Influencer marketing is one of the most effective strategy on YouTube, where creators help brands boost brand awareness and engagement. In this complete guide for 2025, we explore how YouTube influencers collaborate with brands and examine 8 examples of successful influencer marketing campaigns.
These influencer marketing examples can range between tech services aiming for global reach to consumer brands using influencers to promote products authentically. All of them highlight effective strategies, campaign goals, and key takeaways. Keep reading to discover how different types of campaigns make great results, and learn how to plan your own strategy for maximum impact.
What Makes YouTube Influencer Marketing So Effective in 2025?
Q: Why is influencer marketing so impactful today?
YouTube is one of the largest social media platforms with over 2 billion users, and it offers a unique mix of long-form and short-form video content and highly engaged communities.
Influencers on YouTube create authentic, entertaining videos that keep their followers engaged, giving brands an advertisement approach that feels more like a friendly recommendation than an ad.
Compared to platforms like Instagram and TikTok influencers, influencers based primarily on YouTube often has higher engagement rates. In fact, YouTube is also known for deeper viewer engagement through comments, likes, and shares.
According to a recent Influencer Marketing Hub report, YouTube’s average engagement rate (around 4-5%) tops that of Instagram. This means a social media influencer on YouTube can get more interaction and interest, translating into bigger brand awareness and profit.
Q: What’s the power of influencer marketing on YouTube versus traditional ads?
The power of influencer marketing lies in trust and authenticity. YouTube creators develop a loyal following and a persona that viewers relate to. When brands and influencers partner together, the message comes from a trusted voice rather than a faceless ad.
YouTube influencer marketing strategy is a powerful tool because it leverages the creator’s credibility and storytelling skills. For example, a tech reviewer showing a product or a vlogger showing a daily routine with a sponsored item feels organic and engaging. Unlike a 30-second TV spot, a great influencer on YouTube can spend several minutes making a brand into their content, often resulting in a more effective influencer marketing outcome.
It’s no surprise that influencer marketing is no longer an experimental trend – it’s now a core part of the marketing industry (the industry is projected to reach $24 billion by 2024), if not one of the best influencer marketing campaigns.
Key benefits: Brands gain targeted exposure to niche audiences, improved trust through peer-style endorsements, and often a measurable profit in sales or app downloads. Now various types of YouTube creators benefit from a new revenue stream (and sometimes free products or services to try), while audiences get product recommendations from someone they already follow.
When done correctly, top influencer marketing campaignscan achieve both brand awareness and direct response goals, making it a great YouTube influencer marketing channel in the digital marketing mix.
How to Plan a Successful YouTube Influencer Marketing Campaign
Q: What steps do you need to ensure a successful influencer promotion strategy on YouTube?
Planning is crucial. First, define your campaign goals – for example, is it to increase brand awareness, drive traffic, or boost sales of a product or service? Clear objectives will shape your approach.
Next, focus on finding the correct channels whose audience and values align with your brand. Successful campaigns often involve researching differenttypes of influencers (from micro-influencers to celebrity creators) and using an influencer marketing platform or agency to vet metrics like subscriber count, average views, and engagement rate.
After selecting the right influencer, collaborate on a creative strategy. Decide on the content format (a dedicated sponsored video, a brief shout-out, a product integration in a vlog, etc.) and key messaging points.
Give creators creative freedom to maintain authenticity – theirinfluencer content should feel like their normal videos, not a scripted ad. Many brands provide a short brief and let the creator create content in their own voice, which results in more engaging and believable integration. Ensure disclosure guidelines are followed (YouTube gives access to tools like the paid promotion tag for transparency).
Q: How do you track success and conversions?
Provide influencers with custom links or discount codes to track conversions and ROI. For instance, many campaigns use affiliate marketing tactics – the influencer shares a promo code so the brand can measure how many viewers converted. Monitor metrics like views, click-throughs, sign-ups, and sales. A high engagement rate (likes, comments) can indicate viewers resonated with the content, even if immediate sales are not seen.
