How to Pitch Brands for Sponsorships When You Only Have 5K Subscribers?

Great question! I was in the same boat a few months ago, and I’ve landed two paid sponsorships since. First, yes, brands do work with micro-creators, especially in niches like tech where engagement is king. Your 8% engagement rate is actually above average (most Shorts channels see 3-5%), so lead with that in your pitch.

For your media kit, keep it one page: a brief bio, your niche, audience demographics (age, gender, location – you can grab this from YouTube Studio under Analytics > Audience), and your top 3 performing Shorts with view counts and engagement stats. Also include a simple rate card. A common formula is $10-$20 per 1,000 views for Shorts, but since you’re smaller, try $50-$100 per sponsored Short as a starting point. You can adjust based on the brand’s budget.

For the pitch email, structure it like this: a catchy subject line (e.g., 'Tech Shorts Creator with 200K+ Views – Partnership Idea'), a personalized intro referencing their product, a quick stat highlight, and a clear call to action (e.g., 'Would you be open to a quick call this week?'). Attach your media kit as a PDF. Don’t undervalue yourself – if they counter, negotiate. Also, always specify if you’ll create 1 or 2 Shorts and if you include a swipe-up link or not. Good luck!

Thanks, that rate breakdown really helps! I was thinking of asking $80, but now I feel more confident. I’ll also make sure to include my average views per Short, not just subscriber count – that’s a great point. I’m going to put together my media kit this weekend using your template. Appreciate the advice!