Cruva — User Guide

Welcome to Cruva

One platform. The entire affiliate flywheel.

Cruva is how brands turn TikTok Shop into a real, repeatable revenue channel — from sourcing the right creators, to automating every message after they apply, to paying them to keep posting. This guide walks you through every part of the platform, in the order you'd actually use it.

Step 01

Find creators

Step 02

Outreach

Step 03

Automate CRM

Step 04

Build community

How to read this guide

Most sections start with a click-path (e.g. Outreach → Automations → +New Automation), then walk you through Setup → Audience → Message in numbered steps. Plan availability is called out up front:

Basic Growth Scale

01 · Outreach

Target Collab + DM — your first outreach bot

Target Collab + DM is the bread-and-butter outreach campaign on Cruva. It sends a branded invite card together with a personalized DM to creators who match your performance and demographic filters. Set it up once; it runs continuously.

Basic Growth Scale

→ Where to start. Go to Outreach → Automations → +New Automation (top right). Pick Outreach as the source, then Target Collab + DM.

The four-step setup

Campaign Setup

Give your campaign a title, select Outreach → Target Collab + DM, and set a sending time range — ideally 8am – 10pm in your creators' time zones.

Affiliate Query

Build your creator pool. Layer Performance filters (GMV, units sold, video count) with Demographics (location, follower range, niche). Tighter is better — quality over quantity.

Invite Details — the What & the Why

Invite Title: lead with numbers. "Beauty Brand: Top Selling!", "#1 Selling…, Award Winning…, $X/Sale, X% Commission".

Invite Message: three layers — what the product is, why it'll sell to their audience, what's in it for them.

Add Products: attach the product(s) and set 20% commission + 5% Shop Ads as defaults.

DM Messages

Write the DM that ships with the invite card. Lead with data — the first 5–6 words are the preview. Add a Follow Up on the left rail to fire if no response in 3 days.

Press Finish. Your bot starts paused — hit the purple ▶ play in the My Bots Actions column to send the first message.

What it looks like in product

A live preview of the invite card on the left, paired with the DM thread that lands in the creator's inbox.

New Automation Outreach › Target Collab + DM Finish

Campaign Title

Beauty Brand · Top Selling Q4

Send Window

8:00 AM → 10:00 PM (creator local time)

Affiliate Query — 12 filters active

GMV ≥ $5K Followers 10K–500K Niche = Beauty Country = US

Invite Card Preview

#1 Selling Vitamin C Serum — 20% Comm

BEAUTY BRAND · 50K+ MONTHLY SALES

Loved by 100K+ customers worldwide. 20% commission + 5% Shop Ads. Boosted ad spend on top videos · bonus rewards for top content.

Glow Serum · 30ml

$32.00 · 20% / 5%

DM Thread Preview

Day 0 · Initial DM

$10/sale + free product · 5★ best-seller 🌟

Hi [affiliate_name]! We're Beauty Brand — loved by 100K+ customers worldwide.

What you get:
✓ 20% commission ($10/sale)
✓ Up to $3K in boosted ad spend
✓ Bonus rewards for top performers

Click the invite above to request a sample 💜

Day 3 · Auto follow-up

$10K in commission paid last week… request your sample now and start earning this weekend!

! Format your DM for a 5-second skim. A creator should know in one glance: (1) what's being offered, (2) what's in it for them, (3) why they should request a sample. Bullets > paragraphs. Test the first 5–6 words — that's all they see in the preview.

02 · Creator Sourcing

AI Creator Search

Three different ways to find creators who look, perform, or sound like the ones you already love. Drop any result into a list and outreach in two clicks.

Basic Growth Scale

AI Search

Type a natural-language description of the exact creator you want. Filter by performance, demographics, and appearance.

"Mid-30s mom in suburban kitchen, talks about supplements, 50K+ followers"

Lookalike

Upload up to 25 of your top creators (or pick from your CRM). Cruva averages their performance + demographic signature, then surfaces creators who match.

↗ 25 seeds → 4,128 matches

Image Search

Drop a reference image — a vibe, a set, a face type. We surface creators whose content visually matches.

→ Outreach from a search. Click Add All to List → Outreach → Automations → +New Automation → List Upload → Target Collab + DM. Same setup flow as before, sourced from your saved list.

04 · Lifecycle

CRM Automations

The six automations every shop should set up — from the moment a sample ships, through the first sale, through the creator going dark. Each one is a different condition + a different message. Click through the tabs below to see exactly what to build.