Over time, long-form videos can continue to drive views and referrals. Then brands often make recurring partnerships as they see strong results. As we’ll see in the examples of brands that had marketing success on YouTube, some brands have turned one-off videos into long-term influencer programs, sponsoring dozens of videos once they find a winning formula.
Now, let’s talk more about some realistic examples on YouTube – analyzing what made them successful (or in a few cases, what challenges they faced). These examples of influencer marketing campaigns span industries from gaming and tech to food and beauty, illustrating the versatility of YouTube influencer marketing.
Example 1: How Brawl Stars & MrBeast Achieved Viral Brand Awareness
When it comes to these marketing examples, one of the most spectacular is the collaboration between mobile game Brawl Stars (by Supercell) and popular YouTube superstar MrBeast.
In late 2021, MrBeast created a real-life Squid Game video that was partially funded by Brawl Stars as a sponsor. The influencer promotion strategy was massive: MrBeast was sponsored a whopping $3.5 million recreating the Squid Game competition, with Brawl Stars integrated as the presenting sponsor. This staggering amount is very rare, so if you are interested on how much sponsors pay for a YouTube sponsorship, check out this blog post.
The result from that huge investment? The video amassed over 100 million views in less than a week (now over 850M), and it drove a huge spike in Brawl Stars downloads.
In the week after the video went live, Brawl Stars saw a 4.5× surge in U.S. installs and a 65% jump in player spending. This translates to hundreds of thousands of new players, showing the power of YouTube sponsorships for user acquisition in the gaming sector.
Why it worked: MrBeast is a popular YouTubers known for attention-grabbing challenge videos. By aligning with him, Supercell reached a gigantic and engaged audience. The content itself was highly entertaining and shareable, which meant the brand got exposure well beyond typical ad impressions. More importantly, the entire video event was made possible by the brand, so viewers perceived Brawl Stars positively (as the “patron” of an epic challenge).
MrBeast briefly mentions the sponsor (thanking Brawl Stars for funding the project), but the integration didn’t feel like a typical ad; it was the enabler of exciting content. Thissuccessful campaign shows that if you give a creator the budget to do something incredible that aligns with trending interests (in this case, Squid Game), the brand awareness payoff can be enormous.
Example 2: What Is NordVPN’s YouTube Influencer Strategy?
Another influencer marketing campaign example that often comes up is NordVPN. NordVPN, a cybersecurity service, has become famous for its omnipresence on YouTube.
Rather than a single campaign, NordVPN runs an ongoing influencer marketing program. NordVPN has sponsored over 3,000 YouTube videos since 2012 – partnering with creators across tech, gaming, lifestyle, and more.
NordVPN - Brand analysis on Sponsorship
The company works with top YouTube influencers like PewDiePie and the MrBeast team, as well as countless mid-tier and micro-creators. For instance, PewDiePie alone featured NordVPN in over 300 videos. These sponsored segments usually involve the YouTuber giving a personal pitch for NordVPN – explaining its benefits (online privacy, access to geo-blocked content, etc.) and offering a discount code.
Why it works: NordVPN’s strategy exemplifies finding the right influencers at scale. By sponsoring influencers in various niches, NordVPN reaches different audiences (tech enthusiasts, travelers, gamers, etc.) who all have a potential need for a VPN. If you want to learn more about finding a content creator that's fit for your brand, here is our blog post on How to Find YouTubers to Sponsor Easily for Influence Marketing.
They give each creator a unique link or code (performance-based payout), effectively blending sponsorship with affiliate marketing – this way, both brand and influencer benefit from conversions. The key has been repetition: many creators incorporate NordVPN by sharing how they personally use it (for example, to watch shows not available in their country or to secure their data on public Wi-Fi).
Because the content often aligns with viewer interests (security, entertainment, freedom online), these integrations feel relevant. Over time, viewers started joking that “every YouTuber is sponsored by NordVPN,” but that ubiquity built huge brand recognition. In fact, NordVPN’s massive YouTube push led to an estimated 4.4 billion combined video views of sponsored content featuring the brand.
