Esports brands face a unique challenge: finding the right gaming creators across Twitch, YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram while tracking performance across live streams, short-form video, and traditional posts. With the esports market projected to reach $1.87 billion by 2025, the stakes for getting creator marketing right have never been higher. The global influencer marketing platform market size was valued at $20.24 billion in 2024 and is projected to grow to $70.86 billion by 2032.

The problem? Most influencer marketing platforms weren't built for gaming. They lack Twitch integration, miss short-form video content, and can't track the untagged mentions that happen constantly in gaming communities. Esports brands need specialized tools that capture everything their community posts—from tournament highlights to casual gameplay clips.

Key Takeaways

• Archive leads for esports brands needing AI-powered social listening: Archive's AI watches video, listens to audio, and reads text to detect brand mentions across TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube—even without tags.
• Twitch support varies widely across platforms: Only about half of influencer marketing platforms offer native Twitch integration, making this a critical differentiator for esports brands.
• Budget options exist for indie studios: Platforms like Modash ($199/month) and IMAI ($959/month) offer gaming-focused features without enterprise pricing.
• Brand safety vetting is essential for esports: Gaming content can be unpredictable, and AI-powered brand safety tools protect partnerships from reputational risks.
• Attribution tracking matters for mobile gaming: Platforms with AppsFlyer, Adjust, and Kochava integrations help gaming brands track installs and in-game revenue.

1) Archive — AI-Powered Social Listening for Gaming Communities

Archive is a creator marketing platform built for brands that want to track everything their community posts in one place. For esports brands, this means detecting gaming content across TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube without manually screenshotting or maintaining spreadsheets.

Key Features

• Social Listening — Detects and understands what your gaming community posts, including short-form video and Stories that disappear after 24 hours
• Creator Search — Find gaming creators by brands they've posted about, follower count, location, and content type
• Brand Safety Vetting — AI checks historic creator content against your rules, critical for the often-unfiltered gaming world
• Campaign Reporting — Prove ROI to leadership with automated reporting that shows what's working

Archive's AI watches video, listens to audio, and reads text to turn every detected post into searchable, brand-safe data. Smart AI Fields automatically tag posts with products, campaigns, sentiment, and custom fields—turning unlabeled gaming content into actionable insights.

Archive tracks 400% more content than competing platforms, eliminating the manual work of tracking thousands of posts across social platforms.

Why Archive Leads for Esports Brands

• Track gaming content without jumping between tools
• Detect Stories 24/7 before they disappear
• Find nano-influencers already talking about your game
• Get usage rights to repurpose UGC for ads
• See competitor insights and social share of voice

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Obviously, we put Archive first—but the platform's social listening and creator discovery capabilities genuinely address the specific challenges esports brands face when scaling creator programs.

2) GRIN — All-in-One Creator Management

GRIN provides comprehensive creator management with strong Shopify integration, making it valuable for esports brands with merchandise lines. The platform supports discovery, outreach, content management, and payment in one system.

Best For

Gaming brands selling physical merchandise through eCommerce

Key Features

• Influencer discovery with lookalike tool for finding similar creators
• Integration across Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, Twitch, and YouTube
• SMS and Slack integration for reaching Gen Z gaming audiences
• Automated content pulling and performance tracking

The platform's eCommerce focus makes it particularly strong for gaming merchandise and peripheral brands.

Pros

• Strong Shopify integration for merchandise tracking
• Comprehensive all-in-one platform
• Multi-platform support including Twitch

Cons

• Higher entry pricing tier
• May include features unnecessary for non-eCommerce brands

Pricing

• Free trial available
• Lite: $399/month
• Essentials: $699/month
• Growth: $1,149/month
• Complete: $1,799/month

3) Upfluence — Comprehensive Database with AI Features

Upfluence maintains a database of over 3 million influencers with 20+ search filters for discovery. The platform recently added ChatGPT-powered campaign management features.

Best For

Gaming brands needing extensive creator search capabilities

Key Features

• Shopping habits filter to find creators who are already customers
• Direct creator payment from platform
• Social listening capabilities for brand monitoring
• Support for Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, Twitch, TikTok, X, and Pinterest

The platform has been trusted by brands like L'Oréal, Nestlé, and HP since 2013.

Pros

• Extensive influencer database
• AI-powered campaign features
• Multi-platform coverage

Cons

• Custom pricing lacks transparency
• May be complex for smaller teams

Pricing

Custom pricing with free tools available

4) Viral Nation — Enterprise Brand Safety for AAA Gaming

Viral Nation serves AAA gaming clients including Activision Blizzard, Krafton (PUBG), and Meta Quest. Their VN Secure™ technology won the SXSW Innovation Award for AI brand safety.

