Bonus Structures

Bonus structures let you define performance-based incentives that automatically reward creators when their posts hit specific metric targets. Instead of negotiating flat fees with no upside, you can align creator compensation with actual campaign results.

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Bonus structure configuration panel showing metric triggers and tiers

What are bonus structures

A bonus structure is a set of rules attached to an invoice that defines additional payments based on post performance. When a creator's tracked content reaches the thresholds you set, the bonus amount is automatically calculated and added to their payout.

This creates a win-win: creators are motivated to produce high-performing content, and you only pay extra when the content actually delivers results.

Example: You pay a creator $1,000 base for a YouTube video. You add a bonus structure: $250 if the video hits 50K views, $500 if it hits 100K views. The creator's video gets 120K views, so they earn $1,500 total.

Metric triggers

Bonus structures can be triggered by any metric that Stormy's post tracking system monitors:

Metric	Description	Best for
Views	Total view count	Awareness campaigns
Engagement rate	(Likes + comments + shares) / reach	Community-driven campaigns
Likes	Total like count	General engagement
Comments	Total comment count	Conversation-driven campaigns
Shares / Saves	Total shares or saves	Viral / evergreen content
Link clicks	Clicks on tracked links	Performance / conversion campaigns
Conversions	Completed actions (purchases, signups)	Direct response campaigns
Revenue generated	Attributed revenue through tracked links	ROI-focused campaigns

Note

Metric tracking requires that post tracking is active for the creator's content. Bonuses are evaluated against the metrics available at the evaluation time, so make sure tracking is set up before the content goes live.

Bonus types

Flat bonus

A fixed amount paid when a metric crosses a threshold.

If views >= 50,000 → Pay $500 bonus

Tiered bonus

Multiple thresholds with increasing payouts. Only the highest achieved tier pays out (tiers do not stack).

If views >= 25,000  → Pay $200 bonus
If views >= 50,000  → Pay $400 bonus
If views >= 100,000 → Pay $750 bonus

If the post gets 60K views, the creator receives the $400 tier.

Stacking bonus

Similar to tiered, but each threshold stacks on top of the previous one.

If views >= 25,000  → Pay $200 bonus
If views >= 50,000  → Pay additional $200 bonus
If views >= 100,000 → Pay additional $350 bonus

If the post gets 60K views, the creator receives $200 + $200 = $400.

Per-unit bonus

Pay a fixed amount per unit of a metric above a baseline.

For every 1,000 views above 10,000 → Pay $5
Cap: $1,000

If the post gets 80K views: (80,000 - 10,000) / 1,000 * $5 = $350 bonus.

Tip

Per-unit bonuses work well for creators who consistently deliver strong numbers. They feel fair because every additional view directly translates to more earnings.

Configuring a bonus structure

Step 1: Create the structure

Go to CreatorPay > Bonus Structures
Click New Bonus Structure
Give it a descriptive name (e.g., "YouTube 50K Views Tier")

Step 2: Set the metric and type

Select the trigger metric (views, engagement rate, clicks, etc.)
Choose the bonus type (flat, tiered, stacking, or per-unit)
Define your thresholds and amounts

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Bonus structure builder with metric selector and tier configuration

Step 3: Set evaluation timing

Choose when Stormy should evaluate the bonus:

Timing	Description
7 days after post	Evaluate metrics 7 days after the content goes live
14 days after post	Standard evaluation window for most content
30 days after post	For evergreen content or YouTube videos with longer tail
Campaign end	Evaluate when the campaign closes
Manual	You trigger the evaluation when ready

Warning

Choose your evaluation window carefully. Short windows may undercount performance for content that grows over time (especially YouTube). Longer windows delay payment, which creators may not prefer. 14 days is a good default for most platforms.

Step 4: Set caps and limits

Protect your budget by setting:

Maximum bonus per post -- Cap the total bonus a single post can earn
Maximum bonus per creator -- Cap across all posts in a campaign
Maximum campaign bonus budget -- Total bonus pool across all creators

Step 5: Attach to invoices

Bonus structures are reusable. Attach them to invoices when creating payments:

Create or edit an invoice
In the Bonus Structure field, select an existing structure
The structure's rules will apply to all tracked posts associated with that invoice

Examples

Awareness campaign

Goal: Maximize views on Instagram Reels.

Bonus structure: "IG Reels View Tiers"
Metric: Views
Type: Tiered (highest tier only)

Tier 1: 50,000 views   → $150 bonus
Tier 2: 100,000 views  → $300 bonus
Tier 3: 250,000 views  → $600 bonus
Tier 4: 500,000+ views → $1,000 bonus

Evaluation: 14 days after post
Cap: $1,000 per post

Conversion campaign

Goal: Drive signups through tracked links.

Bonus structure: "Signup Bounty"
Metric: Conversions (signups)
Type: Per-unit

$2 per signup above first 50
Cap: $2,000 per creator

Evaluation: 30 days after post

Engagement campaign

Goal: Generate genuine community engagement.

Bonus structure: "High Engagement Reward"
Metric: Engagement rate
Type: Flat

If engagement rate >= 5% → $250 bonus

Evaluation: 7 days after post
Cap: $250 per post, $1,000 per campaign

Managing bonus structures

Viewing active bonuses

Go to CreatorPay > Bonus Structures to see all your structures. Each one shows:

How many active invoices use it
Total bonus payouts to date
Average bonus per creator

Editing structures

You can edit a bonus structure at any time. Changes only affect future evaluations, not bonuses already calculated or paid.

Note

If you need different terms for different creators in the same campaign, create separate bonus structures. Each invoice can reference a different structure.

Archiving structures

When a bonus structure is no longer needed, archive it. Archived structures no longer appear in the dropdown when creating invoices but remain visible in historical records.

How bonuses connect to payouts

When a bonus evaluation completes:

Stormy calculates the bonus amount based on tracked metrics
The bonus is added to the creator's pending payout balance
If automated performance payouts are configured, the bonus is included in the next scheduled payout
If payouts are manual, the bonus appears in the creator's invoice as a pending line item for your approval

The creator sees bonus progress in their portal -- including which thresholds they've hit and how close they are to the next tier.