Guide
YouTube community post sponsorship rates
Figures and workflows here are illustrations, not financial, tax, or accounting advice. Talk to a tax or finance specialist in your jurisdiction before you invoice, set payment terms, or treat a number as a rate you should charge.
What you are actually selling
A YouTube community post sponsorship buys attention on your Posts tab (formerly Community) — subscribers who open the app, get notified, or browse posts. It is closer to a newsletter slot or Instagram feed static than to a mid-roll: there is no 60-second scripted segment inside a video you were already making. That is why the fee sits well below mid-roll — and why it should still be a paid line, not a free throw-in when the brand already bought a video.
Brands blur this SKU with pinned comments, description links, and “post about us when the video goes live.” Those can be add-ons on a video deal. A standalone community sponsorship means they care about the tab itself: image creative, a poll that steers conversation, or a text update with a tracked link. Put the post type in the SOW so they cannot swap an image brief for a four-option poll after you quoted.
Post types × fee vs mid-roll
Anchor to your organic mid-roll from the mid-roll integration rates page, then publish the same fractions on your YouTube rate card. Raise the fraction if your community posts reliably out-engage a quiet week of uploads; lower it if the tab is mostly dormant.
| Post type | Deliverable | Vs mid-roll | Example @ $600 mid-roll |
|---|---|---|---|
| Text update | ≤500 chars + 1 link, 30 days up | 0.12× | $72 |
| Image / GIF post | 1 creative you approve, caption, 1 link | 0.20× | $120 |
| Poll (2–4 options) | Brand topic, you write options, 7-day live | 0.15× | $90 |
| Image + 30-day visibility | Image post stays on Posts tab 30 days | 0.28× | $168 |
| Quiz / multi-image | Custom creative set, 1 revision | 0.30× | $180 |
| Same-day with mid-roll video | Community post + video (two lines) | Mid-roll + post | $600 + type |
YouTube does not let creators pin channel posts — sell a calendar visibility window, not “pinned to top.” One revision on caption/creative; new concept = new fee.
Worked quote: image post + 30-day visibility
Inputs: mid-roll organic fee $600. Brand wants one image Post the day after a sponsored mid-roll goes live, their link in the post, soft CTA, and the post left on your tab for 30 days. They assumed the tab post was included in the video fee.
| Line | Math | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Mid-roll integration (already sold) | Separate SOW | $600 |
| Image post (30 days visible) | 0.28 × $600 | $168 |
| Paid usage of the image in ads | Not included | Quote later if needed |
| Posts tab total | Invoice as Posts SKU | $168 |
| “Included with mid-roll” ask | Refuse | Send $168 line |
If they only buy the Posts tab line (no video), invoice $168 alone. Do not discount because “it’s not a video” — tab clutter has a real cost.
Disclosure still applies. Paid partnership language or clear #ad / paid mention in the post body is not optional because the format is short. If they send illegal claim language for a poll (“which miracle cure worked for you?”), veto within your usual brief window and re-quote or cancel that SKU only.
Scheduling, stacking, and audience care
Cap branded community posts per month on your card — for many channels, two paid posts plus organic updates is already loud. Stacking three brand polls in a week trains subscribers to ignore the tab. If a brand wants a weekly community cadence, that is a mini-retainer, not three one-off discounts.
Asset deadline
Need final image/copy 48 hours before post day. Late creative slips the window; rush same-day posts +15–25%.
Link hygiene
One tracked link. Extra links, coupon stacks, or “also mention in next video” are separate SKUs.
Sibling SKUs
Pinned comments and description links belong on video rates. Posts tab sponsorships stay here.
When a brand asks for “community amplification” without saying image, poll, or text, send this table and make them pick a row. Ambiguous briefs are how $72 text posts become unpaid creative projects with five revision rounds.
What community post pricing is not
- Not a substitute mid-roll — different reach, different production, different fee.
- Not a free bonus when they buy a dedicated video or Short.
- Not YouTube ads / Brand-account ads (paid usage) on the post unless separately sold.
- Not a promise that the post will appear in every subscriber’s notification tray.
Keep the story simple on your rate card: mid-roll and dedicated for video money, community posts for tab money, Shorts for short-form. When someone says “just shout us out on the community tab,” you already have a number — and a clear sentence for what that number does not include.
Related guides
Platform rates & formats
YouTube community post rate questions
+How much should a sponsored YouTube community post cost vs a mid-roll?
Most creators land image or text posts at ~0.12–0.30× a solid mid-roll organic fee, and polls a bit lower. Example: $600 mid-roll → ~$90–$180 for a branded image post before any extended visibility add-on.
+Does a community post sponsorship include a video mention?
No. Posts on your channel (YouTube renamed the Community tab to Posts in 2025) are their own SKU. A mid-roll, pre-roll, or dedicated video is priced on those guides. Bundling is fine — quote both lines, do not treat the post as free with the video.
+Can brands require the community post to stay up forever?
Default to 30 days visible on your Posts tab, then you may archive. YouTube does not offer pinning for ordinary channel posts — only a visibility window you control. Evergreen placement is a higher fee (often +50–100% of the 30-day post) because it crowds your tab.
+Do I need to share community-post click or vote stats?
Share what YouTube shows you if the SOW asks — usually a screenshot within 7 days. Guaranteeing CTR or poll outcomes is a refuse; you sold placement, not performance.
+Is a community image post the same as a thumbnail takeover?
No. Thumbnails live on videos. Sponsored Posts live on the Posts tab. Do not sell “feed takeover” language that mixes the two.
+Should Shorts creators even offer community posts?
Only if the tab is active for your audience. If your last organic community posts get negligible reach, price honestly or skip the SKU — do not invent inventory.
Add Posts tab SKUs to your YouTube menu
BlueRateCard can list mid-roll, Shorts, and community posts as separate packages so “a quick tab post” has a real number. Free for creators.