It’s a case study in how consistent, strategic influencer partnerships can firmly establish a digital brand.
Bonus insight: NordVPN’s success also comes from giving creators creative freedom. The brand’s guidelines are flexible enough that a comedian like Internet Historian can do a tongue-in-cheek skit about NordVPN, while a tech educator can do a serious endorsement – each speaking in their own voice. This adaptability in influencer strategies ensures the promotions remain effective and engaging, not forced.
Example 3: How HelloFresh Collaborates with YouTubers for Long-Term Success
Meal-kit service HelloFresh is a great example of a brand that got influencers to promote a product over the long term. HelloFresh’s marketing strategy heavily rely on influencer sponsorships, especially on YouTube. In fact, HelloFresh has sponsored about 11,000 YouTube videos to date – an astounding number that shows their commitment to the platform.
HelloFresh - Brand Analysis on Sponsorship
They work with a wide range of creators, from cooking channels and fitness vloggers to family lifestyle YouTubers. The typical integration involves the YouTuber demonstrating a HelloFresh meal or sharing how the meal kits make their busy life easier, often with a generous promo code (e.g., “16 free meals” offer) for viewers.
For example, family vloggers Aspyn and Parker have integrated HelloFresh in dozens of videos, seamlessly including the product as part of “daily life” vlogs or dedicated cooking segments.
Why it works: HelloFresh understands that its offering – a curated box of fresh ingredients and recipes – lends itself to visual, personal content.
Influencers often film themselves unboxing a HelloFresh delivery, cooking the meal, and giving a review, which provides genuineinfluencer content that feels like a friend showing you a recipe. This approach builds trust and appetite (literally!) among viewers.The brand encourages creators to collaborate authentically by sharing personal anecdotes (“I was too busy to grocery shop, so HelloFresh saved my dinner tonight”).
Such storytelling shows the product solving a real problem, which drives interest and sales. Moreover, HelloFresh focuses on influencer collaborations that are repeat engagements – if a creator’s audience responds well, they sponsor that channel repeatedly.
For instance, HelloFresh has sponsored the Aspyn & Parker channel over 35 times. By forming these ongoing relationships, the brand turns influencers into unofficial ambassadors.
The repeated exposure means their audience becomes very familiar with the brand and more likely to try it eventually (maybe after hearing “this video is sponsored by HelloFresh” the tenth time, viewers think: okay, I’ll sign up for that free meal deal!). This strategy has clearly paid off: HelloFresh credits influencer campaigns for helping it become the top meal-kit service globally, with over 8.5 million customers.
Key takeaway: Give influencers latitude to integrate the product naturally into content that matches their niche. A fitness YouTuber might emphasize healthy eating and show a post-workout meal prep, whereas a parenting vlogger might stress convenience for feeding the family.
HelloFresh’s influencer marketing exemplifies aligning with creators’ lifestyles (influencers whose values align with the brand message of home cooking and convenience) to make sponsored content feel genuine. And don’t underestimate the power of a good promo – their hefty “free meals” promotions provide a strong incentive, helping convert viewers into subscribers while avoiding mention of long-term subscription costs.
Example 4: Why SeatGeek’s YouTube Influencer Partnership Paid Off
Ticket marketplace SeatGeek provides a textbook example of an influencer promotion strategy that turned into a cultural phenomenon. SeatGeek famously partnered with vlogger David Dobrik in a series of videos where Dobrik gives away huge gifts (like cars and event tickets) to friends and fans, funded by SeatGeek.
This long-running collaboration (2016–2020) blurred the line between sponsorship and entertainment. SeatGeek essentially became a character in Dobrik’s vlogs – with Dobrik often saying the now-iconic line, “Thanks to SeatGeek for making this possible!” and using SeatGeek as the secret benefactor behind his extravagant surprises.
Over the years, SeatGeek sponsored 22 of Dobrik’s YouTube videos (plus additional posts on Instagram), which collectively have over 150 million views and generated 20,000+ Twitter mentions. With SeatGeek’s funding, Dobrik surprised friends with tickets to the World Series and Super Bowl, bought over a dozen luxury cars for his followers, and even paid someone’s college tuition – all caught on camera for emotional, viral moments.
