In short
- Call three references: the most recent brand, a repeat client and one from a different category. Add a brand-side call even if the creator offers a manager or agency.
- Ask eight questions in a fixed order, from what was agreed to whether they would book again. Specific answers count; praise without detail does not.
- Score each answer 0 to 3 and write notes the same day. The total feeds check D4 and the conduct gate of the scored sheet.
- A reference is an opinion, not proof. Keep notes factual, never ask another brand for fees or confidential results, and cross-check disclosure answers against the posts.
Influencer reference checks are short calls or messages to brands that have worked with a creator, to confirm what data cannot show: whether the work arrived as agreed, on time, with the right label, and whether the brand would book again. Call three references, ask eight questions in a fixed order, score each answer from 0 to 3 and write your notes the same day. The result feeds check D4 and the conduct gate in the scored sheet.
Our influencer vetting checklist puts delivery and rebooking behind check D4, worth 3 points, in gate 3, conduct and paperwork. This post is that gate in depth, and it uses the ledger built in how to audit influencer past brand deals to find the people to call. It sits under our complete guide to influencer marketing in India.
What a reference adds to the data
| Data tells you | A reference tells you |
|---|---|
| What the audience did on past posts | What the creator did when the brief arrived |
| Whether the audience is real | Whether the creator kept to dates and revision rounds |
| Whether a label was on the post | Whether the label and the claims were agreed in advance |
| Reach and views | Whether the brand would pay for the creator again |
In a 2025 study reported by Campaign India, 72% of Indian brands said they prefer long-term creator partnerships. A creator with no rebookings in a long career is worth a question.
Who to call
| Reference | How to find them | What they are good for | Watch for |
|---|---|---|---|
| The most recent brand | The newest row of your ledger | The creator's current behaviour | A brand that was one campaign among many and barely remembers |
| A repeat brand | A brand that appears twice or more in the ledger | The rebooking signal | A friendly relationship that is not typical |
| A brand from another category | A different row in the ledger | Range and attitude | A very different brief that does not transfer |
| An agency or manager who ran a deal | The creator's introduction, or the brand's contact | Process: briefs, drafts, paperwork | An interest in the creator's reputation |
| The creator's named referees | The creator | An easy introduction | They were chosen to be kind; discount them |
Tell the creator you check references for every creator, ask permission for two calls, and find the third brand yourself. If the creator will not name a single past brand, treat it as a data problem and see the stop rules in the vetting checklist.
The ask
Brand teams are busy. Make the request short, offer a written reply if a call is not possible and say what you will not ask.
"Hello [name], I am [role] at [brand]. [Creator] lists [your brand] as a past collaboration, and we are considering a campaign with them. Could I ask eight quick questions, about ten minutes, on how the work went? We keep what you say internal, and we will not ask about fees or results."
Our outreach message templates have the creator-side wording.
Eight questions, in order
Ask the same eight of every reference so the answers compare.
| # | Question | A strong answer sounds like | Probe if you hear |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | What did you book them for, and when? | Format, dates, scale, in one breath | A vague "a collaboration last year" |
| 2 | How did what they delivered compare with what was agreed? | "Exactly the deliverables, plus a Story" | "Mostly" or "roughly" |
| 3 | How did deadlines, drafts and paperwork go? | Dates kept, invoice and GST details clean | "A bit late" without a reason |
| 4 | How did they take feedback and revisions? | Consolidated changes made in one round | Pushback on every note |
| 5 | How did they handle the disclosure label and the claims? | The label was in the brief and in the post, claims stayed in the brief | A pause, or "I did not check" |
| 6 | Was anything difficult, and how was it resolved? | A real problem and a clear fix | "Nothing at all" from a long campaign |
| 7 | Without numbers, how did the content do against your expectations? | A plain comparison: better, as expected, below | Only praise for the creator, nothing on results |
| 8 | Would you book them again, and would anything change? | "Yes, with the approval step earlier" | "We have not had budget" with nothing more |
Close with: "Is there anything I have not asked that I should know?" That question often draws the most useful reply. Do not ask for fees, discounts or results another brand may consider confidential.
Reading what you hear
| What you hear | How to read it |
|---|---|
| Specific detail: dates, a re-shot scene, a quick reply to a late change | Strong; real memory of real work |
| Praise without detail: "great, very professional" | Weak; probe with question 2 or 6 |
| Hedging, then "we have not worked since" | Ask why: budget, a reorganisation or the creator |
| A problem and a clear fix | Positive; shows how the creator handles trouble |
| A pause on disclosure or claims | Open the ledger and read that post yourself |
| The reference is a friend or relative of the creator | Discount it, and note the relationship |
| A hurried reply | Neutral; offer a written version |
Be wary of leading questions such as "she was great, wasn't she?" Write answers as close to the words used as you can, and score later.
