How to Write a Clipper Job Post (With Template)

Good clippers skip vague job posts. If your post says "need video editor for TikTok, DM rates," qualified clippers cannot tell whether the job is a quick caption pass, full VOD review, a weekly retainer, or a chaotic revision loop. A strong clipper job description states the content type, source footage, deliverables, style, volume, and budget. Kreatli Marketplace works best when creators post clear clipping jobs like that.

Use this guide, and the copy-paste template near the end, to write a job post that attracts clippers who can actually do the work. For the wider hiring process, see how to hire a clipper.

The core clipper job post formula

A strong clipper job post answers six questions:

What kind of content do you make?
What source footage will the editor receive?
What finished deliverables do you need?
What style should the edit follow?
What is the timeline and volume?
What is the budget or pricing structure?

If any of those are missing, good editors have to guess. Guessing creates bad quotes, mismatched applicants, and slow hiring.

Start with the content type

Name your niche in the first sentence. "Video editor needed" is weaker than "Podcast clipper needed for a weekly B2B founder interview show."

Useful examples:

YouTube Shorts clipper for a fitness education channel
TikTok clipper for a beauty creator
Twitch clipper for gaming highlights
Podcast clipper for founder interviews
Faceless YouTube editor for finance explainers
Instagram Reels editor for a coaching brand

Niche matters because editing style changes by audience. A gaming highlight, finance clip, and skincare Reel should not feel the same.

Define the source footage

Editors need to know what they are starting from.

Specify:

Raw talking-head footage
Long-form YouTube videos
Podcast recordings
Twitch or livestream VODs
Product footage
Screen recordings
Script and voiceover
Timestamped moments

Also mention source length. For a clipper, reviewing a 20-minute video is very different from reviewing a four-hour livestream.

Define deliverables

Be concrete:

Number of clips per week
Clip length
Aspect ratio
Captions included or not
B-roll included or not
Platform versions
Thumbnails or title frames
Revision rounds
File format

Example:

10 vertical clips per week, 30-60 seconds each, 9:16, burned-in captions, exported for TikTok/Reels/Shorts, one revision round included.

This prevents applicants from underquoting and then discovering the job is twice as large.

Make the first project easy to quote

If you want strong editors to apply, make the first project concrete. "Ongoing work available" is fine, but the first milestone should be specific.

Better:

Trial batch: five 30-60 second clips from one 45-minute podcast episode. I will provide timestamps, transcript, and style examples. One revision round included.

Weaker:

Need someone long term for content. Send rates.

A clear trial attracts better applicants because they can estimate time, price, and fit. It also protects you from committing to a retainer before you know whether the editor understands your content.

Tell editors how you will choose

Add one sentence about your hiring process. For example:

I will choose based on relevant short-form samples, understanding of the brief, and a paid trial batch.

This signals that you are serious and discourages low-effort applications. It also tells good editors what to send: not every project they have ever made, but the two or three samples that match your job.

Add style references

Style references are more useful than adjectives. "Fast-paced but not too flashy" means different things to different editors.

Include:

Two clips you like
One clip you dislike
Notes about why
Caption style preferences
Brand colours or fonts
Any effects to avoid

If you do not have exact references, use your own past content and explain what should improve: stronger hooks, cleaner captions, faster cuts, more B-roll, or less visual clutter.

Include a budget range

A budget range saves everyone time. You do not need to know the perfect price, but editors need to know whether the job is realistic.

For short-form clipping, common structures include:

Per clip
Per episode batch
Per VOD
Weekly retainer
Monthly retainer
Paid trial batch

If you are unsure, start with a paid trial. For example:

Budget: $150-$250 for a trial batch of five clips. If the fit is good, I want an ongoing weekly batch.

For pricing context, read how much to pay clippers and cost to hire a video editor, or estimate a monthly budget with the clipping campaign cost calculator.

Example job post

I need a short-form editor for a weekly podcast about creator business. Each episode is 45-60 minutes. I will provide the recording, transcript, and 5-8 suggested timestamps. I need 8 vertical clips per week, 30-60 seconds each, exported for YouTube Shorts, TikTok, and Instagram Reels. Please add readable burned-in captions, remove dead air, and create hooks that make sense without the full episode. Style references: [links]. Budget is $250-$400 for the first batch, with weekly work available if the fit is strong.

That post gives clippers enough information to self-select and quote honestly.

Copy-paste clipper job post template

Prefer a file? Download the clipper job post template.

Fill in the brackets and paste this into your job description. On Kreatli Marketplace, the job title, skills, availability (full-time, part-time, or project-based), pay type, and payment preferences have their own fields, so the description can focus on scope.

JOB TITLE
[Platform] clipper for [niche] [content type]
e.g. "YouTube Shorts clipper for a weekly finance podcast"

ABOUT THE CHANNEL
I make [content type] for [audience]. Channel links: [links].

SOURCE FOOTAGE
You will receive [podcast recordings / Twitch VODs / long-form videos / raw footage],
usually [length] each, [number] times per week.
Timestamps: [I provide timestamps / you find the moments].

DELIVERABLES
- [number] clips per [week / episode / stream]
- [length] seconds each, 9:16 vertical, MP4
- Burned-in captions: [style]
- Platforms: [TikTok / Reels / Shorts]
- Extras: [titles / cover frames / none]
- [1] revision round included

STYLE
Clips I like: [link] - because [reason]
Clips I like: [link] - because [reason]
Clip I don't like: [link] - because [reason]
Avoid: [effects, music, topics]

TIMELINE
Turnaround: [e.g. 48 hours after footage is shared]
Start date: [date]

BUDGET
Trial batch: [number] clips for [$ range]
Ongoing: [per clip / per batch / monthly rate] if the fit is good

HOW TO APPLY
Send 2-3 short-form samples that match this niche and one sentence on
how you would pick moments from this kind of footage.

Once you hire, hand over a fuller clipping brief so the first batch matches your style.

Red flags to avoid

Avoid phrases like:

"Easy job"
"Should only take a few minutes"
"Looking for cheap editor"
"Exposure opportunity"
"Need viral edits"
"Unlimited revisions"

These phrases repel experienced clippers. If you want quality applicants, show that you understand the work.

Final pre-publish checklist

Before posting, confirm your job includes:

Niche and content type
Source footage length
Number of deliverables
Platforms and aspect ratio
Caption and B-roll expectations
Timeline
Budget or trial budget
Style references
Revision expectations
How applicants should respond

If the post answers those points, you are much more likely to attract clippers who can quote accurately and start quickly.

One more useful detail: tell editors what a successful first week looks like. For example, "I want five clips delivered by Friday, with the first two approved before the remaining three are finished." That small process note prevents an editor from completing a full batch in the wrong style.

FAQ

Should I ask for a free test edit?

Use a paid trial instead. It attracts better clippers and gives you a more realistic preview. See how to vet a freelance video editor for how to judge the trial.

What if I do not know my exact style yet?

Say that. Ask for a trial batch with two style variations, but keep the scope small.

Can I hire without a budget?

You can, but you will get noisier applications. A range helps editors decide whether to apply.

What should a clipper job description include?

A clipper job description should name your niche and platform, describe the source footage and its length, list deliverables (number of clips, length, format, captions), link style references, and state a timeline and budget. The template above covers all of these.

What should I do next?

Create a clipping job with your niche, source footage, deliverables, examples, and budget. The clearer the post, the easier it is for strong clippers to say yes.