks submissions by views, and top performers win prizes.

You should use Contests when:

  • You want a big brand moment with high visibility

  • You're looking to attract larger, more established creators

  • You already know a content format that works and want to scale it

  • You want massive organic reach across many creator profiles

  • You're comfortable with a fixed budget upfront

Key characteristics:

  • Prize pool is paid upfront

  • Leaderboard ranks creators by performance

  • All content is posted organically on creator profiles

  • You own all winning content and the Spark Ads codes

  • Great for generating buzz and testing formats at scale


Deals

How it works: You post a brief and creators submit custom videos along with their bid (what they want to be paid). You review each submission, approve or deny it, request revisions, or negotiate the price. You only pay for content you love.

You should use Deals when:

  • You want full control over what you pay and what you approve

  • You need ad-ready UGC with predictable costs

  • You want to negotiate directly with creators

  • You prefer manual review over automated approval

  • You're building a library of high-quality content for paid ads

Key characteristics:

  • No upfront commitment — pay only when you approve

  • Full approval control with ability to request revisions

  • Negotiate pricing with individual creators

  • Best for building relationships with top creators

  • You own all approved content and the Spark Ads codes


CPM Deals

How it works: You set a flat rate (paid instantly on approval) and a CPM rate (paid per 1,000 views over 7 days). Creators submit content, AI automatically reviews it against your brief, and approved content goes live. Creators earn more when their content performs better.

You should use CPM Deals when:

  • You want high volume without manual negotiations

  • You're testing multiple content angles at once

  • You want creators incentivized to maximize views

  • You're comfortable letting AI handle approvals based on your brief

  • You want to scale fast and iterate like paid ads

Key characteristics:

  • AI-powered approval based on your brief

  • Flat rate + CPM aligns creator incentives with performance

  • Daily budget controls your spend

  • CPM payments are capped at 1 million views per video

  • Best for volume, reach, and discovering viral content

  • You own all content and the Spark Ads codes


Choosing the Right Feature

Choose Contests if:

  • You have a budget of $5,000+ and want a big brand push

  • You want to attract larger creators who thrive in competition

  • You're scaling a proven content format

  • Organic reach across many profiles is a priority

Choose Deals if:

  • You want maximum control over every piece of content

  • Predictable pricing and manual approval matter most

  • You're building ad-ready content with specific requirements

  • You prefer negotiating and building creator relationships

Choose CPM Deals if:

  • You want lots of content fast without manual review

  • You're testing different angles and want to scale winners

  • Performance-based payouts align with your goals

  • You're comfortable writing a clear brief and letting AI handle the rest


Combining Features

You don't have to choose just one. Many brands run multiple features in parallel:

  • CPM Deals + Deals: Use CPM Deals to discover what performs, then use Deals to produce high-quality, controlled versions of winning formats

  • Contests + Deals: Run a Contest for a big brand moment, then use Deals to continue working with top-performing creators afterward

  • All three: Test at scale with CPM Deals, refine with Deals, and create buzz with Contests

Think of each feature as a different tool. The best results often come from using them together.


Still Not Sure?

If you're not sure which feature is right for your goals, book a strategy call with our team. We'll help you figure out the best approach for your brand.

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