Writing for Brand Partnerships

My 5 rules for brand partnerships on LinkedIn that put my audience AND values first. I’ve seen creators asking if sponsored posts would turn their audience off. The general consensus was "no, if done right". But what does "done right" mean? Well, good news - this is also an area where I've fudged up A LOT in the last year and iterated until I found a good system. It all comes down to these 5 guardrails: 1) Content relevancy If you are known for posting about a specific topic, then the partnership has to be related to that topic. In my case, that's landing pages or running a niche consultancy. Companies or products that can tie into this make the perfect marriage. 2) Creative autonomy I have a specific voice, tone, and style. I also know what content works and doesn't. I usually drive the ideation and content creation. No one writes for me. I also do a hard pass on strong rewrites (no buzzwords, jargon, or straight-up infomercial-type demos, etc.). 3) Audience benefit No matter what, the reader needs to be able to derive some value from it - whether it be tactical knowledge, an idea, or even just a laugh. No straight sells. 4) No "banded" campaigns You know the kind - where a bunch of creators post about the same thing. This is great for brands, they get a lot of visibility. But I feel like it dilutes the creator's brand. I've done these before and they never felt good so I decline those partnerships now. 5) Transparency Making sure all paid posts are marked as "brand partnerships" per FTC rules. Bonus rule: even if everything lines up but the vibe is off then it’s an automatic Bye Felicia. --- Examples of a few partnerships: 1) Goldcast - Video Content Platform We did an entire content series around event landing pages. - Audited 5 event landing pages from Goldcast customers  - Ran a live webinar to go over findings and tips  - Shared an event landing page template  - Did a landing page masterclass using their platform 2) Landing page audits - Tofu and HockeyStack  Even if the companies aren't related to what I do, there are other ways to tie in. Like doing public audits of their landing pages. These got really good feedback about the partnership itself even more than the content. 3) Typeform Transferred my free Hubspot forms into Typeforms and did a live demo of me moving them. 4) Unbounce - Did a podcast episode on Google's landing page update  - Created a landing page kit for the new requirements  - Did a walkthrough of an old landing page and how to change it to fit the new requirements  - Added a Tas Bober template to their landing page library  - Sharing a product landing page template (coming soon) --- Does it work? So far so good (see results below). Will keep iterating. But I can confidently say: You can do both - be authentic, create valuable content, AND partner with (the right) brands.

One email can completely transform the way creators and brands collaborate. Here’s how. When I first started landing brand deals, most partnerships were one-and-done. It wasn’t until I started taking the initiative to propose long-term opportunities that I saw a shift in my income—and the consistency of my partnerships. Here’s the email that changed everything: “Thank you for an amazing campaign! [Insert stat about results]. Are [brand’s] goals the same for Q1? I’d love to explore a long-term partnership and have a few ideas for the next quarter. Are you free to chat in the next few weeks?” It’s direct, proactive, and positions you as a creator who delivers results AND brings ideas to the table. Brands want collaborators who think ahead and align with their goals—and this simple email sets that tone. For both creators and brands, partnerships are about mutual growth. If you’re a creator who’s ready to take your business to the next level, or a brand looking for forward-thinking collaborators, this mindset is key. 

If your brand partnership doesn’t feel relevant, it won’t work. Today’s audience expects more than sponsorships. They want stories, utility, and experiences. Not just ads. Most brand partnerships in gaming and sports fall flat. Why? Because they confuse visibility with value. A logo in the right place means nothing if the experience doesn’t resonate. Here’s what successful partnerships get right and where most go wrong: ✅ 𝗞𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝗺𝗼 It’s not just “18-34.” It’s where they spend time, why they engage, and how they move between platforms. ✅ 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘇𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵 If it doesn’t feel native, it won’t stick. Authenticity isn’t optional anymore; it’s expected. ✅ 𝗜𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗺𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗮, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗺𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 You can’t just show up. You have to belong. Think playable activations, branded UGC, second-screen extensions, not just standard ad buys. ✅ 𝗘𝗺𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 Creators, developers, streamers — they are the voice. Bring them into the process early and often. ✅ 𝗠𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 Impressions are table stakes. Real success is measured in attention, action, and long-term affinity. Great partnerships don’t just show up. They connect, convert, and create culture. 💬 Curious what that looks like in practice? Let’s talk. Happy to share what’s working across gaming, CTV, and fan-first platforms.