What is ghosting and why is it a problem?

By Tom Bogaert · Reviewed on

Ghosting is when a creator accepts a collaboration or a free product and then disappears: no post, no message, nothing. You ship something, count on content, and never hear back.

It's a problem because you've already incurred every cost before anything comes back. The product is shipped, the plan counted on that reach, and you're left empty-handed — often without knowing whether anything will ever arrive. In classic product seeding it isn't the exception but the norm: 59% of marketers run into it.

The reason is structural. In a one-to-one seeding deal there's usually no mutual commitment, no follow-up and no consequence if someone doesn't deliver. The creator already has the product; the incentive to post disappears the moment the package lands.

That risk is exactly what a curated squad removes — not with stricter contracts, but with selection up front, agreements in the briefing and follow-up during the posting window. How we do that concretely is in what we do when someone doesn't post. The three routes to find creators — with their real risks — in how to find the right creators.

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Related questions

What if a sportfluencer doesn't post (on time)?

We carry that risk. Curation up front, agreements in the briefing, follow-up during the posting window and back-ups from the same pool — plus an honest completion rate afterwards: how many of the 25 actually delivered.Read how the three layers of risk management work in practice →

What does a Sunday Squad collab actually deliver?

25 pieces of content on the same day, cumulative organic reach typically well above 50,000, a 24-month content licence, and no ghosting. A squad builds credibility — not direct conversion.See the full output list: content, reach, rights and what remains →

How do you find the right creators for your brand?

Three routes, in increasing order of effort: search Instagram or TikTok yourself, work via a platform or database, or build a curated squad with a specialist. The right route depends on scale, budget and quality control.See the three routes to find creators — and their real costs →

How long does it take from briefing to a live collab?

Count on four to six weeks from signed briefing to first posts: application window (1-3 weeks) → curation + squad review (5-7 working days) → shipping (a few days to a week) → posting window (2-3 weeks). Working toward a fixed date, we count back.See the full timeline in weeks, from briefing to first posts →

What if there are fewer than 25 applications?

Then we don't just pad it out. An honest squad of 20 that genuinely fits is worth more than 25 with five dragged-in profiles. Two levers: parallel scouting to top up the pool, and honest course-correction (smaller, wider region, different timing) if it really can't be filled.Read how we adjust when the number doesn't reach what it should →
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