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Sponsorship Rate Sheet: What Short Creators Should Charge

ShortsFireDecember 20, 20251 views
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Why You Need a Sponsorship Rate Sheet (Yesterday)

If you create Shorts, Reels, or TikToks and brands have started to notice, you already need a rate sheet.

A sponsorship rate sheet is a simple one-pager that answers:

  • What you offer
  • What it costs
  • What brands get in return

Without it, you end up guessing on pricing, undercharging, or sending long messy emails that make you look less confident and less professional.

A clear rate sheet helps you:

  • Stop saying “Whatever your budget is”
  • Respond to brand emails in minutes, not hours
  • Raise your rates over time with a clear structure
  • Look like a serious creator, even if you’re still growing

You don’t need a huge audience to build one. You need structure, consistency, and the courage to put numbers on your value.

Let’s build it step by step.

Step 1: Know Your Numbers Before You Price Anything

Brands don’t pay for follower counts. They pay for attention and influence.

You need three basic numbers:

  1. Average views per video (last 30-60 days)
  2. Average watch time / retention
  3. Engagement rate (likes + comments + shares, divided by views or followers)

You can grab these from:

If your views are all over the place, find:

  • Median views (the middle number, not the average)
  • Typical range (for example, “Most of my videos get 15k-40k views”)

These numbers will keep you from lowballing yourself and give you confidence when you share rates.

Write them down. You’ll use them in your pitch emails and in your rate sheet.

Step 2: Use a Simple Baseline Formula

You’ll see a lot of complicated CPM calculators online. You don’t need them.

Here’s a simple baseline to start from for short-form sponsorships:

Starting rate per sponsored short = (Average views per video ÷ 1,000) × CPM

For most creators, a starting CPM (cost per thousand views) for sponsored Shorts or Reels can be:

  • Micro creators (10k - 50k followers)
    20 to 40 USD CPM

  • Mid-size creators (50k - 250k followers)
    40 to 80 USD CPM

  • Larger creators (250k - 1M+)
    80 to 150+ USD CPM

These are ballpark ranges, not rules. Your niche, audience quality, and conversion power matter more than follower count.

Example 1: Micro creator

  • Average views per sponsored-style short: 25,000
  • Choose CPM: 30 USD

Rate:
25,000 ÷ 1,000 = 25
25 × 30 = 750 USD per sponsored short

Example 2: Mid-size creator

  • Average views: 80,000
  • Choose CPM: 60 USD

Rate:
80,000 ÷ 1,000 = 80
80 × 60 = 4,800 USD per sponsored short

You might look at those numbers and think “No brand will pay that.” Many do. The key is not just the views, but the trust you have with your audience.

Start with a number that feels a little uncomfortable but still honest for your current influence. You can always negotiate.

Step 3: Decide What You Actually Sell

Short-form creators often price “a sponsored video” like it’s one thing. It’s not.

You have multiple sponsorship formats, and each one can have its own rate.

Core formats for short-form creators

Consider offering:

  1. Dedicated Sponsored Short
    The entire short focuses on the brand or product.

    • Highest rate
    • Best for brands who want clear messaging
    • Example: 45-second tutorial showing exactly how you use their app or product

  2. Integrated Mention Short
    The brand appears as part of a regular story or concept.

    • Slightly lower rate than dedicated
    • Feels more organic to your audience
    • Example: Mid-video mention and overlay of a brand while you tell a story or share tips

  3. Add-ons
    Upsells you can put on your rate sheet:

    • Extra cut for TikTok or Reels
    • Usage rights for paid ads
    • Whitelisting / creator licensing
    • Story frames promoting the short
    • Link-in-bio for X days

Each of these should have a line and a price on your rate sheet.

Step 4: Build a Simple Rate Sheet Layout

Keep it clean. One PDF or one Notion/Google Doc page. Your logo or face, some numbers, and clear offers.

Here’s a simple structure:

1. Header

  • Your creator name
  • Your platforms and handle
  • A short one-line description

Example:
“ShortsFire creator focused on fast tech tips for busy creators.”

2. Audience Snapshot

Bullet points, no fluff:

  • Platforms: YouTube Shorts (120k), TikTok (85k), IG Reels (40k)
  • Average views per short: 45k
  • Top countries: US, UK, Canada
  • Audience: 70 percent 18-34, creator and freelancer focused

This gives brands context for your pricing.

