Case studies that win brand deals: how creators prove results

Stats say you have an audience. A case study says you move it. One good case study raises your rates more than 50,000 new followers.

The five-line structure

1. Brand and goal — "Local skincare brand launching a new SPF; goal was first-week sell-through."
2. What you made — deliverables and format: 1 reel, 3 stories with link, 1 carousel.
3. The idea — one line on your angle, because that is what they are buying.
4. The result — a number: 1,180 link clicks, 240 code redemptions, 18% story CTR, sold out in 5 days.
5. A quote — one sentence from the brand, even a DM screenshot transcribed.

What counts as a result

Prefer commercial outcomes (sales, redemptions, bookings, sign-ups), then behavioural ones (link clicks, saves, DMs received), then reach. Always include the baseline: "3× their average launch week" is stronger than a raw figure with no reference point.

No paid work yet?

Build a spec case study. Pick a product you already use, make the content you would sell, publish it, and report the real numbers it produced. It demonstrates process, quality and performance — three of the things in every brand's checklist.

Where to put them

Two case studies inside your media kit, directly above your rates, so price is read after proof. Reference the strongest one in the first three lines of your pitch email, and refresh them every quarter.