Why it worked: This campaign was successful for several reasons. First, it was highly entertaining content that viewers loved to watch and share (who doesn’t enjoy seeing someone get surprised with a new car?). By integrating the brand into these emotional giveaways, SeatGeek earned incredibly positive sentiment – they weren’t just a sponsor, they were making dreams come true in the videos.
Second, the partnership was authentic to Dobrik’s style. He made clear that he only did brand deals on his main channel if he could use the budget to create amazing content for his audience. SeatGeek allowed him full creative freedom (no rigid talking points), which kept the audience engaged without skipping.
In Dobrik’s words, “It doesn’t feel like a brand integration… It’s like SeatGeek is thesugar daddy for my videos”. This unconventional approach meant fans actually looked forward to the “sponsor part” because they knew something awesome was about to happen once SeatGeek was mentioned. Engagement didn’t drop; it likely increased when viewers heard “SeatGeek”, anticipating a big surprise.
From a marketing perspective, SeatGeek also saw direct benefits. Dobrik would plug a discount code (e.g., “Use code DAVID for $20 off”) and, according to SeatGeek, sales from Dobrik’s code – and other influencer codes – grew 1,500% since they began these partnerships.
In fact, the success led SeatGeek to scale up to sponsoring around 150 influencer videos per month across various creators, making influencer marketing a core part of their strategy. The marketing teams at SeatGeek even formed “Team SeatGeek,” a division to handle influencer collaborations and content, showing how this approach became central to their brand identity.
Key takeaway: When an influencer campaign is done so well that audiences associate the brand with feel-good content, it’s a win-win. SeatGeek leveraged influencer creativity to become a beloved brand among a young demographic. They found the strategic influencer (Dobrik) who could deliver their message in an exciting way, and they leaned into it, effectively owning the “giving away epic prizes” space on YouTube.
This showcases how effective influencer marketing can drive both brand awareness (millions now know SeatGeek) and actual conversions (ticket sales through promo codes) when executed innovatively.
Example 5: How G Fuel Built a Cultural Association Through YouTube Influencers
Energy drink brand G Fuel is one of the earliest and most aggressive adopters of YouTube influencer marketing—and no creator shaped its image more than PewDiePie. While G Fuel worked with dozens of gaming creators over the years, PewDiePie served as the long-term face of the brand and, for many fans, became synonymous with it. G Fuel announced its official partnership with PewDiePie in 2018, but brand mentions appeared even earlier in his video descriptions and intros. The collaboration evolved into a multi-year deal that included a personal flavor, custom shaker cups, and ongoing integrations. Unlike one-off sponsorship shoutouts, PewDiePie’s G Fuel mentions became recurring segments woven directly into his content style—short comedic plugs, discount codes (“Use code PEWDIEPIE for 30% off”), and branded visuals in the background of his setup. Over the years, G Fuel sponsored dozens of PewDiePie videos across multiple formats: gaming commentary, meme reviews, and challenge videos. Collectively, these videos have generated well over 300 million views. In major brand pushes (like the PewDiePie flavor launch in 2019), G Fuel reported record-breaking sales within hours—at one point their site experienced traffic surges that temporarily caused checkout issues due to demand tied specifically to his audience. Why it worked: First,he wasn’t just sponsored, he became a product collaborator. Having his own flavor gave authenticity to the partnership. Instead of a generic endorsement, fans felt he had creative ownership. G Fuel used limited-edition packaging featuring PewDiePie’s branding and character style, which created hype similar to sneaker collaborations. Second, his audience saw it as consistent with his identity. PewDiePie had long been associated with late-night gaming, high-energy commentary, and meme culture—all things that naturally aligned with an energy supplement brand. The tone of his plugs was intentionally unserious and self-aware, which fit the sensibilities of his viewers and avoided the cringe factor common in traditional ad reads. From a brand visibility standpoint, G Fuel’s strategy paid off. Between 2018 and 2021, G Fuel went from a niche gamer supplement to a mainstream name in the creator economy. PewDiePie’s partnership helped them “own” the gamer-YouTuber energy drink space before competitors like Prime and Ghost entered. Key takeaway: When a brand turns an influencer into a long-term creative collaborator—not just a sponsored spokesperson—they can become culturally inseparable in the minds of viewers. G Fuel didn’t just pay PewDiePie for ad reads; they built brand equity through repetition, co-creation, and alignment with the creator’s persona.
