Wondering why some creators get hired again and again while others are still waiting for their first invite? Brands don't pick at random. When they browse the Creators Marketplace or review applicants for a campaign, they compare creators side by side, and they decide in seconds. 👀
This guide brings everything together in one place: what brands see when they look at you, what each badge means, and exactly what you can do to become the creator they choose. 🚀
👀 What Brands See First
Every creator shows up to brands as a profile card. In a single glance, a brand sees:
Your profile photo
Your Creator Level (Level 1, 2 or 3)
Your star rating and how many reviews you have
Your badges, such as Our choice, Fast or On time
The content types and social networks you're certified for
A Pitch video button, if you've added one
When a card catches their eye, they click it to open your full profile: your pitch, bio, social stats, portfolio and latest reviews. Every section of this article covers one of these signals and how to make it work for you.
💡 Pro tip: look at your own card the way a brand would. Is your photo bright and clear? Do you have a pitch video, reviews and connected socials? Every empty spot is a reason for a brand to scroll past you.
📸 1. Use a Clear, Bright Profile Photo
Your profile photo is the first thing a brand sees, and it works as a preview of your content quality. If your photo is dark or blurry, brands assume your videos will look the same.
Face the light: natural window light works great. Your face should be fully visible and in focus.
Keep the background simple: a clean, tidy space looks professional.
Show yourself, not a crowd: skip group photos, sunglasses, heavy filters and black-and-white shots.
Match your niche: a kitchen for food creators, a vanity for beauty creators, a gym for fitness creators.
📓 Note: you can update your photo anytime. See Creators: How do I change my profile information?
🏅 2. Earn Badges
Badges appear right on your profile card everywhere brands find you: in the Creators Marketplace, in their list of applicants and when they search for creators to invite. They're one of the quickest ways to stand out.
⚡ Fast
You deliver content in half the typical time or less compared to the platform average. Brands running time-sensitive campaigns actively look for this badge.
⌚ On time
You reliably meet your deadlines, delivering at or below the platform average, so brands can count on your content arriving when expected.
⭐ Our choice
Awarded by the JoinBrands team when your content is selected as inspiration for brands. It's global, so once you have it, every brand sees it.
🛍️ TikTok Shop level (for example, L0 Bronze)
Shows brands your TikTok Shop level, so they can quickly spot creators with TikTok Shop experience.
🆕 New
Lets brands know you've just joined JoinBrands. It's a great moment to land your first jobs, so apply often.
How to earn them
Fast and On time: you need at least 5 completed jobs in the last 90 days. Start each job as soon as it's confirmed, read the brief carefully so you get it right the first time, and submit well before the deadline. Badges are recalculated daily.
Our choice: there's nothing to apply for. Create content that's good enough to be an example for others: great lighting, clear audio, the product shown in use and the brief followed exactly.
⚠️ Important: a streak of late submissions can cost you your delivery badge as quickly as you earned it, and cancelling jobs can affect your badges too. Only take jobs you know you can finish on time.
👉 Learn more in Creators: Delivery Badges, How Your Speed Earns You More Jobs.
📈 3. Level Up
Your Creator Level is shown on your card and is one of the first things brands filter and sort by. Higher levels also unlock better perks for you.
Level 1 → Level 2: complete 5 video, social or live jobs, have at least 1 completed job in the last 12 months and keep an average rating of 4.0 ⭐ or higher.
Level 2 → Level 3: complete 30 video, social or live jobs, have at least 5 completed jobs in the last 12 months and keep an average rating of 4.3 ⭐ or higher.
Level 2 and Level 3 creators can accept unlimited jobs at the same time, earn higher payouts on eligible content creation jobs and accept Retainer jobs.
📓 Good to know: image-only jobs don't count toward level progression. See Creators' Levels for the full details.
⭐ 4. Collect Great Reviews
Your average rating and number of reviews are shown on your card, and brands can read your latest reviews on your profile. A high rating with lots of reviews tells a brand you're a safe choice.
Follow the brief exactly: the most common reason for a lower rating is content that misses what the brand asked for.
Communicate in the chat: answer brand messages quickly and let them know if anything comes up.
Deliver early: brands love creators who make their job easier.
Keep it professional: friendly, polite messages go a long way.
📓 Note: only reviews with written feedback on video, social or Live jobs count toward your level. Star-only ratings still show on your portfolio. Read more in Creators: Creators' Reviews.
🎬 5. Add a Pitch Video and a Strong Pitch
When a brand opens your profile, the top section is all about you: your level, badges and rating, how long you've been a member, when you were last online, how many jobs you've completed, your pitch and your pitch video.
Record a pitch video: keep it 30–60 seconds, film in a bright and quiet space, and say who you are, your niche and the type of content you love creating. No watermarks.
Write a short pitch: one or two sentences that sum up who you are as a creator.
Fill in your bio: share your niche, your experience and why brands should work with you. Check it for typos.
Log in often: brands can sort creators by when they were last seen online, so active creators show up first.
👉 Learn more in What Is a Pitch Video on JoinBrands?
🗂️ 6. Build a Full Portfolio
Your portfolio is where brands decide if your content fits their campaign. A full, up-to-date portfolio with your connected social networks makes that decision easy.
✅ A strong portfolio
Has content for every content type you want to be hired for (UGC videos, UGC photos, TikTok, Instagram Reels, YouTube, Amazon and more)
Shows bright, in-focus content where the product is easy to see
Uses different settings, like your kitchen, bathroom, outdoors or with your pets
Shows your most recent and best work
❌ A weak portfolio
Has empty sections or only one or two pieces of content
Is dark, blurry or heavily filtered
Shows the same setting in every piece
Is full of old content that no longer reflects your skills
To set up or edit your portfolio, click your profile picture, select Portfolio and click Create portfolio (or Edit Portfolio if you already have one).
💡 Pro tip: fill in every section, including your headshot, hashtags, handle, pitch text and pitch video. Your portfolio progress is shown in the top right corner while you edit. See Creators: Creators' Portfolio Design for a step-by-step walkthrough.
🌐 7. Get Certified and Connect Your Social Networks
The small icons under your name show brands which content types and social networks you're certified for. Brands filter the marketplace by content type (Images, Videos, TikTok, Instagram Reels and more), and you only show up for the types you're certified in, so every extra certification puts you in front of more brands.
Connect your social accounts: brands see your followers, average views and, for TikTok, your GMV. See Creators: How do I enter my social media into my profile?
✅ Your Stand-Out Checklist
📸 A bright, clear profile photo
🎬 A pitch video, a short pitch and a complete bio
🗂️ A full portfolio with recent, varied content
🌐 Every certification you qualify for, with your social networks connected
⚡ Content delivered early to earn the Fast or On time badge
⭐ Briefs followed exactly to collect 5-star reviews and level up
🏃 Logging in often and applying to as many jobs as you can
📓 Still not hearing back? Check out Creators: I've applied to jobs with no reply and Creators Tips & Tricks: Creating good content for more tips.
🎉 Brands pick creators who look professional, reliable and easy to work with. Polish your profile, deliver great work on time, and the invites will follow. You've got this! 🌟