Why we founded adshot
Sometimes people ask us why we founded Adshot, a place where brands can collaborate with influential gamers. These influential gamers can find and manage these requests made by brands on our website.
Let me tell you my story
Since my first GameBoy (the brick one — Hell yeah!) I’ve always been attracted to gaming.
I’ve ran through all the PS consoles and played multiple oldschool shooters like Soldiers of Fortune II on PC. But my main addiction was Runescape (boo! boo!).
A little over ten years ago (!) I uploaded my first video on Youtube about Runescape.
As you can see I’ve gotten 8.000 views on my video, which for me at least, was crazy.
That was the moment I realized how powerful gaming content on Youtube was because so many people simply love to watch videos about their favorite game or gamer.
Due to bad updates on Runescape and because I was going to college and later university I decided to lay off gaming for a while.
When I re-entered ‘the gaming scene’ in 2013–2014 I was glad that a lot had changed.
Youtube was taking gaming more serious and was planning major updates, Twitch had become popular (& Amazon bought it).
After graduating I became an online marketer at a small consultancy firm that helps brands to build their online presence, and of course, to sell more.
One of my first projects was a Belgian computer shop that wanted to reach gamers with its products.
None of the gamers cared about website banners, pre-roll youtube advertisements or whatsoever, and they were right.
Let’s be honest, I don’t get excited looking at a banner on a website about gaming, nor do I get thrilled by a video that pops up when I’m trying to watch my favorite gamer’s new video.
Why is online marketing failing and why are many content creators not earning what they deserve?
An advertising banner on a blog post has nothing to do with the author who wrote the article.
A video advertisement does not create any connection with the person that created the video I’m trying to watch.
Somewhere along the way, especially Google (Youtube) and other publishing networks have lost sight of the one person that can bridge the gap between brands and audiences viewing content.
The content creator him/herself.
Rented ad spaces on content that are completely detached from the creator of that content will never yield favorable results.
Only the creator of that content should be able to choose which brands or messages he empowers, not the ad network itself.
If a tale is told by a creator because he honestly likes the brand he is talking about, the message is truthful and convincing. Messages by any other advertisements can never display that kind of purity.
Brands are realizing that and are turning away from Youtube advertising for example. Youtube in the reaction does the worst thing possible: Demonetizing creators who are the sole reason for their success.
As an (online) marketer I’m frustrated that I’m not able to really connect brands (that deserve to ask attention) online with meaningful audiences.
This is due to the impersonal advertising solutions that are currently being offered to advertisers.
Target all you want, you are still renting ad space.
As a gamer that played games and watched gaming videos for the greater part of his life, I’m frustrated.
Creators who are putting serious hours in creating the (gaming) content I love are seriously underpaid.
Luckily they get a lot of love from their followers, but unfortunately love does not pay the rent.
How are we trying to change this?
We are trying to unite all streamers & Youtubers -big or small- on our platform.
As our numbers increase and as we combine the reach of each gamers’ audience, we will have more influence on the way online marketing is done.
And how it should be done.
If Adshot gets a say, this will result in more income for creators whilst they are 100% free to choose which brands may get attention to their content and channels.
At the same time, we are trying to persuade leading brands to engage with gamers on our platform.
Our main selling point to brands is the automated flow of sponsorships done via our platform. This means that gamers can quickly find and manage sponsorships in their profile zone, without brands having to follow-up each step of the way.
Because we try to automate the way sponsorships are done, we keep the working costs low for brands.
Because of this automation, we encourage brands to sponsor multiple gaming channels instead of one big one, as there is not really an increase in their operational costs per extra sponsorship.