Best For

Major gaming publishers requiring AI-powered brand safety

Key Features

• CreatorOS proprietary software for campaign management
• Custom risk tolerance parameters for brand safety
• Documented esports results: 32% YoY subscription increase for Call of Duty League
• 96 million impressions achieved for Activision Blizzard Esports

For enterprise gaming brands where brand safety is paramount, Viral Nation offers the most proven track record.

Pros

• Industry-leading brand safety technology
• Proven AAA gaming case studies
• Enterprise-grade campaign management

Cons

• Enterprise-only positioning
• Custom pricing only

Pricing

Pricing available upon request

5) CreatorIQ — Enterprise AI and Fraud Detection

CreatorIQ indexes 22+ million creators and uses AI-powered semantic search for discovery. The platform's fraud detection capabilities help gaming brands avoid inauthentic influencers.

Best For

Large esports organizations needing advanced analytics

Key Features

• Google AI integration for creator discovery
• Active audience score measuring follower authenticity
• 3-year content history review for brand safety
• Built-in CRM for influencer relationship management
• Support for Facebook, Instagram, X, YouTube, Pinterest, and Twitch

The platform "minimizes problems like inflated reach metrics, follower fraud, and inauthentic influencers" according to industry analysis.

Pros

• Advanced fraud detection
• Extensive creator database
• AI-powered discovery tools

Cons

• Enterprise pricing only
• May be overkill for smaller organizations

Pricing

Pricing available upon request

6) GameInfluencer — Gaming-Only Platform

GameInfluencer positions itself as the leader in influencer marketing for gaming with a database of 3.1+ million gaming creators. The platform specializes in PC, console, and mobile game campaigns.

Best For

Game developers and publishers wanting specialized expertise

Key Features

• Integration with AppsFlyer, Adjust, Tune, and Kochava for attribution
• Organic content licensing and branded content creation
• Video production services for game trailers
• Esports partnership facilitation
• Coverage across Facebook, Instagram, X, YouTube, Snapchat, TikTok, and Twitch

For gaming brands wanting a platform built exclusively for the industry, GameInfluencer offers focused expertise.

Pros

• Gaming-exclusive focus
• Strong attribution tracking
• Video production services

Cons

• Per-campaign pricing may be unpredictable
• Limited to gaming vertical only

Pricing

Custom pricing per campaign

7) Aspire — Creator Marketplace Model

Aspire (formerly AspireIQ) provides access to 170+ million profiles through a marketplace model where creators can apply to campaigns. The Meta partnership enables content allowlisting and licensing.

Best For

Gaming brands building long-term creator relationships

Key Features

• Creator Marketplace for two-way discovery
• Image Search for finding creators with matching aesthetics
• Tinder-style Quickmatch system for brand-influencer pairing
• Creators must have 1,000+ followers to access campaigns

The marketplace approach works well for gaming brands wanting creators who are genuinely interested in their games.

Pros

• Two-way marketplace reduces outreach time
• Meta partnership for content licensing
• Interest-based matching system

Cons

• Custom pricing not disclosed
• Minimum follower requirements may exclude micro-influencers

Pricing

Pricing available upon request

8) Modash — Best Value with Esports Track Record

Modash indexes 250+ million profiles—every creator with 1,000+ followers on Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok. The platform has been used by Blast Esports for influencer recruitment.

Best For

Mid-sized gaming brands seeking strong analytics at competitive pricing

Key Features

• Engagement rate contextualized against platform averages
• Gmail integration for communications management
• Fake follower detection and lookalike feature
• Shopify integration for revenue tracking

Pros

• Competitive pricing for features offered
• Proven esports case studies
• Strong analytics capabilities

Cons

• Limited to Instagram, YouTube, TikTok
• No native Twitch integration

Pricing

• Essentials: $299/month or $199/month annually
• Performance: $599/month or $499/month annually
• Enterprise: Custom pricing

9) InfluencerMarketing.AI (IMAI) — Performance-Focused at Entry Pricing

IMAI provides access to 400+ million profiles with a focus on conversion tracking rather than vanity metrics. The Performance Score predicts which influencers will drive actual conversions.

Best For

Mobile gaming studios and indie developers

Key Features

• Sales attribution tracking across platforms
• Creator earnings dashboard for revenue-share transparency
• AI-powered brief generation
• Real-time revenue tracking for affiliate campaigns
• Support for Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Twitch, and X

The platform offers comprehensive features at accessible pricing for indie developers.

