How to pitch a YouTube sponsor: email templates that get replies (2026)

Most sponsorship pitches fail before the brand reads the second paragraph. They open with the creator's subscriber count, describe the channel in general terms, and ask the brand to "work together". A brand's partnerships inbox gets dozens of these a week. The pitches that get answered do three things in the first three lines: show the creator knows what the brand already sponsors, name one specific video, and say exactly where the product would appear.

This guide covers who to email, what to write, three templates you can adapt, and how to follow up.

Before you write: pick brands that already sponsor channels like yours

The single best predictor of a reply is whether the brand already sponsors creators of your size and niche. A brand that has sponsored ten channels around 20K subscribers in your niche has a budget, a process and a reason to say yes. A brand that only sponsors channels with a million subscribers will not reply, however good the email.

Look for three things:

• The brand has sponsored channels in your niche in the last few months, so it is active now.
• It has sponsored channels close to your size, so you fit its range.
• Its product would genuinely belong in a video you already plan to make.

The niche guides and country lists on this blog show who sponsors what, and DiscoverSponsors ranks the brands most likely to sponsor your own channel.

Who to email

Send the pitch to a person or a partnerships inbox, not the general support address. In order of preference:

• The influencer, creator or partnerships manager, if you can find a name.
• A partnerships or collaborations address on the brand's website, often on the press, affiliate or "work with us" page.
• The agency that runs the brand's YouTube campaigns. Many brands work through one, and creators who were sponsored will sometimes name it.
• The marketing team's general address, as a last resort.

What goes in the first three lines

A brand decides in seconds whether to keep reading. Put the reason to reply at the top:

• One sentence that shows you know what they sponsor: "You sponsored three home-office channels around my size this year, including X."
• One specific video: the topic, the angle, and when it goes live.
• The placement: where the product appears, for how long, and what you will show.

Your subscriber count, average views and audience countries go in the next paragraph, as two or three plain numbers. Your media kit is a link at the end, not an attachment.

Template 1: the first pitch

Subject: [Brand] in my video on [specific topic], live [month]

Hi [Name],

You've sponsored a few [niche] channels around my size this year, including [channel], so I think my audience fits what you look for.

I'm filming a video on [specific topic] that goes live in [month]. [Product] would be part of it: [where it appears and what I'd show, in one sentence]. I'd plan a 60–90 second segment near the start, a link in the description, and a pinned comment.

The channel has [subscribers] subscribers, and recent videos average [views] views. Most viewers are in [top two countries], aged [age range].

Would you like to sponsor it? I'm happy to send the outline and rates.

[Your name]

[Channel link] · [Media kit link]

Template 2: the follow-up

Send one follow-up five to seven business days later, as a reply to your first email so the context stays attached. Keep it short and add one new thing.

Hi [Name], following up on the [topic] video below. Filming starts on [date], so I'd need to confirm a sponsor by [date]. Since I wrote, [one new fact: a video that performed well, a new audience number]. Happy to adjust the format if a different placement suits you better.

If there is no reply after the follow-up, move on. Do not send a third email about the same video; pitch a different video in a month or two instead.

Template 3: the returning brand

A brand that sponsored you before is your best prospect. Write as soon as the first video's results are in.

Hi [Name], the [topic] video with [Product] is at [views] views after [number] days, and the comments asked about [something specific]. I have a follow-up planned on [new topic] for [month]. Would you like to be part of it? I can do the same format or try [new placement].

Mistakes that get pitches ignored

• Sending the same email to fifty brands. Brands can tell, and it never mentions their product's role.
• Leading with a rate card instead of a video idea.
• Asking "do you have a budget for creators?" The brand wants a proposal it can approve, not a question.
• Pitching a product you would not use. Viewers notice, and so does the brand when it watches your channel.
• Forgetting disclosure. Say you will mark the video as a paid promotion; it signals that you are a safe partner.

Keep track of every pitch

Once you are pitching more than a handful of brands, track who you emailed, when, which video you offered and when to follow up. A spreadsheet works. DiscoverSponsors includes an outreach tracker and a contact finder for sponsors, so the pitch, the contact and the follow-up date stay in one place. Add your channel to see the brands most likely to sponsor you and start your list.

For the full process, from finding brands to pricing a deal, see how to find sponsors for your YouTube channel.