The same handful of mistakes show up again and again with first-time campaigns.

The same handful of mistakes show up again and again with first-time campaigns: chasing follower count instead of audience fit, over-scripting the content until it sounds like an ad, paying everyone the same flat rate regardless of deliverables, and launching with zero tracking in place so there's no way to know what worked.

The other quiet killer is timeline. Founders often plan creator outreach the same week they need content live, which forces rushed vetting and weak negotiating leverage. Good creator relationships take a few weeks to set up properly — sourcing, vetting, briefing, revisions — so building in lead time pays off more than almost any other single change.