UGC creator retainers: how to keep creators posting every week
Per-view pay rewards the videos that hit. It does not reward showing up. If your plan depends on creators posting five times a week for months, you need something that pays for consistency. That is what a retainer is for.
A good retainer is not a flat monthly fee you pay no matter what. It is the creator's normal per-video pay, held until they hit a posting target for the period, then released all at once. Same budget, steadier output.
How it works, with numbers
Say it is $300 for 30 videos a month. That is $10 per video. Each approved video that goes live earns its $10, but the money is held. When video 30 goes live, all $300 releases together. The creator can see where they stand the whole time, something like: “12 of 30 videos this month. $120 held, released when you reach 30.”
You can still pay a bonus on top for views, per 1,000 views or at view milestones, so the videos that take off earn more. The retainer covers showing up; the bonus covers breaking out.
Picking the target
- Start from what the creator posts today. A target twice their current pace gets you late, rushed videos.
- Count approved videos that actually go live, not drafts.
- Weekly targets keep the rhythm tight. Monthly targets forgive one bad week.
- Put everyone on the same target to start, then give your best creators their own.
Example setups
| Setup | Target | Per video | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|
| $150 a month | 15 videos a month | $10 | Trying out a new creator |
| $300 a month | 30 videos a month | $10 | A steady daily poster |
| $200 a week | 10 videos a week | $20 | A top creator you want posting twice a day on weekdays |
These are examples to show the shape, not rates to copy. For how to price per video and per view, see UGC rates.
When a creator falls short
Do not let this happen automatically. The reason matters, so a person should decide. There are three fair outcomes:
| Outcome | What happens | When we use it |
|---|---|---|
| Pay what they did | Release the videos they delivered, no penalty | Most of the time, especially a short week with a good reason |
| Roll over | Carry their progress into the next period | They are close and you want to give them room to catch up |
| Forfeit | Keep the pay held for that period | They went quiet without a word. Use it rarely; it costs goodwill |
You can also release pay early for a creator who has earned it. Holding money past the point it motivates anyone just makes creators nervous.
How this works on NewWave
Pick Retainer as the pay type and set the amount, the video target, and whether it resets weekly or monthly. You can put one creator on their own retainer without changing anyone else's terms. When a period ends short, nothing moves until you choose one of the three outcomes above. There is no extra fee. Details on the retainers page.