YouTube has brought its affiliate program to India just in time for the local festive season. This program allows creators to tag products in their videos and earn referrals. The company has partnered with Flipkart and Myntra to give creators access to their product catalogs.
To be part of the affiliate program, creators need to be listed in the partner program and have a minimum of 10,000 subscribers. This initiative follows YouTube’s previous move to allow creators in India to showcase their own merchandise on their channels. Now, creators can tag products they mention in their videos, shorts, and livestreams.
In the U.S., YouTube has been experimenting with shopping-related programs for a few years now. In 2022, the platform started testing affiliate links in Shorts. The following year, they introduced a feature that enables creators to tag products in bulk across their video library, allowing them to monetize older content.
YouTube recently expanded its collaboration with Shopify to offer creators access to a wider range of products. Moreover, the platform has introduced new features like shopping collections and an affiliate hub to enhance the shopping experience for both creators and viewers.
With over 400 million users, India is YouTube’s largest market. The country boasts more than 110,000 channels and 100,000 subscribers. Since the launch of Shorts in India in 2020, users have watched these short videos over a trillion times.
In addition to India, YouTube has active affiliate programs in South Korea, Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam. The platform aims to make product discovery seamless across various video formats and devices, including mobile, web, and Connected TVs.
The introduction of the affiliate program in India signifies YouTube’s commitment to supporting creators and enhancing the shopping experience for users. By enabling creators to monetize their content through product referrals, YouTube is empowering them to connect with their audiences in new and innovative ways. This initiative aligns with the platform’s mission to provide valuable opportunities for creators to thrive in the digital space.