3. Sponsorship Packages

List 2 to 4 clear options. For example:

Package A: Integrated Short

  • 1 short-form video (YouTube Shorts + TikTok + IG Reels)
  • Brief product mention integrated into regular content
  • 1 link in description and pin comment for 7 days
  • 1 story slide promoting the video
  • Rate: 1,200 USD

Package B: Dedicated Short

  • 1 short-form video focused on your product or campaign
  • Brand requirements integrated with my usual style
  • 2 story slides (before and after posting)
  • 1 link in description and pin comment for 14 days
  • Rate: 2,000 USD

Add-ons

  • Extra platform-specific cut: +250 USD each
  • Raw footage for your own edit: +400 USD
  • 30-day paid usage rights: +30 percent of base rate
  • 90-day paid usage rights: +70 percent of base rate

Your specific numbers may be lower or higher. The key is clarity. When a brand sees options like this, it feels tangible and easy to say yes.

Step 5: Adjust for Niche, Effort, and Conversion Power

The formula is a starting point, not a ceiling.

Creators in tight, profitable niches can charge more, even with fewer views:

  • Finance
  • Business and marketing
  • Tech and software tools
  • Fitness coaching
  • B2B or “work” related content

If your audience buys what you recommend, your value is high.

Ask yourself:

  • Does my audience trust my recommendations?
  • Have past sponsors seen results?
  • Do I have proof, even small wins?

If yes, you can increase your CPM from the baseline. Add 20 to 50 percent without guilt.

Also price effort, not just exposure:

  • Does the brand need a complex script or heavy edits?
  • Do you have to learn a platform or tool deeply?
  • Are there many revisions and legal reviews?

For high-effort projects, add:

  • A creative fee on top of your view-based rate, or
  • A minimum project fee (for example, “No deal below 800 USD”)

You’re not just selling views. You’re selling concept, performance, editing, and trust.

Step 6: Handling “We Don’t Have That Budget”

You will hear this a lot, especially early on. That doesn’t mean you should cut your price in half.

Here’s a simple way to respond:

  1. Keep your rate the same
  2. Reduce scope instead

Example reply structure:

“My usual rate for a dedicated short across YouTube Shorts and TikTok is 1,500 USD.
If that’s out of range, I can offer a single integrated mention on one platform only for 700 USD.”

You hold your value, but still give them a path to work with you.

You can also create:

  • Starter packages for smaller brands
  • Longer-term discounts for 3+ videos booked up front

For example:
“10 percent off when you book a 3-video series within 60 days.”

Keep your discounts attached to commitment, not random generosity.

Step 7: When and How To Raise Your Rates

Your rate sheet is not permanent. It should grow with you.

Good signals that it’s time to raise:

  • You’re consistently booked or saying no to deals
  • You’ve grown 25 to 50 percent in average views
  • Brands are saying yes too quickly without negotiating

You can increase by:

  • 10 to 20 percent every 3 to 6 months
  • Or more if your metrics jumped significantly

Update your rate sheet and keep the old one for your own records. It’s motivating to see the journey from 150 USD to 1,500 USD per short.

Practical Tips To Make Your Rate Sheet Work

A few final ideas to make your sponsorship pricing smoother:

  • Save a “brand reply” template
    Have a canned response that says:
    “Thanks for reaching out. I’d love to learn more about your goals. I’ve attached my current sponsorship rate sheet with package options and audience stats.”

  • Keep a simple case study folder
    Even one or two short examples like:
    “Affiliate link: 120 clicks in 7 days”
    “Code used 45 times in first week”
    can justify your rates.

  • Track every deal in a spreadsheet
    Columns: brand, package, rate, date, performance.
    You’ll quickly see patterns that support a rate increase.

  • Say your rates out loud
    Practice speaking them so you don’t sound apologetic.
    “My rate for a dedicated short is 1,000 USD.”
    Period. No nervous rambling after.

You Deserve To Charge Like a Pro

If you’re publishing Shorts, Reels, or TikToks consistently, you’re not “just posting videos.” You’re building a distribution channel that brands would pay serious money to rent.

A simple sponsorship rate sheet turns that fuzzy feeling of “maybe I could ask for money” into a clear, confident business offer.

Start with:

  • Your real numbers
  • A straightforward CPM-based baseline
  • 2 or 3 clear packages
  • Add-ons you can grow into

You can improve your content quality with tools like ShortsFire, experiment faster, and then let your rate sheet catch up with your results. The more focused your content and audience, the more power you have to charge what you’re really worth.

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