In short
- Run QA on the approved file, on a phone, by someone who did not edit it. Ten minutes per post covers message, claims, disclosure, links and codes, and technicals.
- Test, do not read. Click the link, type the code into a real cart, watch the video with sound off to see whether the label is readable.
- Grade each check pass, fix or fail. A fail on a claim, a label or a code is a blocker: the post does not go out until it is fixed.
- Repeat a short check within an hour of going live. Edits after approval and platform settings are where labels and tags go missing.
A pre-publish QA check is a ten-minute test of the approved file on a phone, run by someone who did not edit it. It covers five blocks: message, claims, disclosure, links and codes, and technicals. Each check is graded pass, fix or fail, and the result goes in a log. Then, within an hour of going live, a shorter check confirms that what posted is what you approved.
Approval is a different job. Approval, described in our content approval workflow, is the brand deciding that the creative is right. QA is a technician testing that it works: that the label is readable, the link opens, the code applies, the right handle is tagged. For the rules behind these checks, use the compliance checklist for brands and our complete guide to influencer marketing in India. This post is the hands-on test.
Why test after approving
A draft that was perfect on Thursday can be wrong on Monday. The caption is trimmed to fit, a song is swapped when the original fails the platform's licence check, a sticker covers the label, the link is retyped with a typo, the code expired over the weekend. None of these changes is malicious, and none shows up in a creative review.
ASCI's numbers show how often influencer posts need fixing. In FY2025-26 it processed 1,609 influencer ads and 97.3 percent needed modification. In its second check of a top digital stars list, 65.8 percent of the 76 upheld cases had no disclosure at all, and the rest had labels that were buried or incorrect. A ten-minute test is cheap against those figures.
Set-up: what the tester needs
| Item | Why |
|---|---|
The approved file and caption, from the approved folder | Test the version that will post, not a copy |
| The brief and the claims sheet | The reference for message and claims |
| The code list and the link register | The reference for what each creator should use |
| A phone, ideally one Android and one iPhone | Links and labels render differently |
| A test cart with a real product | To try the code at checkout |
| The QA log | To record the result |
The tester should not be the creator, the editor or the approver. The coordinator is usually right. In regulated categories, add a second reader from compliance.
Block 1: message (about 2 minutes)
| Check | How to test | Pass if |
|---|---|---|
| Hook and product in the opening | Watch the first 3 seconds with sound off | The product or the promise is visible |
| The one message lands | Ask: what is this post saying? | The answer matches the brief's one message |
| Facts about the product | Compare name, variant, size and price with the brief | All match exactly |
| Tone and exclusions | Listen for competitor mentions, slogans you banned or sensitive topics | None found |
| Call to action | Read the last line and the caption | There is one clear action |
Block 2: claims (about 2 minutes)
Read the caption aloud, then read the auto-captions or transcript of the video. Highlight every factual statement and match each to a line in the claims sheet.
| Check | Pass if |
|---|---|
| Every factual claim has a row in the claims sheet | Yes, with evidence on file |
| No banned words or phrases | Searched in caption, on-screen text and speech |
| Numbers are right | Price, offer, dates, quantities and percentages match the brief |
| No promise of results, returns or timelines | None, unless the claims sheet allows it |
| Qualifications shown where needed | Present upfront for health or finance advice |
| No child shown or addressed without the extra checks | Cleared at the compliance gate |
If you find a doubtful claim, do not edit the file yourself. Send it back with the line and the timestamp rather than editing it yourself, so the creator stays the author of what they publish.
Block 3: disclosure (about 2 minutes)
This is the block with the least tolerance. ASCI's guidelines require a clear label whenever there is a material connection, and the label must be upfront and prominent: not only in a bio, not at the end of a post, not behind a "more" click and not buried in hashtags or links. Permitted labels include Advertisement, Ad, Sponsored, Collaboration, Partnership, Employee, Free gift and Affiliate, or a platform disclosure tool.
| Format | What to test | Pass if |
|---|---|---|
| Video of 15 seconds or less | On-screen label duration | At least 3 seconds |
| Video over 15 seconds and under 2 minutes | On-screen label duration | One third of the video |
| Video of 2 minutes or more | Label across the brand section | Whole section that mentions the brand |
| Story or image with no caption | Label superimposed on the visual | Visible without tapping |
| Live stream | Announcement | At the start and at the end |
| Audio | Announcement | At the start, at the end and around breaks |
| Caption | Position of the label | In the first line, before the "more" fold |
| Platform tool | Paid-partnership label switched on | Visible on the post preview |
Watch the video once with sound off, to see whether the label can be read, and once with the phone held at arm's length. If the label is the same colour as the background, it is not "clear". Our guide to disclosure hashtags in India shows the wording, and Instagram's paid partnership label explains the tool. This is general information, not legal advice.
Block 4: links and codes (about 3 minutes)
| Check | How to test | Pass if |
|---|---|---|
| The link opens | Tap it from the post, in-app and in a browser | Opens without an error or a long wait |
| It goes to the right page | Read the landing page | The product or offer in the brief |
| The page works on mobile | Scroll and tap add to cart | No broken layout, price matches |
| Stock | Check the landing SKU | In stock, in the sizes or variants shown |
| UTM parameters | Read the final URL | Source, medium, campaign and creator ID are correct and lowercase; see UTM links |
| The code applies | Add an item to a real cart and enter the code | The discount, minimum order and cap are as briefed |
| Code case and spelling | Try upper and lower case | Both work, or the brief says which |
| First-order limit | Try again as a repeat customer | The code is refused if it should be |
| Expiry | Read the code's end date | After the end of the live window plus the sale tail |
| The code matches the one on file | Compare with the code list | Same creator, same code |
| Story link sticker or bio link | Tap it | Same destination as the brief |
| Pinned comment | Read it | Carries the link or code if the brief asked |
A code that fails at checkout is a refund queue and a reputation problem on the first day. Test it with a real cart, not a screenshot of the admin panel.
