YouTube Launches Shopping Feature in India to Empower Creators with New Monetization Opportunities

YouTube has taken a significant step by unveiling its shopping feature in India, enhancing opportunities for video creators within the nation. This new initiative, introduced with the collaboration of renowned e-commerce platforms, aims to broaden the monetization landscape for content creators. Previously launched in regions such as South Korea and the US, this program allows eligible creators to incorporate brand tagging in their content.

YouTube Shopping will be accessible across various formats, including standard videos, livestreams, and Shorts, on web and mobile platforms, as well as connected smart TVs. Starting today, creators can begin enrolling in YouTube Shopping. Upon receiving approval for their application to the affiliate program, they will have the capability to tag products and merchants within their content. This allows viewers to explore products seamlessly while still engaged with the video, enhancing the viewer’s experience. The shopping feature showcases tagged items directly in videos and livestreams. When viewers follow the provided links to make purchases on partnering sites like Flipkart and Myntra, creators will earn a commission based on the total amount spent by the viewer.

YouTube specifies that during the tagging process, the commission rates for various products will be communicated, and up to 30 products can be tagged in a single video. To qualify for this affiliate program, creators must fulfill several criteria. They must be part of the YouTube Partner Program, operate from India, and maintain a subscriber base exceeding 10,000. Notably, channels designed for children and those dedicated solely to music content are not eligible to participate in the initiative.

Moreover, the platform enforces certain restrictions, preventing channels with Community Guideline Strikes in specific policy areas from participating in the YouTube Shopping affiliate program. Tags for products will not appear in videos that feature claimed content, as clarified by YouTube. For those channels that meet the eligibility conditions for the YouTube Shopping affiliate program, the sign-up process can be completed through the YouTube Studio online portal.