How to Get Brand Deals on YouTube: Beginner's Guide (2026)

You don't need millions of subscribers to get brand deals:

Minimum requirements:
- 1,000-5,000 subscribers for micro-sponsorships (₹2,000-₹10,000 per video)
- 10,000-50,000 subscribers for mid-tier brands (₹10,000-₹50,000 per video)
- 50,000-500,000 subscribers for major brands (₹50,000-₹5,00,000 per video)
- 500,000+ subscribers for premium campaigns (₹5,00,000+ per video)

What brands actually care about:
1. Engagement rate (more important than subscriber count)
- Good: 3-5% engagement (likes + comments / views)
- Excellent: 5-10% engagement
2. Niche relevance — A 5K subscriber channel in personal finance is more valuable to a trading app than a 100K subscriber gaming channel
3. Content quality — Professional-looking content justifies higher rates
4. Audience demographics — Age, location, and interests matter

The math: A channel with 10K subscribers averaging 5K views per video in the finance niche can charge ₹15,000-₹30,000 per sponsored video. That's more than most channels earn from ad revenue in an entire month.

A media kit is your professional pitch document. Every creator serious about brand deals needs one:

Essential elements:

Page 1: About You
- Channel name and niche
- Your unique value proposition (what makes your channel different)
- Profile photo or channel art
- Brief bio (2-3 sentences)

Page 2: Audience Data
- Subscriber count
- Average views per video (last 30 days)
- Audience demographics (age, gender, location from YouTube Analytics)
- Engagement rate
- Monthly reach/impressions

Page 3: Content Examples
- Screenshots of 3-4 best-performing videos
- Links to previous sponsored content (if any)
- View counts and engagement metrics

Page 4: Packages & Pricing
- Dedicated video: ₹X
- Integrated mention (30-60 seconds): ₹X
- YouTube Short: ₹X
- Bundle (video + Short + community post): ₹X

Page 5: Testimonials (if available)
- Quotes from previous brand partners
- Performance metrics from past sponsorships

Create your media kit in Canva (free templates available). Update it monthly with fresh analytics data.

Most brand deals don't come to you — especially early on. Here's how to reach out:

Finding brands to pitch:
1. Look at who sponsors similar channels in your niche
2. Search for brands advertising on YouTube in your niche
3. Check influencer marketing platforms: Influencer.in, Winkl, Plixxo, Qoruz
4. Follow brand marketing managers on LinkedIn
5. Look for startups that have recently raised funding (they have marketing budgets)

The pitch email template:

Subject: Content Partnership Opportunity — [Your Channel Name] × [Brand]

"Hi [Name],

I'm [Your Name], creator of [Channel] where I create [content type] for [audience size] subscribers in the [niche] space.

I noticed [Brand] is [something specific about their marketing — shows you've researched them]. I think a content partnership could be mutually beneficial because [specific reason — e.g., '60% of my audience is 25-35 year olds interested in personal finance, which aligns perfectly with your target customer'].

Here's a brief idea for a potential collaboration: [1-2 sentence video concept].

I've attached my media kit with audience data and pricing. Would you be open to a quick call this week?"

Key tips:
- Personalize EVERY pitch (generic emails get ignored)
- Reference their existing marketing efforts
- Propose a specific content idea
- Keep it under 150 words
- Follow up once after 5-7 days if no response

Setting the right price is crucial — too high and you lose the deal, too low and you leave money on the table:

Pricing formulas for Indian creators:

Formula 1: CPM-based
- Charge ₹200-₹500 per 1,000 expected views
- A video expected to get 50,000 views = ₹10,000-₹25,000

Formula 2: Subscriber-based
- Charge ₹1-₹3 per subscriber for a dedicated video
- 20,000 subscribers = ₹20,000-₹60,000

Formula 3: Value-based
- Price based on the brand's customer value
- If a trading app pays ₹500 per signup, and your video drives 100 signups, your video is worth ₹50,000

Negotiation tips:
1. Never accept the first offer — brands always have more budget
2. Offer packages (video + Short + community post) for higher total value
3. Ask for performance bonuses (extra payment per 10K views above target)
4. Negotiate usage rights separately — brands paying extra to use your content in their ads is common
5. Request products/services in addition to cash payment
6. Get everything in writing before creating content

Revenue diversification:
Don't depend on a single brand. Aim for 2-3 recurring brand partnerships plus ad revenue, affiliates, and memberships. FluxNote can help you produce sponsored content faster, allowing you to take on more brand deals without increasing your workload.