Ultra.
Sponsorships are incredibly important when it comes to growing your live stream. They can provide an additional income source without you having to rely on your community's tips and can lead to more opportunities further down the line. Obtaining sponsorships may seem like a daunting task. But with the right mindset and the right tools, you’ll soon become a sponsored streamer in no time.
Apply for Sponsorships today: Visit the Streamlabs App Store and browse our list of partners that provide sponsorship opportunities to get started. They are constantly adding new sponsorships to their marketplace, so check back often, as you’ll likely find new opportunities that will be a fit for you.
Now that you know how easy it is to apply for sponsors, here are five tips to help build your relationship with companies and grow your channel via sponsorships.
Start Small
For new broadcasters, smaller sponsorships are a great opportunity to build up your credibility and experience. Before you start working with larger sponsors, it’s important to understand what it takes to have a successful campaign, the expectations sponsors will have, and how to navigate the entire process. The earlier you start gaining experience, even if it’s a small sponsorship, the better prepared you will be to work with the bigger guys.
It’s important to demonstrate that you’ve worked with sponsorships before, and you can demonstrate a level of professionalism to potential sponsors.
Build Your Brand
Social media is king. Start building your online presence. The #1 person that should be authentically selling yourself is you, and the easiest way to do that is via Twitter. There are many social media platforms to choose from, but we recommend starting with Twitter because that is most popular in the creator and gaming space. Start communicating with the world about your stream. Promote your social channels when you stream. Plug your handles when you are live. Include links in your about section. Social media can amplify your reach when you go live and gives your community a place to interact with you.
When it comes to sponsors, it is important you clearly demonstrate your value. Follower numbers are one thing, but engagement is equally important. How can you increase engagement? Talk, ask questions, try to reply to everyone in your chat. Use tools to encourage audience interaction. Streamlabs Cloudbot comes with tons of features like minigames, loyalty points, giveaway, and other features that keep viewers entertained.
Collaborate, Build Relationships, Network
Collaborations help creators grow, reach new audiences, learn something new, meet new people, and connect with others.
Reach out directly via Twitter or Discord and build a relationship. Ask each other for advice. Ask for strategies. Ask for support. Play together or stream together. Raid and host each other. Do Instagram takeovers or social media collaborations. Ultimately, you can support each other, and you can create something new.
You can also go to conferences to meet people. While there is a higher cost here, there are few better ways to start a relationship than meeting people face to face.
Networking is an amazing way to learn about additional sponsorship opportunities and keeps you top of mind for potential brand activations.
Find Something you Genuinely Care About
Find a sponsorship that fits you and your personal brand. If your channel is focused on health and wellness, don’t promote something that may compromise your beliefs or passions. Your community wants to hear about the products you actually like. Choosing sponsorships that you are passionate about means exposing your community to brands you genuinely believe in. Help establish and keep the credibility you’ve gained with your audience by promoting brands you believe in.
Shoot your Shot
Lastly, don’t be afraid to reach out to companies you care about, but do your research. Are they the type of brand that already works with streamers? What kind of streamers do they work with? Is your community the target audience they want to reach? Set yourself up for success by knowing what brands are looking for and then demonstrating why you are the right streamer to meet their goal.