How to Become a Sponsored YouTube Guru
Whether you're adept at video editing, cooking, fashion and beauty or any number of other things, one option for getting your name out there is to become a YouTube guru. While a select few of those who designate themselves as "gurus" in a particular topic actually gain enough exposure to make a living from sponsorships, if you put your best foot forward you may be able to make a go of it. The first steps to becoming a sponsored YouTube guru are setting up the right type of account and establishing a following.
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Instructions
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Set up your guru designation. From any YouTube page, click your account name in the top right corner, and then select "Channel." When you arrive at your channel, click "Settings," and then "Channel Type." Select "Guru" from the drop-down list. Be sure to click "Save Changes" before you navigate away from the page. Your channel is now designated as a Guru Channel, which may help people find you in certain types of searches.
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Create relevant videos on a regular basis. To become a sponsored guru, you're going to need to establish yourself as an expert in whatever field you have chosen to be a guru in. That means creating a lot of content that pertains to your topic. Keep your videos informative, professional and on-topic. Think about search engine optimization when creating titles for your videos, as good titles will help people find your channel and click on your videos. Try to avoid using a webcam; instead, invest in a decent video camera and shoot your videos in the most professional manner possible. If you're going to be on camera, be sure to present yourself in a professional manner.
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Develop a following. Having people who want to watch what you have to offer is key to becoming a sponsored YouTube guru, so take advantage of all the available avenues to promote your channel. This may include creating a website where you can embed your videos, setting up profiles on social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter, and building a mailing list to send out regular newsletters with links to your most recent videos. If you have professional content that people really want to see, people may start to take notice.
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Engage your audience. It's not enough just to gather subscribers to your channel or followers to your Twitter or Facebook accounts. You have to also make those people feel like you're taking notice when they interact with your page. Respond to comments on your videos right away, and thank people for retweeting your links or commenting on your Facebook page. Doing this kind of "social media maintenance" can be a big help in developing a loyal following of people who will refer you to their friends.
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Engage with sponsors you want to target. You're already using social media and your channel to engage with your audience. Now do the same for your favorite products or companies within your field of interest. Become their "fan" on Facebook, and become a subscriber on YouTube, if they have a channel. Then write comments on their videos or other postings when it's relevant, and even include links back to your videos that pertain to their topics. Someone from the company will take notice and contact you directly. At the very least, you may get a few of their followers checking out your channel because you're so engaged.
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Contact sponsors directly once you've developed a following. Check with potential sponsors' promotions departments to see what types of sponsorships they may be offering, or simply email or call one of the company's marketing directors to inquire. They may not offer you a paid sponsorship up front, but they may offer some of their products for review. Depending on the company, they may require that you prove you have a certain number of subscribers before they'll even consider a sponsorship or offer you products to review. If they do offer you some products to review, be sure to follow up in the manner you promised. Companies will check up on sponsorships to be sure they're getting what they asked for, and there's no worse way to annoy potential sponsors than to drop the ball. Keep in mind that if you do review a product, the Federal Trade Commission requires bloggers and "celebrity endorsers" to disclose that they've received payment or in-kind donations from a sponsor.
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Tips & Warnings
Once you've created a number of videos and developed a following, chances are you'll be eligible to become a YouTube Partner as well. This means YouTube will pay you a revenue share for ads they place near your videos. On top of sponsorships, this can be another source of income for your Channel.
References
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