How to Find Sponsorships on YouTube for YouTube Marketing
Go From Creator to Partner: Your Guide to Landing YouTube Sponsorships
Unlock Brand Deals with a Killer Media Kit and Smart Outreach—No Guesswork Needed.
Imagine turning your passion for creating YouTube videos into a sustainable business. While ad revenue is a great start, sponsorships are the next level, offering a significant income stream. The problem? Many creators think you need millions of subscribers or that you have to chase brands tirelessly. At The Transcendent, we believe in working smarter. This guide will walk you through the exact steps to prepare your channel and attract brand deals, starting with YouTube’s most powerful—and often overlooked—tool.
Step 1: Build Your Professional Pitch with YouTube's BrandConnect
Before you even think about sending a single email, your most important asset is your media kit. Manually creating a PDF and updating your stats every week is a tedious chore. Thankfully, YouTube has a built-in solution.
What is BrandConnect?
Inside the Monetization tab of your YouTube Studio, you'll find BrandConnect. This platform evolved from FameBit, which YouTube acquired years ago. While you can no longer browse brands directly, its true power now lies in the automated media kit.
Think of it as your channel's dynamic, always-current business card. With one click, YouTube generates a polished, professional PDF filled with data that brands crave. You don't have to calculate a single number.
What's Inside Your Automated Media Kit?
This isn't just a simple stat sheet. It's a deep dive into your channel's value. Picture a clean, branded document that visually presents:
- Core Performance Metrics: Total views, watch time, and average view duration.
- Audience Demographics: A breakdown of your viewers by age, gender, and, most importantly, country. If you discover 15% of your audience is in the UK, you suddenly have a compelling reason to pitch to UK-based brands.
- Viewer Behavior: Insights into returning viewers (a sign of a loyal community) and even your audience's shopping interests, which is gold for e-commerce brands.
To get it, simply go to YouTube Studio > Monetization > BrandConnect and click "View Media Kit." Download the PDF, and you're ready for Step 2.
Step 2: The Hunt - Finding the Right Brands to Pitch
With your professional media kit in hand, it’s time to find the right people to send it to. Spamming generic email addresses won't work. You need a targeted strategy.
1. Use LinkedIn Like a Pro
This is the number one method for serious outreach. Forget general company contact forms. LinkedIn lets you pinpoint the exact decision-makers. Go to the company you want to work with and search for job titles like:
- Influencer Marketing Manager
- Social Media Lead
- Brand Partnership Coordinator
Connecting with and messaging these individuals directly puts your media kit in the hands of someone who actually manages the sponsorship budget.
2. Master the Instagram DM
Instagram is where brands are actively looking for and working with creators. Their marketing teams are accustomed to receiving pitches via Direct Message. A short, professional message that clearly states your value proposition, attached with your BrandConnect media kit, can quickly open a conversation.
3. Don't Underestimate Direct Outreach
Sometimes, the old-school approach works best. Visit a brand's corporate website, find the "Contact Us" or "Media" section, and look for a marketing department email or phone number. A direct, well-crafted email to the right department can cut through the noise.
4. Explore Influencer Platforms (With Caution)
There are many third-party platforms that promise to connect creators with brands. While some are legitimate, the market is constantly changing—platforms get acquired, rebrand, or shut down. We recommend using these as a supplementary tool rather than your main strategy. A quick Google search for "top influencer marketing platforms" will show you the current players.
Step 3: Know When You're Ready for Sponsorships
Before you begin your outreach, it's critical to have a strong foundation. Brands look for professionalism and a proven track record. At The Transcendent, we advise creators to check these boxes first:
- Be in the YouTube Partner Program (YPP). This is a non-negotiable for accessing BrandConnect and signals to brands that you meet YouTube's quality standards.
- Have consistent ad revenue. It shows you have an engaged audience that brands can tap into.
- Establish a clear niche and consistent viewership. Brands want to partner with creators who have a predictable and loyal audience.
As for advanced tools, BrandConnect is currently the most integrated and up-to-date tool provided by YouTube. There are no "upgraded" versions, but YouTube continually enhances its analytics, which automatically feeds into your media kit—especially as features like YouTube Shorts become more prominent.
Conclusion
Landing sponsorships is not about luck; it's a methodical process. Start by building a strong channel, leverage the power of YouTube's BrandConnect to create a flawless media kit, and use targeted outreach on platforms like LinkedIn to connect with the right people. Let your data do the talking, and you’ll find that brands are more willing to listen.
By following these steps, you transform from a creator chasing deals to a professional partner that brands seek out. For more strategies on growing your digital presence, visit us at The Transcendent.
Your Sponsorship Blueprint: A Quick Summary
| Step | Action Headline | Key Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Prepare Your Pitch | Use YouTube's BrandConnect to automatically generate a professional, data-rich media kit. No manual updates needed. |
| 2 | Find Decision-Makers | Use LinkedIn to target Influencer Marketing Managers. Use Instagram DMs and company websites for direct, strategic outreach. |
| 3 | Build Your Foundation | Join the YouTube Partner Program and establish consistent viewership before seeking sponsorships. A strong channel is your best asset. |
Frequently Asked Questions
How many subscribers do I need to get a sponsorship?
There's no magic number. Some brands work with "nano-influencers" with as few as 1,000 engaged subscribers, while others look for 100,000+. The key is having a highly engaged and specific niche audience, which is more valuable than a large, passive one.
Can I use BrandConnect if I'm not in the YouTube Partner Program?
No. Access to BrandConnect and its automated media kit is a benefit for creators who have been accepted into the YouTube Partner Program (YPP), which requires meeting specific subscriber and watch hour thresholds.
Should I create my own media kit instead of using BrandConnect's?
You can, but it's not recommended as your primary tool. A custom media kit is great for showcasing your personality and past work, but the BrandConnect kit offers verified, real-time data that brands trust. The best approach is to use both: lead with the BrandConnect PDF and offer your custom portfolio as a supplement.
How much should I charge for a sponsorship?
Rates vary widely based on your niche, engagement rate, average views, and the scope of the campaign. A common starting point is to calculate your average views over the last 30 days and use a CPM (Cost Per Mille, or cost per 1,000 views) model, typically ranging from $20 to $50 CPM for a dedicated video.
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