Vetting an influencer used to be a commercial decision. In the UAE, it is now a compliance decision too. Since early 2026, most people publishing promotional content have needed an Advertiser Permit, and organisations are expected to verify that the advertisers they work with hold one.
A follower count and a media kit are no longer enough. This seven-step checklist shows what to check before you sign, what the warning signs mean and how to keep the process practical for small and large campaigns.
Why a fake-follower check is not enough
Fake followers remain the biggest quality issue. In Influencer Marketing Hub’s 2026 survey, they made up 56.5% of reported issues. ContentGrip reports a SociaVault analysis of 100,000 Instagram and TikTok accounts that found 37.2% of followers showed signs of being fake, purchased or inauthentic. That comes from a single vendor’s method, so treat it as a warning rather than a market fact.
Tools help, but they do not cover everything. Fraud detection was the least selected use of AI in the Influencer Marketing Hub survey, at 7.22%. Researchers linked to Zayed University compared 20 fraud detection tools in 2026 and found brands need to choose tools systematically. No tool can tell you whether a creator holds a permit, suits your brand or has followers in Sharjah rather than Sao Paulo.
The 7-step influencer vetting checklist
Step 1: Confirm the permit and licence
According to Pinsent Masons, the UAE permit applies to promotional content whether paid or unpaid, including content made in exchange for free products. Applicants need a trade or freelance licence that permits media or advertising activity. The National Media Authority replaced the UAE Media Council as regulator in December 2025.
- Ask for the permit number, and check that it appears on the creator’s profile.
- Confirm the permit is linked to the account that will post your content.
- For a visiting creator, confirm a visitor permit, which is arranged through a locally licensed agency.
- For health, finance, real estate and education, check whether extra approvals are needed.
Reported fines for operating without a licence are Dh10,000 for a first offence and Dh40,000 for a repeat offence. Serious content breaches can reach Dh1 million. Personal accounts promoting a person’s own business and some content by under-18s are reported as exempt. See our page on licensed influencers in the UAE for more.
Running a Saudi campaign? Check for a Mawthooq licence instead. Kolsquare reports that it costs SAR 15,000 for three years, that promoted products must be legally licensed in the Kingdom, and that non-Saudi creators must work through registered Saudi agencies. A UAE permit does not carry over, so check each market separately. Our guide to UAE and Saudi regulations covers both.
Step 2: Review first-party audience data
Ask for current insights directly from the platform, covering top countries, cities, age, gender and language. A short screen recording is harder to edit than a screenshot. Compare the results with your target market, not with the creator’s address.
Step 3: Test engagement quality
Compare engagement with similar creators on the same platform. As a rough guide, ContentGrip suggests 1 to 3% on Instagram above 100,000 followers, 3 to 5% for accounts between 10,000 and 100,000, and 3 to 6% on TikTok. Then read the comments. Specific replies in your market’s language mean more than rows of emojis. Review follower growth too, looking for sudden jumps that have no clear cause, such as a viral post or press mention.
Step 4: Check brand and category fit
Review recent content for tone, values and price positioning. A creator who posts budget hauls every week may not suit a luxury oud launch. Note recent work with competitors, and ask whether any exclusivity agreements are still active.
Step 5: Review brand safety and disclosure
Go through the last 12 months of content and public conduct. Check whether sponsored posts are clearly disclosed. A creator who hides paid work from followers creates a risk for your brand as well. Review Stories and Arabic captions, not only the English grid.
Step 6: Ask for past performance
Ask for post-level results from comparable work: reach in your market, saves, clicks and sales where available. If a creator has no relevant data, that does not rule them out. It means the first campaign should be a small test with clear tracking. Good reporting starts with what you agree before launch.
Step 7: Put it in the contract
Pinsent Masons suggests an internal checklist or a contract clause requiring the creator’s permit number and legal compliance. Also cover disclosure, content approval, usage rights, exclusivity and what happens if a permit lapses. Our page on influencer contracts and usage rights explains the details.
Red flags and what to do about them
| What you see | What it may mean | What to do |
| Sudden follower spike, flat engagement | Bought followers, or a viral moment | Find the cause, and compare the spike with content posted at the time |
| Many generic comments | Engagement pods or bots | Check who is commenting and whether the same accounts repeat |
| Audience mostly outside your market | Poor fit, even if the followers are real | Decline, or use the creator for a different market |
| No permit number available | Permit missing, or simply not displayed | Do not proceed until it is confirmed |
| Refuses to share insights | Possibly hiding weak data | Treat as a serious concern, and consider a replacement |
| Undisclosed sponsored posts | Compliance and trust risk | Raise it directly, and write disclosure into the contract |
One warning sign is rarely proof. At OneHub, a creator is never rejected on a single flag. Flags go to human review, while a failed brand safety or permit check is an automatic exclusion.
Who is responsible: brand, agency or creator?
The short answer is all three. The creator must hold the permit. Pinsent Masons says brands, agencies and in-house teams also need to comply, and Sarah Khasawneh of the firm advises companies to ask for proof before engaging or paying a creator. If an agency manages your campaign, ask how it checks permits and what evidence you will receive.
How to scale vetting by campaign size
- Up to five creators: complete all seven steps by hand. For a brand testing nano and micro-influencers, this is usually a matter of hours rather than days.
- Six to 30 creators: use an analytics tool for steps 2 and 3, and review the shortlist by hand.
- Multi-market programmes: build a shared scorecard and record permits by market, with renewal dates. Our governance and brand safety process is designed for this.
Prefer to hand it over? OneHub offers a full influencer vetting and audit service. Our guide to creator intelligence shows how vetting fits into the wider programme.
Frequently asked questions
How do you vet an influencer in the UAE?
Confirm the creator’s Advertiser Permit and trade or freelance licence, review first-party audience data, test engagement quality, check brand fit and disclosure history, ask for past results, then put the checks into the contract.
Does every influencer in the UAE need an Advertiser Permit?
Most people promoting products, services or brands online from the UAE do, whether paid or unpaid, and visiting creators need a visitor permit. Published exemptions include personal accounts promoting a person’s own business and some content by under-18s. Confirm your own case with the regulator or a legal adviser.
What is the fine for working without an Advertiser Permit?
Reported fines for operating without a licence are Dh10,000 for a first offence and Dh40,000 for a repeat offence. Serious content breaches can reach Dh1 million, and a permit can be suspended or cancelled.
How can you tell if an influencer has fake followers?
Look for sudden follower spikes with flat engagement, generic comments, an audience in unexpected countries and engagement far outside the norm for similar creators. One signal is not proof, so review the full picture before deciding.
What is a good influencer engagement rate?
Published 2026 guidance suggests about 1 to 3% on Instagram for accounts above 100,000 followers, 3 to 5% for accounts between 10,000 and 100,000, and 3 to 6% on TikTok. Treat these as rough ranges and compare creators of the same size, niche, market and format.
This article is general information, not legal advice. Rules change, so confirm current requirements with the regulator or a legal adviser.