You’ve just typed in: ‘YouTube sponsorship for small channels’, haven’t you?
(Or, at least, something close to that.)
And now you’re wondering if this post is going to be your holy grail…
If this post is going to reveal the YouTube sponsorship for small channels tips you’re looking for.
The answer?
It is.
See, in this post, I’m going to share 19 ways you can attract your first YouTube sponsor if you’re just starting out.
You ready?
Awesome, let’s jump in…
1. Have a microphone and related equipment
You don’t need much. In fact, if you have a smartphone or webcam with a microphone, you’re good to go!
It’s not the best audio in the world, so you’ll probably want to invest in something better – but it’s a start.
2. Have a few videos on your channel that are pushing 1k views
That’s the sticky point here.
The reason why you should have a few videos on your channel that are already gaining traction is because it makes you look more legitimate to sponsors.
You see, when sponsors see a YouTube channel with zero views, they think: “What if I sponsor this guy and he does nothing with it?”
The solution is to have a few videos already gaining traction. It shows that you’re not just starting out, but that you are actually moving forward in your YouTube career.
Companies that Sponsor Small YouTube Channels
3. Have Facebook, Twitter & Instagram accounts for your channel (& interact with others on them)
These are all great ways of promoting yourself as an upcoming YouTuber.
If you don’t have any social media accounts, create them – and use them to interact with others in your niche!
It shows that you’re an outgoing person who helps others out, rather than just receiving all the love.
After all, how else are sponsors going to find out about you? (Other than word of mouth…)
4. Make sure your YouTube channel URL is short and easy to remember
When you’re setting up your gaming username for your YouTube channel, make it quick and easy to type.
Don’t put in a big load of numbers – make it something like blakefromcanada or gamingblake .
“Why?” I hear you ask.
Because 45 long numbers is a nightmare for sponsors to type in!
Plus, it makes it more likely that your channel will be found when people are looking for gaming channels.
More views = more sponsors = win win!
5. Create gaming videos that are engaging & unique
It’s vital that the content of your videos is engaging and unique.
Why?
Because if you’re not interesting, nobody will watch your videos – which means no sponsors!
All sponsors want is to see how many people are watching you and what kind of exposure they can get from sponsoring you.
Sure, your gaming videos don’t have to be the most interesting thing in the world – but it shows that you’ve got some personality when creating them.
In other words, don’t make a video of you staring at a wall for 10 minutes talking about nothing!
YouTube Sponsorship for Small Gaming Channels
6. Be active on YouTube and comment on other YouTube videos
By being active on YouTube, you’re showing sponsors that you care about your channel.
You want to be an active member in the community so that when they sponsor you, other YouTubers will take notice.
This means commenting on people’s videos!
If nobody’s commented on your videos yet, go ahead and leave a few encouraging comments on other videos to get the ball rolling.
Remember: you want to be an active member of the YouTube community, not someone who sits in their channel all day watching cat videos.
7. Optimize your YouTube bio
When you’re creating a YouTube channel, make sure you fill in all the details in the ‘About’ section.
Why?
Because it’s one of the first things potential sponsors will see!
In the ‘About’ section, make sure you have a short description of who you are and what your gaming channel is about.
If it’s a video game YouTube channel, for example, jot down some of the games you play.
8. Join communities and groups (and engage with them)
I don’t know why more people don’t do this…
Joining communities and engaging with them is a great way of exposing your channel to new audiences.
Why?
Because these are places where you can grow your channel and give sponsors the opportunity to find you with very little effort!
There are a bunch of communities out there, but two of the most popular ones are Reddit and Tumblr.
The best way to find these communities is Google – just type in ‘Reddit’ or ‘Tumblr gaming community’ and see what comes up!
9. Contact sponsors that could be a good fit for you
Believe it or not, some YouTubers have been sponsored by companies as a result of them emailing the company themselves.
I know, crazy, right?
When you do this, though, remember to ask yourself:
“Why would a sponsor want to sponsor me?”
- More exposure from your channel
- Increase in their sales
- Better conversion rate on their offers
“How do I get a sponsor for my YouTube channel?”
10. Use video thumbnails & titles to grab sponsors’ attention
You want your YouTube videos to stand out against the millions of others uploaded every day.
How do you make your videos more visible than all the other channels out there?
One of the most effective ways is to optimize your video thumbnails and titles for better visibility.
Some things to remember with this, though:
- Your thumbnail must be eye-catching and relevant
- Don’t give away the ending of your video!
- When you’re writing a title for your YouTube videos, use keywords that people are using to search for related content.
For example, if you’re doing a Call of Duty Zombies tutorial, don’t title your video ‘How to play Call of Duty’.
A better title would be something like ‘Call of Duty Zombies Tutorial – How to survive the first wave.’
11. Create short videos
As a small gaming channel, you’re competing with millions of other YouTubers every single day.
So, in order to grow your subscriber base and catch people’s attention, you need to create videos that are short and sweet!
A 2-5 minute video might not sound like much, but it will help you get more views on your videos.
Why?
Plain and simple, our attention spans are SHORT.
So remember that the next time you create a gaming video.
In conclusion:
Well, there you have it…
11 tips to help you increase your chances of getting sponsored on YouTube.
Select a few of the tips you like the sound of and use them to create your own strategy for landing a sponsor.
Just remember, though:
If you want to succeed in anything in life (especially when it comes to YouTube), you need to bring something to the table.
So, in order to get a sponsor for your YouTube channel, you need to be an active member of the community and create content that’s appealing to your viewers.
That way, your subscriber base will increase and with it, the number of sponsors knocking on your door 🙂
Have fun gaming!
-The Zombie Writing Team