Example 6: How Skillshare Integrates Naturally into YouTube Content
Skillshare, an online learning platform, has mastered the art of the subtle YouTube plug. This brand frequently sponsors creators who produce how-to videos, art and design tutorials, productivity vlogs, and other informative content.
The typical YouTube influencer marketing campaign for Skillshare involves the creator taking a short break in the video to talk about learning a new skill or improving their craft, and then introducing Skillshare as a platform that offers classes relevant to the video’s topic.
For instance, YouTuber Natalie Barbu included a Skillshare sponsorship in a “plan my content with me” vlog – around mid-video, she segued into how she learned productivity tips on Skillshare. These integrations are typically mid-roll (in the middle of the video) and last about 60 seconds.
Why it works: Skillshare's strategy focuses on alignment with the creator’s content. The sponsorship feels like a natural extension of the video. If you’re watching a designer teach logo design, it’s perfectly logical when they say “If you want to learn more or practice, there’s a great logo design class on Skillshare.” The content and the product are a perfect fit, so viewers are less likely to skip.
Additionally, Skillshare’s value proposition (learn something new easily) resonates with the self-improvement mindset of many YouTube viewers. By offering a free trial via the influencer’s promo link, it lowers the barrier for conversion – viewers think, “Why not try it, it’s free for a month.” Many do try, and if they enjoy the classes, they become paying members. This type of marketing effectively turns YouTube videos into funnels for Skillshare’s subscription service.
Skillshare’s widespread presence (sponsoring thousands of videos) has built a strong brand recall in the creator community. Importantly, they often sponsorlong-form video content where the audience is already in learning mode (e.g., a 15-minute tutorial). This means the audience is receptive to a pitch about learning more.
The engagement rate on such videos remains high because the sponsorship is informative rather than disruptive – some viewers even appreciate the recommendations of classes or resources. In fact, an analysis noted that when an integration fits in organically with the influencer's content, it keeps viewers engaged. Skillshare exemplifies this principle.
As a result, it has acquired millions of users via influencer referrals, essentially using YouTubers as its primary growth engine instead of traditional ads.
Key takeaway: Context is key. A successful YouTube influencer marketing campaign often means tailoring the sponsorship to the channel’s theme. By sponsoring educational content and framing their service as an added value to viewers, Skillshare turned influencers into educators who promote the platform genuinely.
This shows the power of influencer marketing in reaching niches like lifelong learners, creators, and entrepreneurs on a platform where they already consume how-to content.
Example 7: What Can We Learn from Raid: Shadow Legends’ Influencer Campaign?
Not all influencer promotions are about broad brand awareness – some are laser-focused on conversions and player acquisition. Raid: Shadow Legends, a mobile RPG game by Plarium, is infamous in the YouTube community for sponsoring a huge number of creators, to the point that “This video is sponsored by Raid: Shadow Legends” became a meme.
From mid-2019 onward, Raid poured money into influencer marketing on YouTube (and Twitch), targeting primarily gaming channels but also variety entertainment channels. In just a six-month span in 2021, Plarium spent $8.66 million on YouTube influencer ads, resulting in nearly 443 million combined views on those sponsored videos. They sponsored thousands of influencers, often with creators doing a 1-2 minute promo at the start of a video explaining Raid’s gameplay and encouraging downloads via a link with bonuses.
Raid: Shadow Legends - Brand analysis on Sponsorship
The approach: Raid’s team worked with a wide range of creators – from mid-sized gaming YouTubers to even some non-gaming channels. They frequently did repeat sponsorships on channels that attracted an audience likely to try the game.
