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Note: Are you an advertiser or brand? Access the Complete YouTube BrandConnect Guide for Brands here.
As a content creator or influencer, tapping into new revenue streams is essential for growth and sustainability. Enter YouTube BrandConnect—a platform designed to connect you with brands seeking authentic partnerships. This comprehensive guide will walk you through everything you need to know about leveraging BrandConnect to monetize your content effectively. From understanding eligibility requirements, benefits and drawbacks to mastering best practices, we'll equip you with the insights to elevate your influencer career.
YouTube BrandConnect is a monetization program that bridges the gap between content creators like you and brands seeking to collaborate on branded content. Formerly known as FameBit, YouTube rebranded the service to BrandConnect to streamline and integrate branded content offerings directly within the YouTube platform. The program is designed to help eligible YouTube creators connect with brands for paid sponsorship opportunities that are seamless and authentic.
For creators, BrandConnect offers tools and resources to discover and engage with brands that align with their content and audience. It simplifies the process of negotiating deals, managing campaigns, and ensuring compliance with YouTube policies.
Brands, on the other hand, gain access to a vast pool of creative talent to promote their products or services in an organic way and can analyze their campaign results & ROI through analytics and reporting tools provided by Google and YouTube.
As an influencer striving to grow your YouTube channel, leveraging platforms that offer both monetization and authentic engagement is crucial. Here's why YouTube BrandConnect is a powerful tool for you:
YouTube BrandConnect opens up a new revenue stream by connecting you with brands looking to sponsor content. Instead of relying solely on ad revenue or viewer donations, you can secure paid partnerships that reflect the value of your influence. These collaborations can significantly increase your income, offering financial benefits that grow alongside your channel.
One of the standout features of YouTube BrandConnect is the emphasis on authenticity. You have the freedom to choose brands that resonate with your channel's niche and audience interests. By aligning with companies that match your style, you maintain the trust of your viewers while delivering content that feels genuine.
Navigating brand partnerships can be time-consuming, but YouTube BrandConnect simplifies the entire process. Integrated directly into the YouTube platform, it allows you to find, negotiate, and manage deals all in one place. This streamlined approach saves you time and reduces the complexity often associated with influencer marketing.
If you're eager to monetize your content through YouTube BrandConnect, understanding the eligibility criteria is a crucial first step. Meeting these requirements ensures you're ready to engage with brands and comply with YouTube's policies.
Below is a step by step guide which you can follow to get started with YouTube BrandConnect.
Log in to your YouTube account and navigate to YouTube Studio. This is your control center for managing your channel.
In the left-hand menu, click on “Earn”. It should be indicated with an $ icon. This section displays various ways you can earn money on YouTube.
If you're eligible, you'll see a "BrandConnect" tab or option within the Monetization / Earn section. Click on it to proceed. If you don't see it, you may not meet the eligibility requirements yet.
You'll be prompted to review the YouTube BrandConnect terms and conditions. Read them carefully, and if you agree, accept the terms to continue.
Provide the necessary information to set up your BrandConnect profile:
Indicate your availability for campaigns and any preferences you have regarding the types of brands or products you wish to work with.
Once your profile is complete, you can start browsing available brand campaigns. The platform will also suggest opportunities that align with your channel.
You can access your YouTube BrandConnect media kit by clicking on “View Media Kit” on the right side after clicking on “BrandConnect”.
YouTube actually automatically created your media kit pulling your audience analytics from your account.
Below is an overview of all the stats and KPI’s YouTube shows in your media kit
Below is an example of how a YouTube BrandConnect media kit looks like.
Below are all the things you can edit in your media kit.
On the right side of your media kit there will be video’s visible which provides brands with an impression of how your branded content videos look like. You can select up to 4 video’s for this section. Make sure to select your best sponsored video here as brands will be willing to allocate a higher budget for high quality and authentic sponsored videos.
Featured videos are videos which best represent your channel as a whole. Make sure to select up to 4 videos which best represent you as a content creator and also ideally the ones which get a good amount of views.
Write a short and compelling description about yourself. You have up to 200 characters so make sure to only include the things which are most important.
Your media kit can be considered your curriculum vitae (CV) of a content creator. This is where brands browse through when deciding which influencers to work with so making sure that your media kit visualizes your work to its best capabilities is important to close more brand partnerships which in turn will help to increase your earnings.
In order to set your pricing for sponsored videos click on “Set your suggested prices” in the lower right corner inside BrandConnect. Here you can select your pricing for:
Avg. views X CPM ($15-30)
The best way to determine what you should charge as a content creator is to back calculate what advertisers typically pay to reach their target audience.
Below is the formula you can use to calculate your pricing:
Pricing = ( Target CPM / 1000 ) X Average views per video
CPM stands for cost per mille and is a common marketing term used by advertisers to indicate how much they are paying to reach 1,000 people.
Before delving into category-specific averages, it's important to recognize the key factors that influence CPM rates.
Below is an approximate overview of average YouTube CPM rates by content category. Please note that these figures are estimated ranges and actual rates can vary based on the factors mentioned above.
What is important to note is that the above CPMs are what brands pay to advertise through YouTube’s advertising network. These are advertisements which are shown before a video or during a video.
The impact of such a paid advertisement is often lower compared to an authentic recommendation from an influencer like you. That being said we typically advise to charge around 1.5X - 2.5X the average CPM brands pay for paid advertisements on YouTube.
