Promo is a free creator and brand influencer marketing marketplace where brands post campaign cards and content creators discover deals, apply, and collaborate directly. It is available on Android, iOS, and Web at promo.arkio.in.

How does Promo work for brands?

Brands build a campaign card with their budget, niche requirements, and platform preferences. They receive direct creator applications, shortlist/hire creators, secure the budget in escrow, and chat with creators directly using in-app tools.

How does Promo work for influencers?

Influencers connect their social profiles to build their Promo Page, browse active campaign cards, filter deals by rate or location, and apply directly to brands. Secured escrow holds guarantee payouts upon verified deliverable approval.

Is Promo free to use?

Yes, Promo is completely free for both brands and influencers. There are no subscriptions, in-app purchases, or hidden fees.

What platforms is Promo available on?

Promo is available on Android, iOS, Web, Windows, macOS, and Linux. The web portal is accessible at promo.arkio.in.

Who built the Promo app?

Promo was built by Sivamanikanta Mallipurapu, an 18-year-old Computer Science student from Rajamundry, Andhra Pradesh, India, studying at Godavari Global University.

What is a Campaign Card on Promo?

A Campaign Card is a structured brand deal listing containing description, target demographics, hashtags, platform preferences, and budgets that creators can swipe or apply to directly.

Does Promo have a Linktree alternative?

Yes, Promo offers 'Promo Page', a free link-in-bio page feature at promo.arkio.in/@username where influencers can showcase linked socials, portfolios, and details.

How is Promo different from other influencer marketing platforms?

Promo is a direct brand-creator app with no intermediaries. It integrates real-time chat, escrow payments, dispute mediation, map-based brand discovery, and leaderboard ranks.

What social platforms does Promo support?

Promo supports Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, Twitter/X, LinkedIn, and Snapchat with automatic follower sync capabilities.

Escrow Guide | Promo Creator & Brand Payment Protection

Name: Promo
Rating: 4.8 (124 reviews)
Author: Sivamanikanta Mallipurapu

1. What is Escrow?
2. How It Works on Promo
3. Milestone Payments
4. Refunds & Cancellations
5. Dispute Resolution
6. Platform Fees
7. Escrow FAQ

1. What is Escrow?

Escrow is a financial arrangement where a neutral third party holds funds on behalf of two parties engaged in a transaction — releasing the money only when predetermined conditions are met. Think of it as a trusted middleman that ensures both the buyer (brand) and the seller (creator) honour their commitments before any money changes hands.

In traditional influencer marketing, brands send payment upfront (risking non-delivery) or pay after posting (leaving creators at risk of non-payment). Escrow eliminates both failure modes simultaneously.

For Brands

You only pay when the deliverable meets your agreed specifications. No risk of paying for work that was never done or does not match the brief.

For Creators

You can see the funds are already locked before you start creating. No risk of a brand disappearing without paying after your work is done.

2. How the Promo Escrow Works

The Promo escrow flow is integrated directly into the collaboration lifecycle. Here is exactly what happens at each stage:

Agreement is signed by both parties

Both the brand and creator digitally sign the collaboration agreement inside the app. The agreement specifies deliverables, timeline, revision rounds, and the exact payout amount. Until both signatures are collected, no funds can be transferred.

Brand funds the escrow wallet

The brand deposits the agreed campaign budget into Promo's platform-managed escrow wallet using a card payment, net banking, or UPI. The funds are immediately locked — they cannot be withdrawn by the brand, and they have not yet reached the creator. Promo holds them in a segregated account.

Creator sees "Escrow Funded" status

The creator's payment tracker screen shows a "Escrow Funded" confirmation with the locked amount visible. This is the creator's green light to begin content creation — their payment is guaranteed regardless of what happens next.

Deliverable submitted and verified

After publishing the content, the creator submits the live post URL through the milestone tracker. Promo's system automatically verifies the URL is live, the content matches platform requirements (correct hashtags, brand mentions, format), and the post has not been deleted.

Brand approves & escrow is released

The brand reviews the live deliverable and confirms it meets the agreement. With one tap, they release the escrow. Funds are instantly transferred to the creator's Promo wallet. The creator can withdraw to their bank account or UPI anytime after release.