→ All six follow the same click-path: Outreach → Automations → +New Automation → CRM Creators → DM.

Automation · Shipped CRM Creators › DM

Shipped

SAMPLE_STATUS = SHIPPED

Delivered

SAMPLE_STATUS = CONTENT_PENDING

First Sale

UNITS_SOLD ≥ 1

Content Unfulfilled · 7d

UNFULFILLED_DAYS ≥ 7

Shipped

Sample request status changed to Shipped. Optionally scope to a single product.

Live

Conditions

Sample Request Status = Shipped Sampled Product = Glow Serum

DM Preview

Hi [affiliate_name], exciting news — your sample was just shipped and should arrive in the next few days 💜 We can't wait to see what you create!

In the meantime, please review the link below. It includes top-converting videos, hooks, and guidelines to create videos that win.

👉 [creator brief link]

Automation · Delivered CRM Creators › DM

Shipped

SAMPLE_STATUS = SHIPPED

Delivered

SAMPLE_STATUS = CONTENT_PENDING

First Sale

UNITS_SOLD ≥ 1

Content Unfulfilled · 7d

UNFULFILLED_DAYS ≥ 7

Delivered

The package landed. Acknowledge it and re-anchor the brief so the first video lands fast.

Live

Conditions

Sample Request Status = Content Pending

DM Preview

Hi [affiliate_name] — your Glow Serum should have arrived 💜

So excited to see what you create, have fun with it!

💸 $10K cash contest — join below to win:
👉 [contest link]

Automation · First Sale CRM Creators › DM

Shipped

SAMPLE_STATUS = SHIPPED

Delivered

SAMPLE_STATUS = CONTENT_PENDING

First Sale

UNITS_SOLD ≥ 1

Content Unfulfilled · 7d

UNFULFILLED_DAYS ≥ 7

First Sale celebration

A creator just made their first sale for you. This message is a relationship-builder — make it warm.

Live

Conditions

Units Sold ≥ 1

DM Preview

Congrats on your first sale! 🎉 That's a huge win — give yourself a high five, you deserve it!

Keep on creating videos just like this and have fun! Let us know if you have any questions in the meantime.

You're a small step away from the next contest tier — join below for $$$:
👉 [contest link]

Automation · Content Unfulfilled · 7 days CRM Creators › DM

Shipped

SAMPLE_STATUS = SHIPPED

Delivered

SAMPLE_STATUS = CONTENT_PENDING

First Sale

UNITS_SOLD ≥ 1

Content Unfulfilled · 7d

UNFULFILLED_DAYS ≥ 7

Content Unfulfilled — 7 days remaining

A heads-up to creators who haven't posted yet. Soft tone — frame it as protecting their account health.

Live

Conditions

Content Unfulfilled (days) ≥ 7

DM Preview

Hi [affiliate_name] — quick heads up: TikTok shared with us that you have 7 days to post a video with your sample. Just wanted to flag so your account stays healthy 💜

Be sure to view the content brief above for top-performing videos, hooks, and guidelines.

Let us know if you have any questions — can't wait to see what you create!

Automation · No Post · 10 days CRM Creators › DM

First Sale

UNITS_SOLD ≥ 1

Content Unfulfilled · 7d

UNFULFILLED_DAYS ≥ 7

No Post · 10d

POSTS 1–5 · DAYS_SINCE ≥ 10

Rejected

SAMPLE_STATUS = REJECTED

No Post in 10 days

Re-engage creators who posted a bit, then ghosted. Lead with money or with a proven hook.

Live

Conditions

Number of Posts 1 – 5 Days Since Last Post ≥ 10

DM Preview

Hi [affiliate_name] — we've loved what you've created so far, great work! 💜

💸 $10K cash opportunity — we're running an exclusive contest that rewards you just for posting more. Join below:
👉 [contest link]

We want to see you win and earn the most $$ possible!

Automation · Rejected CRM Creators › DM

First Sale

UNITS_SOLD ≥ 1

Content Unfulfilled · 7d

UNFULFILLED_DAYS ≥ 7

No Post · 10d

POSTS 1–5 · DAYS_SINCE ≥ 10

Rejected

SAMPLE_STATUS = REJECTED

Rejected — pre-empt the upset DM

Get ahead of confused or upset creators before they reach out. Polite, professional, leave the door open.

