Getting started: how ReelsBuilder campaigns work
Understand the end-to-end creator workflow, key campaign terms, where active campaigns live, and why joining, submitting, approval, and payment are four distinct steps.
Overview
ReelsBuilder hosts brand and creator campaigns where clippers earn rewards for publishing original, brief-compliant short-form videos. Joining a campaign gives you access to its brief and submission flow, but earnings only begin after a submitted clip passes account, freshness, and brief review.
Joining, submitting, approval, and payment are separate steps
Many first-time creators assume joining a campaign or posting a clip with views automatically triggers a payout. Here is how the four stages actually work:
Every campaign follows a strict state progression so brands and creators can see exactly where a clip stands. Completing one step unlocks the next, and each stage has its own verification checks.
Joining a campaign
On native campaigns, you join immediately (Open), submit a short application with sample links (Application), or accept a direct invite (Invite-only). Joining unlocks the Submit Clip button—it does not reserve budget by itself.
Submitting a published post
After publishing your clip on a connected social account, you paste the full post URL into the campaign's Submit dialog within the freshness window (72 hours by default unless the campaign specifies otherwise).
Passing eligibility & brief review
Automated checks verify link format, post age, duplicates, and account connection. A reviewer (ReelsBuilder staff or the sponsoring brand, shown on the campaign page) then checks brief compliance, originality, disclosure, and organic engagement.
Accruing and settling rewards
Once a clip is Approved, eligible views or per-post rewards count toward your earnings up to the campaign's per-creator cap and budget. Accrual and payout settlement follow the campaign's published reward model.
Where active campaigns live and native vs. mirrored hosting
All active campaigns appear in the Campaigns directory (/dashboard/v5/campaigns). Each campaign card displays its intake status (Open, Almost full, Closed, or Ended), supported platforms (Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, X), and headline rate.
ReelsBuilder supports two hosting modes so you can see all opportunities in one place:
Native ReelsBuilder campaigns
You join, submit links, track review status, message reviewers, and follow earnings directly inside ReelsBuilder at /dashboard/v5/campaigns and /dashboard/v5/campaigns/mine.
Mirrored partner campaigns (e.g., Content Rewards)
Some campaigns are mirrored from partner platforms such as Content Rewards so you can inspect clip performance and leaderboard insights on ReelsBuilder. When a campaign is mirrored, its page clearly states that new submissions and payouts happen on the partner platform.
Open the campaign page first. If it is a native campaign, you will see the Join and Submit clip controls right on the page. If it is mirrored from Content Rewards, follow the external campaign instructions for submission and payout.
Creator terminology quick reference
Before creating your first clip, familiarize yourself with the terms shown on every campaign brief:
Freshness window
How recently a post must have been published when you submit it. The default is 72 hours after posting (and never before the campaign's start date).
Draft approval
Some campaigns require you to upload or link a draft for approval before you publish publicly. If enabled, the Submit dialog will ask you to select your approved draft.
Reward model (CPM, Per-post, Pool, Retainer)
How approved clips earn: per 1,000 eligible views (CPM), a flat amount per approved post above a minimum view threshold, a pro-rata share of a prize pool, or a fixed retainer amount for each completed weekly, biweekly or monthly period under the campaign terms.
Creator cap
The maximum amount a single creator can earn on that specific campaign. Your progress bar on the campaign page tracks your earnings against this cap.
Paid-partnership disclosure
The required tag or caption disclosure (for example, #ad or platform Paid Partnership label) specified in the campaign brief.
Concrete Example: Tracing a creator's first campaign from discovery to approval
Maya signs up after seeing a ReelsBuilder campaign announcement and wants to make sure her first clip qualifies.
- 1. Inspect the campaign page
Maya opens /dashboard/v5/campaigns, picks an Open native campaign, and reads the Brief tab: TikTok and X are accepted, posts must be under 72 hours old, and #ad is required in the caption.
- 2. Connect social accounts first
Before posting, she visits Settings → Connections (/dashboard/v5/settings?tab=connections) and links her @maya_clips account so ownership verification can match her handle.
- 3. Join, publish, and submit
She clicks Join on the campaign, publishes her 34-second clip with #ad and the campaign's required @brand mention, copies the full post URL, and submits it within 2 hours of posting.
- 4. Track status in My Submissions
Her clip starts in 'Checking' (submitted), moves to 'In review' once automated checks pass, and transitions to 'Approved' after the reviewer confirms it follows the brief.
Verify before moving to the next step
Check off each item as you complete it. Checking all items automatically marks this lesson complete.