Pros

• Performance-focused metrics
• Twitch support included
• Accessible pricing with free trial

Cons

• Single pricing tier may lack flexibility
• Fewer enterprise features

Pricing

Full feature set at $959/month; free trial available

10) Brandwatch — Social Listening for Gaming Communities

Brandwatch has operated since 2007 and provides comprehensive social analytics alongside influencer marketing capabilities. The platform excels at monitoring gaming product reactions across communities.

Best For

Gaming brands prioritizing community sentiment monitoring

Key Features

• Private influencer network creation
• White-labeled dashboards for reporting
• Automated email tracking for communications
• Multilingual campaign reporting
• Coverage includes Twitch, TikTok, Instagram, X, Facebook, and YouTube

The platform's long operational history provides stability for enterprise gaming organizations.

Pros

• Strong social listening capabilities
• Multilingual support
• White-labeled reporting

Cons

• Custom pricing only
• May be complex for small teams

Pricing

Custom pricing available upon request

11) Wehype — Streaming Specialist Since 2016

Wehype has activated 35,000+ influencers across 230+ games since 2016. Their AI-powered creator matching focuses exclusively on Twitch and YouTube streaming.

Best For

Game launches needing simultaneous streamer activations

Key Features

• "Boost" feature to simultaneously engage hundreds of creators
• Multiple content formats: Let's Play, Boost, Watch Party
• Cost per viewer hour and CPM pricing models
• Global presence across 90+ nations

Pros

• Streaming-exclusive focus
• Simultaneous multi-creator activation
• Global reach

Cons

• Limited to Twitch and YouTube
• Custom pricing only

Pricing

Custom pricing available upon request

12) inStreamly — Live Stream Advertising Innovation

inStreamly connects brands with 116,000+ streamers through automated micro-sponsorships. The platform claims 100% view-through rate since branded animations appear directly in streams.

Best For

Brands wanting non-skippable streamer integrations

Key Features

• Branded animations for live streams
• Audience targeting by game, chat interaction, and external data
• Click-through rates up to 10%
• Automated campaign setup across hundreds of streams
• Streamers earn per view regardless of audience size

For esports brands wanting guaranteed impressions during live streams, inStreamly's format eliminates ad-blocking concerns.

Pros

• Non-skippable in-stream placement
• High view-through rates
• Automated campaign setup

Cons

• Custom pricing only
• Limited to live streaming format

Pricing

Custom pricing available upon request

13) NeoReach — Enterprise Platform with Web3 Expertise

NeoReach indexes 5+ million influencers and maintains dedicated gaming influencer lists for specific titles like Call of Duty and Counter-Strike. The platform offers emerging expertise in Web3 gaming marketing.

Best For

Gaming brands in NFT/blockchain gaming

Key Features

• Algorithm-based social data mining
• AI suggestions based on campaign goals
• NFT/blockchain gaming marketing specialization
• Conversion analysis to replicate effective content

Enterprise-only positioning targets major gaming publishers.

Pros

• Web3 gaming expertise
• Game-specific influencer lists
• AI-powered recommendations

Cons

• High minimum investment
• Enterprise-only pricing

Pricing

Custom pricing per campaign; Platform and API pricing upon request

14) Impact.com — Attribution Leader with Gaming Case Studies

Impact.com documented a case study with Razer achieving 34% partnership program growth and 33% decrease in manual management time. The platform offers the strongest attribution capabilities for gaming.

Best For

Multi-platform games needing cross-device tracking

Key Features

• Enhanced Discovery with AI recommendations
• Fraud detection for fake installs
• 90-day performance prediction
• Cross-device tracking for PC/console/mobile games
• Broadest platform coverage including WeChat and Weibo

The platform provides enterprise-level attribution at accessible starting prices.

Pros

• Strong attribution tracking
• Proven gaming case studies
• Fraud detection capabilities

Cons

• Complex for simple campaigns
• Learning curve for full feature set

Pricing

Pricing available upon request

15) Streamcoi — Esports Team Network Management

Streamcoi specializes in esports team network management with 70,000+ streamers across 14 regions. Tournament organizers use the platform for event-based campaigns.

Best For

Esports organizations managing multiple team rosters

Key Features

• Unified dashboard for esports organization networks
• Content library for overlays and video clips
• Real-time statistics and clip downloads
• Built-in chat and collaboration tools

A 30-day free trial allows testing before commitment. The platform focuses exclusively on Twitch and YouTube streaming.

