YouTube buys FameBit, a startup that connects YouTube stars with advertisers

Lots of YouTube stars — and even YouTube video makers who aren’t stars — make money by endorsing products in their clips.

Now YouTube is buying FameBit, one of several companies that connects YouTubers and other “influencers” with brands.

Google, YouTube’s parent company, says FameBit will remain a standalone company “for now,” and that it won’t require YouTube uploaders to use FameBit if they want to work with advertisers within their videos.

But this deal seems very reminiscent of Twitter’s 2015 acquisition of Niche, another brands+social media stars startup; in that case, Niche eventually became integrated into Twitter’s sales team and pitch.

FameBit co-founders Agnes Kozera and Dave Kierzkowski had previously raised at least $1.5 million from investors including Science, the Los Angeles-based startup incubator/investor. Science had also backed HelloSociety, a brands+influencers company that sold to the New York Times earlier this year.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

This article originally appeared on Recode.net.

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