Live

Conditions

Sample Request Status = Rejected Group Entry Date ≥ Tomorrow

DM Preview

Hi [affiliate_name], we appreciate your interest in our products. Unfortunately, we weren't able to approve your sample request at this time. This could be due to various factors including our current inventory or campaign focus.

We encourage you to apply again in the future!

! Why the date condition? Without "Send only to creators who entered the group after a specific date," this fires on everyone you've ever rejected. Set it to tomorrow so only future rejections trigger.

How many automations you can run at once

Total of concurrent outreach + CRM bots is capped by your plan.

Basic

5concurrent

e.g. 2 outreach + 3 CRM

Growth

7concurrent

most mid-size shops live here

Scale

∞unlimited

run every automation, every funnel, in parallel

05 · Education

Creator Briefs

A fully branded, custom landing page you share with creators that shows them exactly what to make. Top videos, top hooks, do's and don'ts — all on one link.

Basic Growth Scale

Set up a brief in 4 minutes

Go to Content → Creator Briefs

Click + New Brief.

Basic info & branding

Brief name, headline, custom colors and fonts.

Build the content

Add video examples (URL · select from Shop · Social Intelligence)
Add top hook examples
Add do's and don'ts
Optional: attach a PDF

Create Brief → copy link

Paste it into the bottom of every Shipped CRM message — by the time the package arrives, the creator already knows what to post.

B BEAUTY BRAND · Creator Brief

Make a video that converts

Top hooks, top videos, do's & don'ts — refreshed weekly.

Top hooks

"POV: you finally found the serum that…"

"3 things I wish I knew before…"

"This $32 serum replaced my $200 routine."

Do's & Don'ts

✓ Show the product on camera in the first 2 seconds

✗ Skip the hook — TT scrolls in 1.4s

06 · Pay them to keep posting

Creator Contests & Community

Turn your CRM into a community. Run tiered contests, leaderboards, races, bingo, sweepstakes — even retainers. The moment a creator joins, you get their email and phone number, plus the ability to broadcast to all of them at once.

Basic · no access Growth · up to 20 creators Scale · unlimited

🥇 TIER 1

$5,000

$25K+ GMV

🥈 TIER 2

$2,500

$10K+ GMV

🥉 TIER 3

$1,500

$5K+ GMV

🏅 TIER 4

$1,000

$2K+ GMV

Setup, 8 steps

Creator Community → Campaigns → Create Campaign

Choose campaign type

Contest · Leaderboard · Race · Bingo · Sweepstakes · Retainer

Brand the landing page

Colors, fonts, hero copy — creators see this when they tap your link.

Name & schedule

Public name, start date, end date. The name shows up everywhere.

Configure tiered rewards

Make Tier 1 attractive enough to lead with in your DMs.

Select products

All products, or specific ones for a campaign-focused contest.

Settings

Approval / rejection messages, plus reminder SMS at 15 · 10 · 5 · 1 days from deadline.

Create & share link

Paste it into your Delivered CRM message, Discord, WhatsApp, or to creators who already posted (group with Posts ≥ 1).

→ You also get contact data. When a creator joins, their phone and email come with them. Call your top performers. Email broadcast all of them at once for BFCM, new launches, seasonal promos.

07 · Copy & paste

Outreach DM templates

Two battle-tested DM frameworks. Replace bracketed fields with your numbers, keep the structure intact — strong 5–6 word opener, social proof, what's in it for them, why it works for their audience.

Template 01 · Social proof + benefits

[Strong 5–6 word opener with numbers] We're [BRAND NAME], our best-seller [PRODUCT] is [EXPLAIN PRODUCT]. Proof it sells: ✓ 100K+ units sold worldwide ✓ 750+ 5-star reviews ✓ Featured in Forbes, Women's Health, ABC, NBC, FOX, CBS What's in it for you: ✓ 25% commission on GMV ($10/sale) ✓ $10K weekly ad spend put toward YOUR videos ✓ Retainers for top performers ✓ FREE [product] ✓ Personalized support, high-converting angles & creative direction Why it'll work for your audience: • Designed for "social drinking" lifestyles • Doctor-backed positioning that builds trust fast • Built for reorder (strong repeat behavior) If interested, request a sample via the invite above — can't wait to work together!