3. Milestone-Based Payments

For larger campaigns with multiple deliverables, brands can structure payments in milestones instead of a single release. This lets both parties manage risk across long-term collaborations.

Example: A 3-month creator partnership might be structured as:

Milestone	Deliverable	Amount Released
Month 1	2x Instagram Reels + 4x Stories	₹15,000
Month 2	2x Instagram Reels + 4x Stories	₹15,000
Month 3	2x Instagram Reels + 1x YouTube Short	₹20,000

The full total (₹50,000) is funded into escrow upfront, but released progressively milestone by milestone. If either party exits mid-campaign, only the completed milestones are paid out — the remainder is refunded to the brand.

4. Refunds & Cancellations

Refunds are handled according to the following policy:

Full refund — Creator fails to deliverIf a creator misses the deadline, does not submit the deliverable, or submits content that fundamentally fails to meet the agreed brief and refuses to revise, the full escrow amount is refunded to the brand wallet within 2–3 business days.
Partial refund — Milestone cancellationIf a multi-milestone campaign is cancelled mid-way, completed milestones are paid out to the creator, and remaining unfulfilled milestones are refunded to the brand in full.
No refund — Work completed & approvedOnce a brand taps "Release Payment" and the funds are transferred to the creator's wallet, the transaction is final and cannot be reversed. Ensure you are satisfied before releasing.

5. Dispute Resolution

If either party believes the other has not fulfilled their side of the agreement, a formal dispute can be raised at any point before the escrow is released. Raising a dispute freezes all payment operations — no funds can be released or refunded until the dispute is resolved.

How disputes work:

Raise a dispute — Either party taps "Raise Dispute" on the collaboration or payment tracker screen and submits a written explanation with any supporting evidence (screenshots, links, timestamps).
Funds are frozen — Escrow is immediately locked. Neither party can access the funds until the dispute is resolved.
Promo admin reviews — Our moderation team receives the dispute and reviews all submitted evidence from both sides within 72 hours (usually faster).
Mediation & decision — The team communicates with both parties, may request additional evidence, and makes a binding decision within 7 business days.
Funds distributed — Based on the decision, funds are released to the creator, refunded to the brand, or split proportionally — as determined by our mediation team.

Important: Disputes based on subjective creative preferences (e.g. "I don't like the editing style") are not grounds for a refund if the deliverable technically met all requirements in the agreement. Always specify exact creative requirements in the campaign brief and agreement before signing.

6. Platform Fees

Promo operates on a transparent fee structure. The platform takes a small percentage on successfully completed campaigns — there are no upfront fees, no subscription costs, and no charges on cancelled or refunded campaigns.

Brand side fee

A platform fee is added on top of the campaign payout at the time of escrow funding. This covers payment processing, escrow management, and platform operations.

Creator side fee

A small percentage is deducted from the creator's payout at release. This covers withdrawal processing, creator platform tools, and ongoing leaderboard and certification services.

Exact fee percentages are displayed transparently at the escrow funding step and the payment release step — before any action is confirmed. No hidden charges.

7. Escrow FAQ

Can a brand withdraw funds from escrow once deposited?

No. Once funds are deposited into escrow, they are locked. A brand can only retrieve the funds by raising a dispute (if the creator fails) or by the creator completing the deliverable. This lock is what protects creators from non-payment.

How long does a payout take after escrow is released?

Funds appear in the creator's Promo wallet instantly after the brand releases escrow. Withdrawals to a bank account or UPI typically process within 2–4 business days, depending on the recipient bank's clearing cycle.

What if the brand never releases payment?

If you have completed your deliverable as agreed and the brand is not releasing payment without a valid reason, raise a dispute. Promo's admin team will review the evidence and, if your deliverable is confirmed to meet the agreed brief, will release the payment to you directly.

Is the escrow process safe? Who holds the money?

Promo holds escrow funds in a segregated platform account — separate from operational funds. This means the money cannot be used by Promo for any other purpose and is always available for legitimate releases or refunds. We partner with licensed payment processors to ensure regulatory compliance.

Can I use escrow for multiple creators on one campaign?

Yes. You can run a single campaign card and approve multiple influencers. Each approved creator gets their own separate agreement and escrow slot. You fund each slot individually, so you have granular control over each creator's payment independently.

The Promo Escrow System.

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