# How to pick a campaign

The best campaign isn't always the highest CPM. It is the one that will still pay when your views come in.

## Six things to check

1. The grade. Start with grade A or better. The grade sums up pay, proof it's paying, money left and time left in one letter.
2. Money left. A high rate with little left can run out before your clip's views are counted. Look for room for many more clips.
3. Proof it's paying. A recent approval or rising spending shows clips are being paid now. A campaign with nothing earned yet is a guess.
4. The app you post on. The CPM can differ by app. Use the rate for the app you will actually post on. Across all campaigns, YouTube's usual rate is a little higher than TikTok's or Instagram's.
5. How many clippers are on it. The budget is shared by everyone posting. A good campaign with money left and only a few clippers leaves more for each of them.
6. Content you can clip well. Pick a topic you understand and can post about often. Good clips beat a good rate on content you don't know.

## Warning signs

- Pay far above the usual for its type, with nothing earned on it yet. We hold these at grade C or lower.
- Under $25 left, or less than a day of budget at its current pace. We hold these at grade D.
- Apply-first campaigns can take days to accept you, so a short campaign may end before you start.
- Rules that limit where or in what language you post, if your audience doesn't match.