2021 Gaming Sponsorship Guide - Easy Sponsorships For Gaming
TABLE OF CONTENTS
- What types of gaming sponsorships exist
- When should you look for a gaming sponsorship
- How to approach brands to secure a gaming sponsorship
- When should you work with an agency
Hi this is Zac, Co-Founder of the gaming drink brand, Rogue Energy. As someone who receives and reviews thousands of gaming sponsorship requests per week, I have a unique expertise on the matter of communicating with brands and securing sponsorships. In this article, I will share all the tips and tricks to secure your best gaming sponsorships so you can begin to monetize your gaming and streaming career.
This article is specifically written to help streamers and content creators who do not have an agent but are beginning to see significant growth in their following.
Since our last article on Easy Sponsorships For Gaming, the landscape of Twitch, YouTube, and live streaming has grown dramatically. This updated guide will cover the new world of gaming sponsorships.
WHAT TYPES OF GAMING SPONSORSHIPS EXIST?
Affiliate Program
An affiliate program is the most popular form of gaming sponsorship and is the go-to sponsorship for all small to medium size creators (typically streamers that average below 300 concurrent viewers or who have less than 10,000 followers on their social profiles).
An affiliate program is free to join and typically open to the public. The core structure of an affiliate gaming sponsorship revolves around the content creator promoting a discount code to their audience and then receiving a revenue share from sales made with their affiliate code.
This program is fantastic because all 3 parties involved in the transaction win. The affiliate earns commissions, the brand generates a sale, and the customer receives a discount on an amazing product that they are interested in.
Additionally, due to the revenue share structure, content creators are incentivized to promote the brand to the best of their ability as they are only paid when they generate sales. This allows brands to accept smaller creators because there isn’t a set, guaranteed monthly payment to pay the content creator in advance.
Event Sponsorship
An event sponsorship occurs when a brand supports an event during the period of the event either through monetary or in-kind support. In gaming, common examples of event sponsorships include sponsoring tournaments, award shows, charity streams, conventions, meet-ups, and more.
Commonly, event gaming sponsorships will take place between two brands (i.e. a brand becoming the title sponsor of a tournament) but this isn’t always the case. Individual content creators most commonly utilize event gaming sponsorships when they plan charity streams as they will secure product from a brand to use as a prize or will acquire a donation match promise from a brand.
Content Sponsorship
A content sponsorship is a one-off promotion by a content creator for a brand. Common examples include ad reads during podcasts, preroll during YouTube videos, sponsored TikToks, branded streams, promotional social posts, etc.
The distinction between a content sponsorship and a full brand endorsement is that the content sponsorship is not ever-green. The content creator is paid to promote the brand in a pre-specified way using a predetermined method.
Commonly, these deals are paid on a Cost Per Thousand (CPM) basis or an agreed upon one-time payment amount. Though, it isn’t uncommon to include a revenue share model similar to an affiliate program.
Endorsement
An endorsement is the most integrated form of gaming sponsorship. And endorsement involves a content creator completely aligning themselves with a brand. In traditional sports, think Lebron James and Nike. In gaming and eSports, picture 100 Thieves and Cash App or G2 and BMW.
An endorsement will include category exclusivity so you will only represent one brand in any given product category. Common inclusions will be logo placement on all social banners/overlays, giveaways, product placement, regular social posts, and various other brand activations.
One thing to note is that this is the most lucrative gaming sponsorship however, it is also more exclusive. Brands will be selective of who they partner with and your audience size and influence will be reviewed for possible consideration.
WHEN SHOULD YOU LOOK FOR A GAMING SPONSORSHIP?
As a content creator trying to make an income from hard work should be a top priority. It is my recommendation that you seek several high quality affiliate gaming sponsorships right away. With minimal audience requirements to join, there is no downside to joining these programs. I’d recommend starting with only 3-5 brands, make sure they are in different product categories, and ensure they are with companies whom you personally like, use, and support.
As your audience grows, it is smart to approach brands for more lucrative gaming sponsorships. I like to use the numbers 300 average concurrent viewers on Twitch or 10,000 followers on Twitter/Instagram/YouTube as a baseline for the type of creator who could approach a brand for a gaming sponsorship that is more intricate than a simple affiliate program.
HOW TO APPROACH BRANDS FOR A GAMING SPONSORSHIP
We found this topic so important, that we recently dedicated an entire blog post to How To Approach Brands For A Gaming Sponsorship.
If you don’t have an agent, you will be reaching out to brands yourself to secure gaming sponsorships. Make sure to approach this as professionally as possible. Personalize each of your correspondence to match the brand you are reaching out to. Finally, provide thorough and relevant statistical information and links in your inquiry to introduce yourself to the brand.
WHEN SHOULD YOU WORK WITH AN AGENCY?
Once your audience exceeds the basic baseline numbers specified above, you can consider reaching out to gaming agencies to discuss your need for an agent. These agencies will indicate to you early on in the conversation if they believe you are ready for an agent and if they would take you on as a client.
I recommend referring to Devin Nash’s video regarding the types of agencies to determine which might be the best fit for your content and needs.
