How I Got 3 YouTube Sponsorships (With Fewer Than 300 Subscribers)

To be financially viable as a YouTuber, we need multiple income streams, and sponsorship is one source to make this happen.

With less than 300 subscribers, I landed three YouTube sponsorships in the last year. In the video above, I want to share how each one happened and the lessons learned you can apply in your YouTubing journey.

First Sponsorship

In 2024, I got my first sponsorship for one of my podcast episodes, which I also published to YouTube. It came through someone I knew from years ago, who has an online streaming channel called Christian Life TV, his company, and one of his clients co-sponsored our interview.

This was an unexpected opportunity, but I was grateful for it to happen.

This opportunity was made possible by several factors. First, I had an existing relationship. Second, my friend had a client who had a need for me, and my podcast was uniquely positioned to fill that need.

The first sponsorship opened my eyes to the possibilities of earning more income in this way. But, since it was an opportunity that came to me, I didn't have a way to pursue more sponsorships this way.

Second Sponsorship

The second sponsorship came earlier this year from a company called Safety Wing. They sponsored some of my blog post content last year, and through some changes in their company, they ended up doing a second sponsorship. Instead of just sponsoring my blog posts, I suggested we do a video about the Nomad Lifestyle, and I'd publish it on my website as well. They agreed, and I made it happen.

This opportunity was made possible because I had such a rich blog that Safety Wing emailed me about the opportunity, and because of this existing engagement, they did a follow-up.

Third Sponsorship

The third sponsorship was a result of me talking to one of my freelance clients, Dominion Revenue Solutions, about my YouTube journey. The founder wanted to support me and offered to have her company sponsor my channel. This opportunity was made possible by having an existing freelance client who trusted and wanted to support me. And it was made possible by my sharing about my journey and her responding.

I suspect it's unconventional to have landed three different sponsorships with so few subscribers in the ways that I have, but it's been an awesome development as I work towards making YouTube more financially viable.

Two More Sponsorship Insights

Before I end this post, I'd like to share two more insights on sponsorship.

In February, I had my most successful video to date. So, I did a follow-up video in March, and I reached out to one of my affiliate companies to ask if they'd sponsor the follow-up video. They said no, but it was a new experience asking for a sponsor.

Second, until I get monetized, I've decided to pivot my content creation strategy and produce videos that can help me generate income. So, outside of making videos about digital products I have for sale, I'm also experimenting with sponsoring my own content. If I create a video that does not directly relate to the topic I'm shooting, like many of my podcast episodes, I can simply sponsor my video with one of the most relevant products.

I've got my book, Path of the Freelancer, which helps freelancers escape nightmare mode and start living the dream. I've also got my second book, The Jump, a book for business owners who are stuck at an income level they can't rise above.

As I grow this channel and work towards my goal of earning $100k as a content creator, I'll be figuring out how best to attract and integrate sponsorships.

If you have any other insights or ideas, share them with me here.