For example, certain gaming YouTubers made dozens or even hundreds of videos that included Raid mentions. Plarium tracked which channels drove downloads and leveraged influencer relationships accordingly: some channels have done 10, 20, or more Raid ads over time.
But over time, one fascinating insight from their campaign is that audience alignment matters more than raw views. Plarium found that while a comedy channel like Internet Historian generated millions of views for Raid ads (two of his sponsored bits got 17M and 14M views), those didn’t convert as well into players, presumably because the audience wasn’t there for gaming.
So, they shifted budget towards channels whose viewers were more interested in RPG games. An influencer marketing campaign’s success isn’t just about exposure, but reaching the right audience (finding the right influencers in terms of audience demographics and interests).
Results: By saturating YouTube, Raid achieved massive brand awareness in the gaming community – nearly every gamer knew the name. They also drove actual game installs; the exact conversion numbers are proprietary, but the ongoing spend suggests it was profitable enough to continue for years.
However, the campaign also taught lessons. Many viewers started skipping or parodying the obligatory Raid ad segments, illustrating potential fatigue if the content isn’t engaging. The best integrations were ones where creators got creative – some made humorous skits out of the Raid sponsor segment to entertain viewers while delivering the ad. This kept engagement higher despite repeated promotions.
Key takeaways: Influencer marketing space can reach saturation – so quality and targeting are key. Raid’s strategy succeeded in volume (be everywhere, so your target gamers hear about you eventually), but it also showed the importance of authentic integration.
When a channel genuinely enjoys the game or fits the genre, the promotion comes off better than when it’s a forced fit. For marketers, the lesson is to balance scale with relevancy.
Additionally, providing influencers with flexibility to inject humor or personal touches can prevent audience burnout. In Raid’s case, even though viewers joked about the ubiquity, the campaign’s scale built undeniable name recognition. And the proof of effectiveness is in the data: 81.8% of all Raid mentions on YouTube in that period were paid – meaning the brand essentially dominated discussions through sponsorship, a bold strategy not every brand could pull off.
It’s a high-spend, high-reward example of effective YouTube influencer marketing for user acquisition.
Example 8: How Big Brands Like Nike and Subaru Use YouTube Creators
It’s not just digital-native brands jumping on the influencer trend . Even large traditional brands like Nike and Subaru have found success with YouTube influencer campaigns.
Nike launched a campaign for its Air Vapormax sneakers by partnering with popular lifestyle and sneakerhead YouTubers. These creators made videos showcasing the shoes in action – from unboxing and styling them in lookbooks to vlogs featuring the shoes during a workout or a day out.
The campaign garnered over 20 million views and Nike saw a 31% increase in sales for that shoe line. By partnering with influencers who were genuine fans of streetwear and sneaker culture, Nike ensured the promotions felt like authentic endorsements.
Many of these videos weren’t overt “ads” – they were titled along the lines of “Nike Air Vapormax Review + On-Feet” which naturally attract viewers interested in the product. Thus, the content served both as promotion and useful consumer info.
Subaru’s approach: The carmaker Subaru collaborated with YouTuber Devin Graham (aka Devin Super Tramp), known for cinematic action videos, to highlight the Subaru Forester’s off-road capabilities.
In a sponsored video, Devin took the SUV on adventurous terrain, capturing thrilling footage that appealed to outdoor enthusiasts. That video pulled in over 20 million views and reportedly correlated with a 15% increase in sales for that model.
Why is that important? Auto-marketing is usually dominated by glossy TV commercials, but here a YouTuber delivered an arguably more compelling advertisement by demonstrating the vehicle in a fun, relatable way.
Viewers saw someone they follow (and who isn’t a professional salesman) genuinely enjoy the car, which makes the brand message far more convincing. It positions the product in the context of experiences and lifestyle, not just features.
