A creator's guide to sponsorships

Are you a creator who wants to land sponsorships?

When you first start out, the idea of actually getting paid to create content might seem like a pipe dream. However as you grow and build a loyal audience, it becomes not so far-fetched.

Whether you’re a YoutTube gamer or an Instagram beauty blogger — there is a way to get paid as a creator, and to even make a living from it.

Here’s our Dos and Don’ts for how to approach sponsorships and build meaningful relationships with advertisers.

Want to get paid for your content? Sign up to our platform and you’ll be matched with relevant brands.

Dos

Do have confidence that your content is worth getting paid for — you don’t have to be a celebrity-status creator with hundreds of millions of views in order to get sponsored. Many brands are now eschewing big-stars in favour of micro, nano, and mid-tier creators. Which brings us to…

Do value the community you have built, and understand the value that it has for sponsors. You have nurtured a loyal following who love the content you produce. You may be creating something very niche, or can connect with those with certain beliefs or for some twisted reason like Nickelback. The attraction for sponsors doesn’t necessarily lie in the numbers but in your talent for connecting others. This isn’t something that can be faked, so know its worth!

Do be transparent. Mutual respect is a hallmark of a good relationship between a creator and their followers. When working with a brand on a piece, don’t hide that it is sponsored. Good and ethical advertisers would never advise any ‘tricks’ to hide this. Firstly it is legally questionable, and secondly, you could damage the trust and connection that you have spent a lot of time and love cultivating. No brand deal is worth sacrificing that!

Do listen to your audience. If they are skipping or bored of sponsorships, be mindful of the feedback you have on your account. Perhaps it could be time to find a more fun and creative way of talking about the sponsorship, or maybe it just isn’t relevant to your followers. If they find it boring or annoying, it’s a good indicator that the partnership makes no sense for neither you nor the brand.

Do be professional when you communicate with brands. Punctuality and clear communication are key. If you don’t think you can make a deadline that you have agreed to, then negotiate a different one rather than sending something late or compromising on quality. You don’t want to publish something that you are not proud of that could disengage your audience. It’s important to respect the brands as they could be integral to your channel’s growth. Don’t bite the hand that feeds you.

Do pay attention to detail. If a brand gives you a tracking link, which is an important component so that they can measure data, make sure to place it correctly, and that you have the exact link that is given to you. Small errors like this can compromise your chance of getting hired again, since it is difficult to analyse the success of the post.

Do take creative control. Being fed a pre-formulated script makes no sense for the creator nor the advertiser. It takes away from the engaging and authentic style you have crafted over time, and no one wants to see or read something that comes across as unnatural and out-of-context. Good advertisers will want to work with you precisely because of your creativity, so don’t be scared to assert creative control. After all, you are the creator and it’s your audience.

Don’ts

Don’t shy away from being picky. Would a sponsorship for gimmicky vitamins make sense for a fitness-focused creator? Would a fast-fashion haul fit seamlessly into an account about ethical consumption? As much as a monthly subscription for nose filters could be tempting to promote on your Twitch stream, chances are it could drive the audience away in droves. Don’t worry — the right sponsorship will come along, and you won’t be forced to sacrifice your integrity in the process! The main thing is to wait for the right fit.

Don’t undersell yourself. If you are unsure on which price is fair, then research online and through asking other creators or industry professionals. Clarify what is expected from the advertiser, and calculate the hours it will take to produce the content, and if it incurs extra costs such as creative scriptwriting, special editing or equipment.

Don’t hesitate to ask for more details. If they give you some kind of brief, but you aren’t sure on the specifics, don’t be scared to ask! Maybe you’re unsure of how to pronounce the brand name, or whether they want Instagram Stories spread out over a day or a week. Good sponsors are more than happy to clarify, especially since it helps them get the optimal result.

Don’t go overboard with the sponsorships. Basically, refrain from overlapping deals (unless one is long-term), and don’t cram several ads into one post. It could lead to you falling out of favour with the brands. However more importantly, it leaves less time for your amazing content that the audience actually wants to look at. No one wants to see two or three adverts back to back. The followers are following because they want to see you, not a ton of ads!

Don’t show products of competitors in the same post. This is a simple one, but can be easy to forget. If you’re a gamer who is sponsored by Apex, it’s probably not a good idea to be donning a Fortnite t-shirt. There can be exceptions of course. But overall, it’s best to avoid direct conflicts of interest and differentiate what is sponsored and what isn’t.

Finding sponsorships

Trying to get sponsorships by your own means is possible, but requires a lot of risk and manual work. Finding potential fits, reaching out to them, negotiating (which can result in being taken advantage of), and securing legitimate agreements can be overwhelming for one person.

If you’re interested in getting paid for your content, you don’t have to spend hours sending random emails or doing things with no contractual security.

We’ve made the process as simple as possible. It’s a one-step application and a single contract for all deals. This allows you to get the ball rolling right away.