SponsorGauge

FAQ

If something isn't clear, it's probably here.

What is SponsorGauge?

People who sell sponsorships review the brands they work with. You can see if a sponsor paid, how they were to work with, and whether others would book them again.

Why did you build this?

Publishers already share this. One-on-one, in Slack, in private group chats. Who paid. Who vanished after the send. Who you'd actually work with again. If you're not in that thread, you don't know.

A sponsor that doesn't follow through on a contract can wreck a small publisher. In some cases it can break the business. Looking a brand up before you get in bed with them is just good practice.

We wanted one place for that, so the next person can protect themselves.

Can brands see this?

No. Brands can't join, and they can't see what's inside. This is a private room for publishers.

Why is it invite-only?

Reviews only work if they come from people who actually ran the campaigns. People with something to gain if a brand is good, and something to lose if they speak up. If anyone could sign up, brands would review themselves.

How do I get in?

Request access and tell us where you work. We read every application ourselves. If you're in, we'll email you a login link.

How do reviews work?

You say whether they paid and if you'd work with them again. Then a few questions about the work. That becomes a score out of 10.

What will I see?

Each brand has a score, how often they pay on time, and the written reviews. If nobody's reviewed them yet, you can ask. We don't collect rates, contracts, or subscriber numbers.

Can I post anonymously?

Yes. Your name and publication show unless you hide them, on one post or as your default in settings. Anonymous posts still show you're a verified member, plus your categories and audience size. Not your name, and not where you work.

How much does it cost?

It's free.

You do need to contribute. Post 3 reviews in a rolling 30 days to see the full feed and every review. After that, keep posting 3 every 30 days. The data only works if people keep adding to it.

Who is behind it?

Sponsy and Appeared.in. Sponsy is software for running sponsorships: the calendar, the assets, the invoices. Appeared.in tracks which brands are actually buying ads in newsletters and podcasts, so sales teams know who to pitch. We kept hearing the same stories from both.