How to Find Brand Deals Using the App Store: A Learn With Kubi Brand Deal Strategy

Why the App Store Is a Hidden Brand Deal Database

The App Store isn't just where people download apps; it's also one of the most overlooked places for creators to discover potential brand partnerships.

Because every app is a business, many have marketing budgets dedicated to influencer marketing, affiliate marketing, UGC, and creator partnerships.

In this guide, I'll show you the exact App Store framework I use to identify brands that may be ready to work with creators.

You use the App Store to download apps. I use it to find brand deals…

About The Author

Hi 👋🏿

I'm Kubi, a Creator Marketing Specialist who helps creators better understand how brands evaluate partnerships and make marketing decisions. Through Learn With Kubi, I simplify creator marketing strategies into practical frameworks creators can actually use.

Today, I want to put you onto a strategy that most creators never hear. If this strategy works for you, thank me by tagging me in a public review!

Who This Strategy Works For

This strategy is useful for:

• UGC creators

• Influencers

• Content creators

• Creator managers

• Talent Agents

• Talent Managers

• Social media freelancers

• Creator marketing agencies

This is especially relevant if you:

• Want to land your first brand deal.

• Are tired of waiting for brands to find you.

• Want a more intentional way to discover partnership opportunities.

• Create content in a specific niche (fitness, finance, beauty, productivity, etc.).

• Want to pitch brands based on their current business needs instead of guessing.

Then, let’s get into it!

What Is the App Store Strategy?

The Learn With Kubi App Store Strategy is a 5-step framework that uses App Store rankings alongside public business clues to identify potential brand partnership opportunities.

First thing you need to remember is this: apps are businesses too, and many of them have dedicated marketing budgets for creator partnerships.

The key to this strategy isn’t just finding random apps, you want to find the ones that are aligned with you and leaving clues that they’re PITCH-ready.

What Is a Pitch-Ready Clue?

A pitch-ready clue is a public piece of evidence indicating a company may be more receptive to creator partnerships because of a current marketing objective.

Here are the 5 steps to the Learn With Kubi App Store Strategy:

Step 1: Discover Relevant Apps

Start by searching App Store categories that match the audience you already create content for. This helps you build a list of brands that naturally align with your niche. Example categories include: fitness, finance, productivity, beauty, travel, etc.

Step 2: Validate Marketing Activity

Look at the apps ranking at the top of the charts for those categories and make a list of them.

Step 3: Research Creator Programs

Use that list to research if those apps have influencer, affiliate, or creator marketing programs. You can also check if they have worked with creators in the past or are running Facebook ads. (I have a tutorial on this: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DXfx1GYDdeA/?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==.)

Step 4: Identify Pitch-Ready Clues

Research for clues the app is PITCH-ready.

Examples of Pitch-Ready Clues

• Funding announcement

• New feature launch

• New subscription plan

• International expansion

• Holiday campaign

• New CEO

• Hiring creator marketers

• Product launch

• Partnership announcement

• Retail expansion 

Step 5: Demonstrate Value Before You Pitch

BEFORE you pitch the app, create some sort of brand-ready content that incorporates implicit product placement and shows PROOF you can help them reach the audience they’re trying to acquire.

Need help writing your pitch? Try using Creator Brand Hub's pitch tool.

Here’s my referral link: https://www.creatorbrandhub.com/signup?referral_code=t03v7xxhzy.

How to Tell If an App Is Pitch-Ready

Think of App Store rankings as a starting point, not a green light. Rankings tell you there’s demand. Clues tell you when your pitch is most relevant.

When you combine the two, your brand outreach becomes much more strategic.

For example:

Top-ranked apps have already proven there’s demand for their product. They’re more likely to have larger marketing budgets, but they’re also more likely to receive a lot of creator pitches.

That’s why your advantage isn’t in simply pitching them.

Your advantage is waiting until you find pitch-ready clues (hints from the brand that suggest your outreach/pitch will be relevant/valuable to them).

Timing matters because most creators pitch from the perspective of: “Here’s what I can offer at some point, maybe it's now or down the line.”

Instead, you’re going to pitch from the perspective of: “Here’s how I can help your business accomplish what it’s already trying to do right now.”

The same idea applies to middle and lower-ranked apps.

A middle-ranked app may be in an aggressive growth phase and looking for more ways to acquire customers.

A lower-ranked app could be a struggling business with no budget OR it could be a startup that just raised funding and is preparing to scale.

Ranking = Context. Clues = Timing.

Another example:

If a startup just announced a funding round, that’s a pitch-ready clue. Now you’re not just saying “I love your app, pay me to make content.”

You’re saying how your content helps them achieve the business goal the clue suggests; whether that’s increasing awareness, educating potential customers, or driving downloads.

(I have a tutorial on creating content for different business goals: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DZpu_88taEd/?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==.)

So remember, the key to the App Store Strategy isn’t to just pitch every app you find.

The key is to identify the apps already leaving clues that your partnership is relevant and valuable to their business right now.

If you want to make this process repeatable, I’m finalizing a resource that helps you become more intentional about how you approach pitching to brands (and helps you get started if you’ve been intimidated by it).

Get notified when it’s live: LearnWithKubi.com/emails.