Pros

• Esports team-focused features
• Free trial available
• Real-time statistics

Cons

• Limited to Twitch and YouTube
• Niche focus may not suit all brands

Pricing

Custom pricing available upon request

16) #paid — In-Game Content Licensing

#paid pioneered whitelisting for gaming with unique content licensing for in-game ads. The "raise hand" system lets creators express genuine interest in campaigns.

Best For

Gaming brands wanting creator content for in-game advertising

Key Features

• Whitelisted Ads turning creator content into paid ads
• In-game usage rights for pre-game and in-game placement
• Fraud detection for audience authenticity
• Support for Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok

The platform offers competitive pricing for gaming brands wanting authentic ad creative.

Pros

• In-game content licensing
• Creator interest-based matching
• Fraud detection included

Cons

• No Twitch support
• Limited platform coverage

Pricing

Pricing available upon request

17) Creator.co — NFT Gaming Marketplace

Creator.co provides access to 200+ million creators with a unique Creator's Passport NFT for Web3 gaming campaigns. The platform combines influencer marketing with affiliate program creation.

Best For

Web3 gaming projects and NFT game developers

Key Features

• NFT gaming creator marketplace
• Campaign specialist assistance on startup plan
• Affiliate program creation
• Managed service packages with paid ads

The platform suits gaming brands with Web3 ambitions.

Pros

• Web3/NFT gaming focus
• Affiliate program creation
• Campaign specialist support

Cons

• Higher starting price
• Niche Web3 focus

Pricing

Starting at $995/month

18) Julius — Human-Curated with Esports Heritage

Julius began as Thuzio, an athlete talent agency, before expanding into influencer marketing. The platform offers 120,000+ vetted influencers with human analysts reviewing every profile.

Best For

Gaming brands wanting athlete-influencer hybrid partnerships

Key Features

• 50+ search filters for precise discovery
• Analyst-reviewed profiles combining human judgment with data
• Part of Triller creator network since 2023
• Social listening for past collaborations
• Coverage across Instagram, Facebook, X, TikTok, YouTube, Pinterest, and Snapchat

For esports brands wanting partnerships with competitive gamers who have athlete-level followings, Julius offers unique heritage in this space.

Pros

• Human-curated profiles
• Athlete-influencer expertise
• Extensive search filters

Cons

• No Twitch support
• Custom pricing only

Pricing

Pricing available upon request

How to Choose the Right Platform for Your Esports Brand

Selecting an influencer marketing platform depends on your specific gaming vertical and campaign objectives:

For game publishers and developers: Prioritize platforms with attribution tracking to measure installs and in-game revenue.

For esports teams and tournament organizers: Look for streaming-focused platforms with Twitch integration and team management features.

For gaming merchandise and peripherals: Choose platforms with eCommerce integration to track sales attribution.

For comprehensive creator marketing: Archive provides the social listening and creator discovery capabilities that capture everything your gaming community posts—without the manual work of screenshots and spreadsheets.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do influencer marketing platforms specifically cater to the esports industry?

Gaming-specialized platforms offer Twitch integration, streaming analytics, and attribution tracking for app installs. They also provide gaming-specific creator databases and understand metrics like viewer hours and concurrent viewers that matter for streaming campaigns.

What are the key features to look for in an influencer marketing platform for esports brands?

Prioritize Twitch support, fraud detection for audience authenticity, attribution tracking with mobile measurement partners (AppsFlyer, Adjust), and brand safety vetting. For UGC-heavy campaigns, look for automatic content capture and usage rights management.

How can AI assist in finding and vetting appropriate esports influencers?

AI-powered platforms analyze creator content history, audience demographics, and engagement patterns to identify brand-safe partnerships. Archive's AI watches video, listens to audio, and reads text to detect brand mentions and label content with sentiment and relevance scores.

What's the difference between social listening and creator discovery for esports?

Social listening tracks what your gaming community is already posting about you across platforms. Creator discovery helps you find new creators to partner with. The best platforms combine both—capturing organic mentions while identifying potential ambassadors.

How can esports brands measure the success of their influencer marketing campaigns?

Track earned media value, engagement rates, viewer hours for streaming content, and attribution metrics like installs and in-game purchases. Platforms with integrated campaign reporting automate these metrics for leadership presentations.

Is it possible to track untagged mentions of my brand in esports content?

Yes—platforms with AI video analysis can detect brand mentions in gaming content even without direct tags. Archive Radar provides AI video social listening that identifies brand appearances in posts where you weren't tagged.