YouTube Shopping expands in India, affiliate program to unlock new creator revenue streams

YouTube has introduced a new Shopping affiliate program in India, allowing creators to earn commissions by tagging and promoting products from major brands, including Flipkart and Myntra, directly within their videos, Shorts, and live streams. Through this program, viewers can discover and purchase products recommended by their favourite creators without leaving YouTube.

The affiliate program aims to strengthen the connection between creators and their audience, giving creators another income stream on top of traditional ad revenue, YouTube Premium, and brand collaborations. This launch aligns with YouTube’s strategy to enhance social and video commerce by linking brands with creators to reach diverse audiences in India.

Travis Katz, General Manager and Vice President of Shopping at YouTube, emphasised the potential of this program, noting, “The incredible global success of YouTube Shopping, with over 30 billion hours of shopping-related content watched in 2023 alone, demonstrates the power of connecting creators, viewers, and brands in exciting new ways.” Katz added that the move opens up a new phase of product discovery, strengthening the creator-viewer connection through personalised shopping experiences.

For brands like Flipkart and Myntra, the partnership offers a dynamic format for showcasing products and engaging audiences through video. Ravi Iyer, Senior VP at Flipkart Group, highlighted the broader implications for video commerce, stating that the program “boosts customer engagement by enabling product discovery through creators on YouTube.” Both companies have embraced social and video commerce with positive customer feedback, making it an ideal fit for India’s rapidly growing digital shopping ecosystem.

Eligible creators can access the program through YouTube Studio, making it easy to tag and promote products across content formats, including VOD, Shorts, and live streams. Viewers can explore tagged products in the description and “Product” sections and complete purchases seamlessly on the retailer’s site.

YouTube’s affiliate program caters to the demands of India’s thriving creator economy, where consumers increasingly rely on digital video for shopping recommendations. According to YouTube, over 65% of Indian consumers trust creators’ recommendations over traditional advertising, signalling a strong foundation for the success of this new feature.