Home / Answers / Making UGC ads
How does whitelisting work in UGC?
Whitelisting means a creator gives a brand permission to run ads through the creator's social account, so ads show the creator's name and handle instead of the brand's. On Meta this is now done with partnership ads; on TikTok with Spark Ads authorisation codes. Creators usually charge extra for it.
How it works today
"Whitelisting" is an older industry term. The platforms now provide official tools for it:
- Meta: partnership ads, where the creator grants the brand permission and the ad shows the creator's identity in its header.
- TikTok: Spark Ads, where the creator generates an authorisation code for a post and a set period.
Older setups that gave a brand direct access to a creator's ad account are largely replaced by these permission tools.
Why brands want it
- Ads look like a person's post rather than a brand's.
- The creator's credibility comes with the ad.
- On Meta, signals from both accounts are used for delivery.
Why creators charge for it
The ad runs under their name, so their reputation is attached to your targeting, copy and frequency. Fees vary and are negotiated, often by duration.
What to agree in writing
- Which posts and which platforms.
- Duration of the permission.
- Who writes and approves ad copy.
- Whether the creator can delete or edit the post during the period.
- The fee and when it's paid.
Prefer not to manage creators? ScrollStop Labs writes and produces UGC-style ads from a short email brief, with no calls.