Just ahead of the local festive season, YouTube has introduced its affiliate program in India, enabling creators to tag products in their videos and earn referrals. The platform is collaborating with Walmart-owned e-commerce service Flipkart and fashion retailer Myntra to provide access to their product catalogs for uploaders.
To qualify for this affiliate program, creators must have their channels listed in the partner program and maintain at least 10,000 subscribers. YouTube already allows selected Indian creators to list their own merchandise on their channels, and now creators can tag products they might discuss in videos, shorts, and livestreams.
In the U.S., YouTube has been expanding its affiliate link features over the past few years. In 2022, the video streaming service began testing affiliate links in Shorts, followed by a feature enabling bulk tagging of products across their library in 2023 to monetize older videos. Additionally, in August, YouTube expanded partnerships with Shopify to offer creators access to thousands of products.
The company emphasizes that its product discovery is seamless across various formats—long-form videos, Shorts, and live streams—on devices like mobile, web, and connected TVs. This approach aims to amplify the impact creators can have and simplify connecting with their audiences.
India holds the largest user base for YouTube, with over 400 million users since Shorts launched in 2020, resulting in over a trillion views on the platform. Influencer marketing platform Quroz’s founder, Praanesh Bhuvaneswar, noted that this step is significant for creators but advises caution not to oversell products.
YouTube also operates affiliate programs in South Korea, Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam, showcasing its global reach beyond India.
Key Points:
- Partnerships: Collaborating with Flipkart and Myntra, YouTube provides access to a wide range of products for creators.
- Eligibility: Creators must have 10,000 subscribers or more.
- Program Features: Includes bulk tagging for product mentions in videos and Shorts.
- Audience Impact: Enhances creator engagement and amplifies their influence through seamless product discovery.
This initiative marks a milestone in the evolving landscape of creator economy, offering opportunities for smaller creators who might otherwise struggle to gain mainstream visibility.
