Hire models for paid social ads
To hire models for paid social ads, post a casting that says the images or video will run as paid placements, name the platforms, the term and the territory, set a rate that includes that usage, and book on a written agreement. Paid usage is the line most brands skip, and it is the one that costs the most when a campaign works and you want to keep running it. ModelContracts writes usage into every booking and stores the signed release with it.
What a model booking for paid ads must include
- Media. Paid social named explicitly, along with any other placement (website, email, marketplace, retail).
- Term. How many months the ads may run, with the price to extend.
- Territory. United States only, or wider if you advertise abroad.
- Edits. Whether you may crop, retouch and cut the footage into shorter ads.
- Exclusivity. Whether the model can appear for a competitor during the term.
- Release. A signed model release stored with the booking.
From brief to a booking that covers your ads
1. Decide the placements before you cast. Feed, stories, short video, marketplace ads and retargeting all count as paid use.
2. Write the term you actually need. If the creative works you will want more than three months, so ask for an extension price up front.
3. Post the casting with the usage stated, so applicants price it in.
4. Book on a written agreement. The model booking agreement post lists the clauses.
5. Keep the signed release and the usage terms together, because ad platforms and partners sometimes ask for proof.
Agency booker, freelance model, creator or ModelContracts
Usage in writing
- Agency booker
- Negotiated per campaign
- Freelance model by direct message
- Often verbal
- UGC creator
- Varies by creator
- ModelContracts
- Written into the booking
Model release
- Agency booker
- Agency paperwork
- Freelance model by direct message
- Often missing
- UGC creator
- Not always covered
- ModelContracts
- Signed with every booking and stored
Age and ID check
- Agency booker
- Done by the agency
- Freelance model by direct message
- Your responsibility
- UGC creator
- Your responsibility
- ModelContracts
- Every model verified as 18 or older
Cost
- Agency booker
- Day rate plus client service fee
- Freelance model by direct message
- Negotiated each time
- UGC creator
- Per video price
- ModelContracts
- You set the rate, agency fee of 10% to 20% shown before booking
Look
- Agency booker
- Polished studio work
- Freelance model by direct message
- Depends on the person
- UGC creator
- Phone filmed, casual
- ModelContracts
- Studio or location work with a brief you write
Best for
- Agency booker
- Large national campaigns
- Freelance model by direct message
- One-off test shots
- UGC creator
- Authentic style clips
- ModelContracts
- Brands that run ads every season
Cast for the ad, not only for the product page
Ads reward faces and bodies that your buyer sees themselves in. Cast a range, test several models in the same offer, and keep the ones that win. Because ModelContracts keeps a list of models you have booked, you can invite the winner back for the next set without a new search. For apparel see hire models for clothing brand, for ecommerce listings see ecommerce models, and for motion see hire models for video shoot. If you also want phone filmed clips alongside studio work, you can hire UGC creators who film on their own phones for that format.
What paid usage adds to a shoot
The brand pays a monthly plan and an agency fee on each booking: 20% on Starter, 15% on Studio, 12% on Agency and 10% on Enterprise. Models pay nothing. Usage is part of the rate you set, so a four hour session at $75 an hour with a 25% usage add-on is $375 in rate (that 25% is an illustration, not a quote), plus the plan fee percentage. Every line of a real invoice is in model hiring fees, and the plans are on the pricing page.
Do I need extra rights to use model photos in Facebook and Instagram ads?
Yes, if the booking did not name paid social. A release for website use does not automatically cover ads. State paid social, the term and the territory in the booking before the shoot, or you will renegotiate after the images already work.
How long can I run ads with a model's image?
As long as the booking says. Usage is limited by term, for example six or twelve months. After that you need an extension. Ask for the extension price in the original agreement so there is no surprise.
Can I edit the model's photos for ads?
Only if the agreement allows edits. Cropping, retouching and cutting video into shorter ads are normal, but they should be written down. Changes that alter the model's appearance in a misleading way are not.
How much does it cost to hire a model for ads?
Commonly $50 to $150 an hour for a freelance model on a standard commercial shoot, plus a usage add-on for paid placements. On ModelContracts you set the rate and see the agency fee before you confirm.
Do models on ModelContracts have to be adults?
Yes. Every model is verified as 18 or older before they can apply to a casting.