Why it worked: Large brands often have big budgets but risk coming off as impersonal. By using influencer content, they humanize the marketing. Nike leveraged social media influencers to promote a feeling of community and style – seeing your favorite fitness YouTuber train in those shoes or a fashion vlogger pair them with cool outfits creates aspiration.
For Subaru, the key was aligning with a creator whose audience matched their target (young, adventure-seeking individuals). They essentially let Devin Super Tramp create content that doubles as an ad, and his signature filmmaking style made it entertaining.
The authenticity and creativity of influencers can make even big-brand campaigns feel fresh. It’s worth noting that these campaigns often involve influencer marketing agencies or platforms facilitating the deals and ensuring brand goals are met. Marketing teams at big companies will track metrics like brand lift and conversions from these campaigns just as closely as they do for traditional media.
Key takeaway: Even if you’re a well-established brand, influencer marketing on YouTube can amplify your reach in ways your own content might not.
Influencers bring built-in trust and a peer-to-peer voice that can cut through consumers’ skepticism. The Nike and Subaru cases show that a type of marketing that marries big brand resources with influencer storytelling can yield significant ROI. It’s a blend of old-school marketing goals with new-school tactics – and it’s highly effective when executed thoughtfully.
Bullet-Point Summary – Key Lessons from YouTube Influencer Marketing:
Influencer marketing on YouTube drives real results: It boosts brand awareness, trust, and conversions by leveraging creators’ authenticity and reach. (E.g., MrBeast x Brawl Stars led to 4.5× user growth.)
Authenticity and alignment are crucial: Successful campaigns find influencers whose values align with the brand and give them creative freedom. Audiences respond best to organic, contextually relevant integrations rather than cookie-cutter ads.
Different strategies for different goals: Brands use a mix of approaches – broad sponsorships for awareness (NordVPN’s 3,000+ video blitz), targeted niche partnerships for engagement (Raid’s focus on gaming channels for active players), and long-term collaborations for sustained impact (HelloFresh sponsoring channels repeatedly).
Influencer content often outperforms brand content: Influencers know how to engage their audience. Their sponsored content can feel like a natural part of their YouTube videos, which often leads to higher engagement rates and lower ad-skipping compared to traditional ads.
YouTube offers unique advantages: Its long-form video format allows in-depth product demos, storytelling, and emotional connection. Creators can create content around a product (tutorials, vlogs, challenges) that provide value to viewers while subtly marketing – a win-win.
Cross-platform synergy: Many campaigns integrate YouTube with Instagram and TikTok for a full-funnel approach. YouTube builds deeper interest with long videos, while Instagram and TikTok provide quick hits of awareness and virality (platforms like Instagram and TikTok excel at short-form buzz, YouTube at detailed engagement).
Influencer marketing is mainstream in 2025: It’s not a niche tactic – it’s central to marketing strategies across industries. As one report put it, “influencer marketing is no longer riding a trend curve, it is the curve”, with the industry projected to $24B+ size. Brands from Nike to niche startups are investing more and seeing tangible returns.
Adapt and learn: Monitor feedback and performance. Not every partnership will be a home run – be ready to adjust (e.g., Plarium refocused on channels that yielded players). Finding the right influencers may involve trial and error, but data (views, click-through, engagement rate, etc.) will guide you to optimize campaigns over time.
Trust and credibility matter: Above all, the world of influencer marketing thrives on trust. Brands that let influencers maintain honesty and transparency (including proper #ad disclosures) will foster more credibility. When viewers trust that an influencer wouldn’t promote something they don’t truly like, the brand-influencer relationship becomes a powerful marketing asset.
By learning from these examples of successful influencer marketing, marketing teams can craft their own effective campaigns – whether it’s a tech app aiming for viral growth or a legacy brand reinventing its image with the help of creators. Use YouTube’s influence smartly, and your next influencer marketing campaign could be the one everyone’s talking about!
Alexandru Golovatenco
Hi, I'm Alex. I write articles about YouTube sponsorships for brands, content creators, and agencies. I also created sponsorship.so, which is a tool that helps you find the right fit for a YouTube sponsorship.
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