How do you build a campaign recap for brand partners?
Start with the campaign objective and agreed deliverables, then report the relevant results for a clearly stated period. Identify the content included, name each metric, and explain missing data or limits before sharing the recap with your partner.
For a product-based approach, explore Social Insights campaign reports in StarlightIQ. The steps below also work with your own documents or tracker.
Why it happens
Results and agreements are often kept separately, so preparing a recap involves connecting two sets of records. A reporting window alone may not identify the sponsored posts. Without that context, a partner can mistake an overall account change for an outcome attributable to one campaign.
In StarlightIQ’s 2026 Creator Brand Deal Research, a survey of 154 creators who completed 5+ paid brand deals in the past 12 months, 95% said they keep deal information in two or more places.
Fielded online October 5–6, 2026 through a paid, opt-in research panel. The final sample of 154 passed attention checks and duplicate-response screening. Responses and eligibility were self-reported, not independently verified; results are not weighted to represent all creators. The survey did not measure StarlightIQ’s effect on payments or time spent.
Build a recap a partner can interpret
- Define the scope. Name the campaign, objective, reporting dates, and included accounts. List the promised deliverables and the content actually published. Include links and publication dates so the partner can identify which items support the report.
- Collect the relevant figures. Use the available analytics for each included item and record when you collected them. Keep views, reach, and interactions distinct. If you calculate an engagement rate, state the numerator and denominator so another person can understand the calculation.
- Separate results from interpretation. Present observed numbers first, then explain patterns or useful context. Do not describe audience growth, views, or interactions as confirmed sales unless you have evidence that supports that specific claim. Mark unavailable metrics as unavailable rather than entering zero.
- Review and share the recap. Check post selection, date ranges, totals, and labels against the underlying records. Remove unrelated content or clearly distinguish it. Send a readable document, and include a supporting table if the partner needs the figures for its own analysis.
Make comparisons fair
Compare the same metric over comparable reporting windows. A post measured after one day should not be ranked against another measured after a month without explaining the difference. If an account reports a metric differently, describe that limit before combining the numbers into a campaign total.
Finish with a useful observation
Choose one or two observations supported by the data, such as which included format received more recorded interactions. Explain what you would test next rather than promising the same result in a future campaign. Keep the source figures with the recap so questions from the partner can be answered consistently.
Example (illustrative)
Leo recaps three sponsored posts published during a week that also included unrelated content. He lists the three links, records the reporting date, and separates their available figures from overall account growth. His recap notes an unavailable metric and offers a specific format comparison without claiming the campaign caused unmeasured sales.
Frequently asked questions
What belongs in a campaign recap?
Include the objective, delivered content, reporting window, relevant metrics, source context, and any limitations.
Should I include every post from the campaign period?
Include the campaign’s posts, and clearly separate unrelated content if broader account data is also shown.
How should I show missing metrics?
Label missing metrics as unavailable and explain the limitation. Missing data is not evidence of a zero result.
Can Social Insights help prepare the recap?
Yes, Social Insights exports PDF and CSV reports from connected accounts. Review the selected period and content before presenting the report as campaign-specific. Explore Social Insights campaign reports.
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