Are you looking to get a YouTube sponsorship? This booming industry of influencer marketing, which involves a collaboration between brands and influencers, is a powerful approach that can help companies grow. Brands have recognized that influencer marketing is a highly successful way to gain the trust of their customers. Which is why the sponsored opportunities on YouTube are endless.
There’s no denying that influencer marketing is profitable. This market has expanded from $1.7 billion in 2016 to $9.7 billion in 2020. In 2021, it showed significant growth when the industry skyrocketed to $13.8 billion. In 2022, the market is projected to reach a whopping $16.4 billion.
Read more: How to Make a YouTube Video in 7 Easy Steps
This kind of marketing strategy has been successfully used by thousands of businesses and brands and has experienced continuous growth over the past decade. This is why learning how to get sponsors on YouTube could be extremely beneficial to your channel.
When people think of YouTube sponsorships, they tend to think of those with huge channels with millions and millions of subscribers – but it is little known that lucrative sponsorships for small YouTubers are more than possible too.
No matter your subscriber count, you can become a worthwhile partner to various companies through sponsored videos and branded content. As long as you have an engaged audience and a professional platform, it’s just a matter of knowing how to get sponsored on YouTube.
Along with being the most popular online video service, YouTube is also one of the most monetizable platforms out there. So if you’re thinking about how to get a sponsor on YouTube (no matter the size of your channel), follow this guide and we’ll cover exactly how to get a sponsorship for YouTube.
- What are YouTube sponsored videos?
- Types of sponsorships on YouTube
- What do sponsors look for?
- How to connect with sponsors
- How much do sponsors pay YouTubers?
- Conclusion
Whether you have just started out on your YouTube channel or have been patiently building it up for years, every creator reaches a point where they want to start getting paid on YouTube.
YouTube sponsored videos are branded content that promotes a brand, product, or service by effortlessly incorporating it into a video (usually within the same niche). A brand will pay YouTube sponsorships with a monetary or product payment.
Typically, YouTubers will collaborate with brands that are similar to their niche, interests, and channel genre, so that their sponsored content reaches their target audiences and captivates their subscriber’s attention.
Familiarize yourself with YouTube’s guidelines
Before looking for a YouTube sponsorship, it’s important to look into YouTube’s community guidelines. This outlines the kind of content that is allowed on YouTube, so you don’t get your videos taken down! These guidelines apply to all types of content on the platform, including videos, comments, links, and thumbnails.
Brands will want to connect with channels that have a good standing within YouTube’s policies, and with content creators who promote a positive and uplifting environment on the platform.
There are three main types of YouTube sponsorships that you can use to monetize your channel.
Affiliate sponsorships
For affiliate sponsorships, you get a special link or code to a product from a brand. If someone uses that link, you earn a commission on that sale.
There is a discounting option where there is a code that is shared and the viewers use these codes to get discounts up to any amount (usually 5-30%) on shopping products from that same site. Another option is where there is an affiliate code that can be integrated into an URL that offers profits to a content creator in the form of traffic.
This kind of sponsorship is great for those just starting out, as affiliate sponsorships are the easiest to obtain, but also the least revenue-generating.
However, affiliate sponsorships are a great opportunity for small channels. Affiliate sponsorships make it possible to earn a meaningful income from referral commissions, even with a smaller following. Often, you can apply to join a brand’s affiliate program no matter how many YouTube subscribers you have.
Product sponsorships
Product sponsorships involve brands sending you free products to promote and review. Product reviews are often the first sponsorship type a creator experiences.
These kinds of sponsorships can vary in size; they can be small, like receiving a free makeup product or clothing item, or much bigger, like getting a free stay in a hotel or a luxurious travel experience.
For pricier items, a product sponsorship could also mean receiving a discount when purchasing the product.
Product reviews and tutorials are the best ways to obtain product sponsorships, which usually means that the product will be in your niche area or channel genre.
Paid sponsorship
Among all sponsorships, the paid sponsorship is the most challenging one – they are the highest level of YouTube sponsorship. A paid sponsorship is very straightforward; a product or service is promoted on your channel in exchange for payment.
These sponsorships are much rarer than product or affiliate sponsorships, and often these opportunities come to those who have grown their YouTube channel by having a significant following or a lot of subscribers.
Now that you know what types of YouTube sponsorships are out there, here’s what you need to do to successfully obtain one.
Establish a niche for your YouTube platform
A niche lets you narrow down your offering, define your target audience, and clarify your brand message – which makes managing your channel a whole lot easier in the long run.
Also, the digital world is a crowded one. If you can find your niche, it’s much easier to stand out in the sea of competitors. Think about what areas you are passionate about or very knowledgeable in, and how you can differentiate yourself from your competitors by honing in on your specialty.
Finding a niche lets you find a unique path that will set you apart from other YouTube channels.
Create a channel that looks professional
When learning how to get a sponsor on YouTube, it is important to create a space that looks inviting and professional. This will leave brands feeling excited to partner with you.
Creating aesthetically pleasing content is not only eye-catching for brands, but it will help boost your viewers and subscribers as well.
As well, including YouTube SEO and social media links in video descriptions, and using tags on videos can contribute to your channel’s professionalism.