Block 5: technicals (about 1 minute)
| Check | Pass if |
|---|---|
| Tags and mentions | The brand handle is spelled right and links to the right account |
| Collab invite or partnership permission | Sent and accepted; see Instagram collab posts and partnership ads setup |
| Audio | A commercial-use track or the creator's own; see music copyright in influencer content |
| Cover and thumbnail | Readable at small size; no unapproved text |
| Captions and subtitles | Spelled correctly; match the speech |
| Aspect ratio and watermarks | Native to the platform; no other app's watermark |
| Location and hashtags | As briefed; no competitor tags |
| Schedule | Date, time and time zone match the calendar |
Grading and what happens next
| Grade | Meaning | Examples | What happens |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pass | Meets the brief | Label readable, code works | Log and release |
| Fix | A small error with an easy correction | Typo in the handle, UTM in capitals | The coordinator or creator fixes it; retest the fixed item |
| Fail | A blocker | Claim not on the sheet, no label, code rejected | The post waits; the creator and approver are told; the log records the time |
Treat any fail on a claim, a label or a code as a blocker. A post can slip a day without damage. A post with a missing label or a broken code cannot.
The QA log
| Column | Entry |
|---|---|
| Post ID and creator ID | Match the tracking sheet |
| Block results | Pass, fix or fail for each of the five blocks |
| Tester and time | A name and a timestamp |
| Issues and fixes | One line each |
| Released | Y or N, with the approver |
| Live check | Time and result |
The one-hour live check
When the post goes live, do a shorter check within the hour.
- The post is on the right handle, at the planned time
- The label is visible on the live post, not only in the draft
- The paid-partnership tag or collab is showing
- The link opens from the live post on a phone
- The code applies at checkout
- The caption matches the approved version, and nothing has been trimmed
- The comments include no questions that need a brand reply
- A screenshot of the post, with the label visible, is saved in the evidence file
If something fails, edit it within 15 minutes if the platform allows. If a claim is wrong or a label cannot be fixed, ask the creator to take it down within the contract deadline. The compliance checklist lists what to keep in the evidence file.
Partnership ads and reposts
When a post is boosted as a partnership ad, or reposted on a brand handle, run the label and claims blocks again on the ad preview. A different placement can crop or cover the label. Our guide to creator ads and whitelisting explains where the rights come from.
Quick version for pinning on the wall
- Message: hook, one message, facts right.
- Claims: each line on the sheet; nothing banned.
- Label: first line, on screen long enough, tool on.
- Link and code: opened and typed on a phone.
- Technicals: handle, collab, audio, time.
- Log it. Then recheck within the hour.
Our team checks every draft for message, claims and disclosure and tracks each post from its first hour, and our how we work page shows where that fits in the six stages. If you want it done for you, send us a brief and we will return a creator plan within 48 hours, with compliance built in. Our Instagram influencer marketing service covers the most common formats, and the campaign calendar template shows how to schedule posts so QA never lands on a launch morning.
Sources
- ASCI annual complaints report 2025-26, ASCI (28 May 2026)
- ASCI half-yearly complaints report 2025-26, ASCI (Nov 2025)
- ASCI Guidelines for influencer advertising in digital media, ASCI (accessed 31 Oct 2026 (Addendum II dated 6 Mar 2025))
Frequently asked questions
What should be checked before an influencer post goes live?
Five things: the message lands in the first seconds, every claim matches the claims sheet, the disclosure label is upfront and on screen long enough, the link and code work when tested, and the technical details are right: tags, collab invite, audio licence, schedule. Then log the result and repeat a short check after it is live.
Who should run the pre-publish check?
Someone who did not edit the file and did not approve the concept: usually the campaign coordinator. For regulated categories add a second pair of eyes from compliance. The creator should not self-certify, because the person who made a post is the least likely to notice a missing label. Keep the task small, at ten minutes a post.
How long should the disclosure label stay on screen?
Under ASCI's influencer guidelines, in a video of 15 seconds or less the label must be on screen for at least 3 seconds. In a video over 15 seconds and under 2 minutes it must stay for one third of the video, and for two minutes or more, for the whole section that mentions the brand. Stories need it superimposed on the visual.
How do I test a discount code before launch?
Put a real item in a real cart on a phone, enter the code exactly as the creator will say it, and confirm the discount, the minimum order, the cap and the expiry. Try it in lower case and upper case. Then try it a second time as a repeat customer to check the first-order limit works. See our guide to tracking sales with codes.
What do I do if I find a mistake after the post is live?
Fix it immediately if it can be edited: caption, tag, label or pinned comment. If a claim is wrong or the label cannot be added, ask the creator to take the post down within the deadline in your contract, and log the time. Our crisis management guide covers escalation, and our contracts withhold payment until a post is fixed.
Is a QA checklist different from the compliance checklist?
Yes. The compliance checklist sets the rules and the approval sheet for claims, categories and contracts. The QA checklist is a hands-on test of the finished post: it opens the link, types the code, reads the label on a phone. Use both, the first to decide and the second to verify.