Score the answers
Give each answer 0 to 3: 3 is clearly strong and specific, 2 is fine, 1 is thin and 0 is a problem. Total each reference out of 24, then take the average across references.
| Average across references | D4 on the sheet (out of 3) |
|---|---|
| 21 to 24 | 3 |
| 15 to 20 | 2 |
| 9 to 14 | 1 |
| Below 9 | 0 |
That scale is our working scale for a sheet, not a published one. Override it with the rule for serious findings: if any reference reports a post that went live without approval, a missed or buried label, a claim the brand did not approve, or a non-delivery, pause and write the term into the contract, or drop the creator.
Ask the creator the hard question too
Ask: "Tell me about a collaboration that did not go well, and what you changed." A creator who names a specific problem and a specific change is easier to work with than one who blames the brand or says there never was one. Compare the answer with the references.
Keep notes, and keep them fair
For each call, record the date, the name and role, the eight scores and three plain bullets. Write what was said, not what you conclude about the creator. Store the notes in the creator's vetting folder, share them only with whoever decides, and do not pass quotes to the creator or to other brands. If the creator asks what references said, say you ask every creator and keep it internal. Our due diligence checklist covers the rest of the file.
A worked example
Red flags in the process
- The creator will not name any past brand, or names only people with whom they have a personal tie.
- Every reference is from the same agency.
- A reference who cannot remember the campaign.
- A creator who asks you not to contact a particular brand, with no reason.
- Praise for the person and silence on the work.
- A story that changes between the creator and a reference.
How the Gully Score uses references
Content craft carries 15 points in the Gully Score, and D4 (delivers on time and takes feedback; brands would work with them again) carries 3 of them. D4 sits in gate 3 of the sheet, which is worth 7 points in all, with E2 (no competitor deal in your window, 2 points) and E4 (credentials and claims discipline, 2 points). Those sub-point splits are our suggested split for a manual sheet, and the criterion totals are the Gully Score's own.
Answers to question 5 also inform brand safety. If a reference says the label slipped, check E1 again against the posts. Pair this check with creator content consistency, which shows whether the creator you spoke about is the creator you will get.
Scale the effort to the fee: a gifted nano deal may need a ledger look, a mid-tier campaign three calls and a celebrity or macro booking more. Our celebrity and macro influencer service covers the larger deals where this matters most, and you can send us a brief to see a shortlist with Gully Scores and past brand work, with the plan back within 48 hours of the brief call.
Sources
- Indian consumers and influencers: coverage of a 2025 Kantar-backed study of consumers and brands, Campaign India (12 Jun 2025)
- ASCI annual complaints report 2025-26, ASCI (May 2026)
Frequently asked questions
What are influencer reference checks?
They are short calls or messages to brands, agencies or managers who have worked with a creator, to confirm what data cannot: whether the creator delivered what was agreed, met deadlines, took feedback, handled disclosure and claims correctly and would be booked again. They sit after the audience checks and before the contract.
How many references should I check?
Three is a workable number for a mid-sized deal: the most recent brand, a repeat brand and one from a different category. For a large fee, add more. For a small gifted collaboration with a nano creator, one call or a look at the ledger may be enough. This is our working practice, not a published standard.
Should I call the creator's manager or the brand?
Call the brand. A manager or agency has an interest in the creator's reputation, so use them for introductions and for process questions, not as the only reference. If the creator names two referees, find a third brand yourself from the creator's past posts.
What should I ask a brand about an influencer?
Ask what was booked, how delivery compared with the agreement, how deadlines and drafts went, how feedback was handled, how disclosure and claims were managed, what was difficult, how content did against expectations without sharing numbers, and whether they would book again. The eight questions are set out in this post.
How do I find brands that worked with a creator?
Build the ledger of past paid posts, as in how to audit influencer past brand deals, then look for the brand's social or marketing team on its public channels. Ask the creator for permission and an introduction for one or two, and find one yourself.
Is it fine to ask another brand about a creator?
It is common practice to ask factual questions about how a collaboration went. Keep to facts, do not ask for fees, discounts or results another brand may treat as confidential, and keep your notes internal. We found no rule specific to reference calls on creators. This is general information, not legal advice; ask your counsel if unsure.
What if a reference gives a negative answer?
Ask what happened, in facts: dates, deliverables, what was agreed. One negative reference among three needs weighing, and it may point to a contract term you can add. Two negatives, or any report of a missed label, an unapproved claim or a non-delivery, is a reason to pause or drop.