Template 02 · Lead with the offer

25% comm ($10/sale). 50K+ Sold. [BRAND] Here's what you get: ✅ 25% commission on every sale ✅ $10K+ weekly ad spend to drive performance ✅ FREE [product] ✅ Access to paid retainers, bonuses, and ad spend behind your top videos Creators are already making $10K+ per month with this exact product — and when your content converts, we put serious budget behind it to scale fast across TikTok and beyond. If you're ready to start generating serious monthly income with a proven brand, this is your sign 👀💰 Let me know once you apply and I'll keep an eye out for you!

! Test the preview. The first 5–6 words are all a creator sees in their TikTok inbox. Lead with a number, a percentage, or a dollar amount — never "Hey there!"

08 · Reference

All features index

Every screen in Cruva, what it does, and which plan it lives on. Use this when you're trying to remember where a specific tool is.

Dashboard

Single source of truth for data, KPIs, and reporting. Click Stats top-right to customize — surface the metrics that matter to you.

All KPIs, stats, metrics

GMV, sales, commissions, video count, and 40+ more.

Outreach

Automations

Create outreach or CRM bots via +New Automation.

Auto Replies Scale

Auto-respond to creator messages with templates + custom conditions.

Email Campaigns

Connect Gmail/Outlook. Reach any TikTok Shop creator in the database via email.

Lists

All lists from AI Search or Social Intelligence. Upload CSVs · convert handles → emails · merge lists.

Affiliate CRM

Reports

Demographics, retention cohorts, creator overview, sample funnel report.

My Affiliates

Full creator database. Filter, export, tag, set time-range performance.

Groups

Build creator segments with conditions — use them for outreach and CRM automations.

Sample Requests

View & manage every request through the funnel.

Auto Approve Growth Scale

Auto-approve or reject samples based on conditions (e.g. GMV ≥ $10K).

Content

Videos

All affiliate videos with data. Set date range or toggle Performance Time Range.

Adspend & ROI Scale

CPA, ROI, adspend analytics for every video.

LIVEs

All LIVEs from your affiliates with correlation data.

Creator Briefs Growth Scale

Custom branded brief pages — top videos, hooks, guidelines.

Moderation Growth Scale

Scan videos for keywords, with optional date range.

Halo Effect Scale

Connect Amazon (1p/3p) and/or Shopify to see TikTok Shop's downstream impact.

Insights Growth Scale

Breakdown of which format combinations drive the highest GMV & lift.

Usage Rights Scale

Send usage-rights requests, payout creators, download licensed content.

Licensed Content Scale

Manage licensed content; push directly to Meta Ads Library.

Spark Ads Growth Scale

Capture creator spark codes via DM. Push to TikTok Ads for GMV Max.

GMV Max Scale

Auto-boost top-performing creatives based on performance.

Creator Community

Brand Hub

Overview of active campaigns; signup hub for creators (Discord, products, sample videos).

Campaigns

Retainer · Contest · Leaderboard · Race · Bingo · Sweepstakes.

Payments

Manage balance, one-click payouts.

Videos

All videos generated via campaigns.

Creators

Every creator in your community. Email broadcasts. CSV export with phone, email, payouts, GMV.

Bottom-left utilities

Creator Messages

DM all affiliates — same as cooperation chat.

Copilot Chat

Ask anything: health check, top performers, sample overview.

Connections

Integrations + Cruva API access (with Claude integration).

Chat Box

Message the Cruva team directly.

One platform. The entire affiliate flywheel.

How to read this guide

Target Collab + DM — your first outreach bot

The four-step setup

Campaign Setup

Affiliate Query

Invite Details — the What & the Why

DM Messages

What it looks like in product

AI Creator Search

AI Search

Lookalike

Image Search

Social Intelligence

Brands

Products

Videos

Creators

CRM Automations

Shipped

Delivered

First Sale celebration

Content Unfulfilled — 7 days remaining

No Post in 10 days

Rejected — pre-empt the upset DM

How many automations you can run at once

Creator Briefs

Set up a brief in 4 minutes

Go to Content → Creator Briefs

Basic info & branding

Build the content

Create Brief → copy link

Make a video that converts

Top performing videos

Top hooks

Do's & Don'ts

Creator Contests & Community

$10,000 Cash Contest · Glow Serum

Setup, 8 steps

Creator Community → Campaigns → Create Campaign

Choose campaign type

Brand the landing page

Name & schedule

Configure tiered rewards

Select products

Settings

Create & share link

Outreach DM templates

All features index

Dashboard

Outreach

Affiliate CRM

Content

Ads

Creator Community

Bottom-left utilities

Stop chasing creators one at a time. Build an affiliate engine that scales.