To get a better understanding of this lets simply take a look at an example.
Lets take the YouTube lifestyle influencer below as an example.
From the overview above lifestyle and fashion had an average CPM of $3 - $8.
For this example let's assume the following:
Based on this your CPM rate will be $20.
The average views per video based on the last 20 videos of this channel amounts to: 477,485 views.
To calculate your rate for a sponsored video using the formula from the previous section the rate for this influencer should be around:
Pricing = ( Target CPM / 1000 ) X Average views per video
= ( $20 / 1,000 ) X 477,485 = $9,550.
Based on this example the input rate for a sponsored long form video would be around $9,550.
YouTube does not take a cut from this rate. It could be that they charge a % fee to the brands from this budget but you as the content creator will receive the fee which has been negotiated with the brand.
Below are some of the most important drawbacks of YouTube BrandConnect.
To join YouTube BrandConnect, you need to meet specific eligibility criteria, including having at least 25,000 subscribers. Although they will most likely reduce this as they roll out the platform from their beta program it will most likely still be a barrier for small or emerging creators who are still building their audience. As a result, many creators may not have access to the platform's benefits until they significantly grow their channels.
BrandConnect facilitates connections between creators and brands, but it may limit your control over certain aspects of the partnership. Brands often have specific requirements and creative guidelines that you must adhere to, which can restrict your creative freedom. Additionally, negotiating terms may be less flexible compared to direct collaborations.
Relying solely on YouTube BrandConnect for brand partnerships can make you dependent on the platform's policies and algorithms. Changes to YouTube's system, eligibility criteria, or fee structures can directly impact your ability to secure deals and earn revenue. This dependence can create uncertainty and limit diversification of your income streams.
Communication with brands via BrandConnect often occurs through the platform's messaging system, which may not be as direct or personal as emailing or meeting with brand representatives independently. This indirect communication can sometimes lead to misunderstandings or less personalized relationships with brands.
Earnings from YouTube BrandConnect can vary greatly depending on your channel's reach, audience engagement, and the type of brand deals you secure. Influencers typically earn based on factors like video views, audience demographics, and the scope of the campaign. On average, creators can earn anywhere from a few hundred to several thousand dollars per sponsored video, with larger channels potentially earning upwards of $10,000 per campaign. The actual amount will depend on the specific brand collaboration and the creator's influence and engagement on YouTube.
Additionally, brands are increasingly investing in influencer partnerships, with influencer marketing projected to be a $21.1 billion industry in 2023. This growth has made platforms like YouTube BrandConnect more profitable for creators than ever before.
Creator Hero provides all the essential tools to build your own personalized storefront, tailored specifically for content creators. It's like Shopify, but with added flexibility and customization options. Creator Hero stands out by offering more control over your storefront, allowing you to upload custom images and modify product descriptions. When a customer makes a purchase, they're seamlessly redirected to the brand’s website.
Beyond just storefronts, Creator Hero enables you to expand your content strategy with additional features like blogging, sending newsletters, and integrating AdSense to monetize your traffic further. A major advantage is that you own your customer data—gathering email addresses from those who place orders. This invaluable asset helps you grow your business and deepen connections with your audience.
Compared to YouTube BrandConnect Creator Hero focus slightly more on affiliate partnerships but through the communication portal Creator Hero assists content creators and building valuable brand partnerships which also lead to additional opportunities besides affiliates including fixed payments and sponsored content deals.
Aspire Creator Marketplace is a platform designed to connect brands with influencers and content creators for streamlined collaborations. It allows brands to discover, vet, and manage relationships with creators who align with their campaigns. Creators can showcase their portfolios and apply to relevant brand opportunities. The platform offers tools for campaign management, contract negotiation, and performance tracking, making it easier for both brands and creators to work together efficiently while maximizing impact and engagement.
#Paid Creator Marketplace is a platform that connects brands with vetted creators for seamless influencer marketing campaigns. It focuses on helping brands discover and collaborate with authentic creators who align with their values. The platform handles campaign management, from creator discovery and contracts to content approvals and performance tracking. With a focus on transparency and ease of use, #Paid helps brands drive engagement while allowing creators to maintain creative control and showcase their unique voice.
As you engage in brand partnerships through YouTube BrandConnect, understanding and adhering to disclosure and compliance regulations is essential. Transparency not only builds trust with your audience but also keeps you in line with legal requirements. This section covers the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulations, YouTube's platform-specific disclosure methods, and best practices for clear communication.
The FTC mandates that influencers clearly disclose any material connections with brands. This includes any form of compensation—monetary payment, free products, discounts, or other incentives. Disclosure ensures that your audience is aware of the sponsorship and can make informed decisions.
YouTube requires creators to be transparent about paid promotions to maintain a trustworthy community. Complying with YouTube's policies is crucial for staying in good standing on the platform.
In conclusion, YouTube BrandConnect is a valuable tool for influencers looking to monetize their content through authentic brand partnerships. With streamlined processes and opportunities for collaboration, it can enhance your channel's growth and revenue. However, challenges such as high eligibility thresholds, limited control over partnerships, and platform dependence should be considered.
By understanding both the benefits and drawbacks, you can make informed decisions on leveraging BrandConnect while balancing independent collaborations to diversify your income and maintain creative freedom.
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