Have quality content
The content you offer through your channel must offer valuable content. Creating a vast range of accessible and consistent content for potential sponsors to browse through might just land you a brand deal.
Also, be sure to check out your competitors within the creator economy and see what’s working well for their platform and which videos brands’ are sponsoring. This will help you stay in the loop with what’s trending and engaging.
Consistency keeps the YouTube algorithm and your followers satisfied, as it allows you to be more visible and searchable. Try aiming to post at least one video per week on a regular schedule to maintain consistency with your content and build a loyal subscriber base.
Make sure you have a wide selection of videos that offer valuable content so that potential sponsors can browse through various creations in your channel. This will also show sponsors that you are active. The more video uploads your channel has, the more likely YouTube will recommend your content to potential views, improving brand awareness and traffic.
Grow your subscriber base
Even if you have a smaller channel, it’s important that it is steadily growing. This shows brands that your audience is engaged and intrigued with your content, and it will make them more likely to reach out for a YouTube sponsorship.
You will authentically grow your subscriber base when you combine all of the above: find a niche and become really good at making specific videos, have a professional YouTube account that is organized and aesthetically pleasing to browse through, and produce quality content that improves brand awareness and generates traffic.
Another good way to review the quality of your content and naturally gain subscribers is to ask for feedback from your audience. Simply letting your viewers know that you’re looking for some insight into your videos (what they like/dislike and want to see more of) could yield huge results when it comes to growing your audience.
Also, it’s a good idea to make it easy for people to subscribe. Remind viewers throughout your different videos to subscribe to your channel. Include a link with a call to action (CTA) in your video description, and mention this at the beginning and end of your video.
Make your YouTube channel accessible to sponsors
You want to make sure it’s easy for potential YouTube sponsors to get in touch with you! Which means they need a way of contacting you directly. Always add a business email to your channel, which shows that you would love to receive business inquiries.
It is also handy to create a video portfolio or media kit that is readily available upon request (you could even post it to your channel as an unlisted video for potential sponsors). It’s a great way to demonstrate how you stand out, showcase snippets of your best work, and open the door for any kind of conversation.
Here is a list of a few things you should include in this video portfolio or media kit:
- Information about your genre, content niche, and audience demographics
- Number of subscribers and hours viewed
- Recent statistics from other social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook
- If applicable, include examples of previous collaborations you’ve done and partners you’ve worked with before
Reach out directly
Reaching out directly to potential sponsors may be the best way to secure a partnership deal. Although it can be time-consuming, it allows you to scout brands who you’d love to work with and who fall in line with your values.
Draft up a message that can be altered to fit how your brand can complement theirs. In this message, be sure to define your channel’s niche and include your video portfolio or media kit, links to all of your social media platforms, and the best video examples.
Create a long list of potential sponsors (from those more attainable to the bigger brands you dream of working with), and collect their contact information. Send each brand a personalized email with your pitch for a sponsorship.
Reaching out to brands directly is an effective way to obtain many different YouTube sponsorships, and get your name out there.
Sign up for sponsorship websites
You can also seek out sponsorship opportunities by going to a brand’s website and searching for links that say things like “partnerships” or “affiliates.” This should take you to a page where you can apply to work together.
This is a simpler yet more effective method than reaching out to brands directly.
Apply to YouTube’s BrandConnect
YouTube has their own platform that is there to help YouTubers monetize their channel, known as BrandConnect (formerly Famebit). YouTube BrandConnect is YouTube’s own influencer platform.
Through YouTube, you can make impactful connections by setting up brand deals and partnerships directly within the YouTube ecosystem to gain YouTube sponsorships.
However, there are some limitations. Currently, this platform is only available in the U.S.A., UK, and Canada. Be sure to check out YouTube’s BrandConnect for more guidelines.
When it comes to sponsorship rates, remember to keep in mind that these deals are flexible and depend on many different factors. These sponsored videos are negotiated on an individual basis, and there’s no one set price that is standard across the board.
It’s important to understand the many factors that determine the value of your channel. Recognizing how much you should charge for a sponsorship is essential to growing your audience and shaping a successful career. You don’t want to minimize yourself and receive less than what your channel is actually worth, but you also don’t want to charge too much and disinterest brands that might want to work with you.
Average sponsored video rates based on audience size
So how much do sponsors pay YouTubers? Sponsorship rates on YouTube are typically calculated with a cost per view (CPV). Typical CPVs vary from 1 cent to 10 cents at the higher end (but can go beyond this range). The CPV is then multiplied by the channel’s “projected views” to calculate a flat rate for the video.
Learning how to get a sponsor on YouTube and charge for your channel correctly is often a matter of trial and error. The rates of YouTube sponsorships often largely vary and are dependent on the buying power of your sponsors.
Given that rates aren’t usually published anywhere publicly, you have the freedom to test around with pricing your content until you find a rate that you are happy with charging.
There you have it! A complete guide to knowing your way around YouTube sponsorships.
There are a ton of opportunities that come along with creating videos on YouTube and now is your chance to play around with learning how to get sponsored on YouTube and make some money through your channel.
Interested in learning more about how to succeed on YouTube? Check out the Step-by-step YouTube Guide for Beginners!
