To track creator posts, start with your agreed creator list and campaign rules, collect candidate posts, review each match, then report only the posts you included. This prevents a common reporting problem: a search result becomes a campaign result without anyone checking whether it belongs.
The workflow works for a short launch and for an ongoing creator program. The difference is the date range and how often you review new posts.
1. Write down the scope before collecting
Make one record for the program. Include:
- Creator names and account handles.
- The start and end dates, or a recurring review window.
- Required keywords, hashtags, mentions, or campaign phrases.
- Exact post links supplied by the team or creators.
- The person who decides whether an ambiguous post counts.
Avoid treating a hashtag as the entire scope. A creator may publish relevant content without it, and someone outside your program may use it too. Creator identity, terms, dates, and direct links each answer a different part of the question.
2. Gather candidate posts
Search each creator's public posts using the terms and dates you recorded. Add exact URLs for posts that the search misses. Keep the original URL in your working record so a reviewer can open the source later.
For programs spanning several networks, see how to track creator posts across Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and X. For an X-specific search, see how to find posts from a creator list.
3. Review the matches
Mark each candidate as included, excluded, or needing review. A compact review record is enough:
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| Field | Example decision |
|---|---|
| Creator | Is this the agreed account? |
| Post URL | Can a reviewer open the original? |
| Published date | Is it inside the reporting window? |
| Relevance | Does the content actually relate to the program? |
| Inclusion | Count it, exclude it, or ask for a decision. |
Keep excluded posts visible to the internal team if you can. Otherwise the same false match may be rediscovered and debated every reporting cycle.
Example: reconcile a small launch
Suppose three creators are in a fictional seven-day launch. Your searches and creator-supplied links produce three candidate posts:
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| Candidate | Review decision | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Creator A's post | Include | Published in the window by the agreed account and about the launch. |
| Creator B's post | Exclude | Published in the window but unrelated to the launch. |
| Creator C's direct link | Include | Uses different wording from the search terms but meets the campaign rules. |
The report contains two included posts, not three search matches. Keep all three source URLs and the exclusion reason in the working record; show only the two included posts in the campaign totals. If Creator C's public view count is unavailable, mark that field unavailable rather than adding zero. The report template gives you a post register for these decisions.
4. Record metrics with context
Capture metrics alongside the post and the time they were checked. Public counts can change after publication. Do not label views as unique reach, and do not combine unlike platform metrics without explaining the difference. If a value is unavailable, display it as unavailable rather than zero.
You can total likes or comments across the posts you included, but a total is only meaningful when readers know the set of posts behind it. Put the post list close to the summary.
5. Produce a report people can verify
A useful report answers four questions: What was tracked? Which posts counted? What happened on those posts? What data is missing or still under review? The creator campaign report template turns those questions into a repeatable structure.
In Recap, you can set up trackers for public X, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube content, then review matching posts and prepare a report. The sample tracker on the home page uses fictional content so visitors can try the workflow without connecting an account.