A new report just dropped tracking tens of thousands of YouTube sponsorships—and the numbers are stunning.

YouTube sponsorships grew 53.9% year-over-year in the first half of 2025. Ground News sponsored over 1,800 videos in just six months (that's 10+ videos per day). And here's the kicker: the 25K-100K view range saw the largest absolute growth in sponsored videos.

Translation? You don't need millions of subscribers to land brand deals anymore.

Today I'm breaking down the 2025 YouTube Sponsorship Landscape Report with Joshua Cohen, founder of Tubefilter, Streamy Awards, and Gospel Stats. We're unpacking what's actually happening in the creator economy right now—and what it means for your sponsorship strategy.

Here's what we cover:

• Why entertainment and gaming creators are finally getting deals (after years of struggling)

• The "sweet spot" view range that most brands can actually afford

• Why YouTube is 3-4 years behind podcasting in brand awareness deals

• Shorts are getting 200 billion daily views, but only 3% are sponsored (this is about to change)

• How dynamic ad insertions will let you monetize 5-year-old videos

• Why TikTok and Instagram pay creators nothing, yet millions still post there

• The Call Her Daddy effect: How big podcast moves to YouTube are changing everything

Plus, Joshua shares why brands are becoming more sophisticated talent scouts, hunting for creators with "actionable audiences that convert"—regardless of follower count.

If you've been told your niche is "too hard" to monetize or your views are "too small" to matter, this episode will completely reframe how you think about sponsorships in 2025.

Download the full 2025 YouTube Sponsorship Landscape Report: reports.gospelstats.com

Subscribe to Tubefilter's newsletter (covers creator economy news daily): newsletter.tubefilter.com

Grab my book, Sponsor Magnet, to learn how to transform your influence into income: https://sponsormagnet.com

Want one-on-one sponsorship coaching? Join Wizard's Guild: https://wizardsguild.com

Sponsor Games 2026 is happening March 15-18 in San Antonio, Texas. Every meal catered. 75 seats. Grab your ticket: https://www.sponsorgames.com

CHAPTERS:

00:00 53.9% Year-Over-Year Growth in YouTube Sponsorships

04:38 The 25K-100K View "Sweet Spot"

08:26 Entertainment & Gaming Categories Exploding

12:00 Why Big Brands Still Struggle With YouTube

16:40 Ground News: 1,800 Sponsored Videos in 6 Months

18:40 Sponsored Shorts Are Coming (And Why YouTube Needs Them)

20:02 The Future of Podcasting on YouTube

For collaborations or partnerships, shoot us a note: inquiries@creatorwizard.com