YouTube has added Amazon to its Shopping Affiliate Programme, allowing eligible US creators to tag products from the online retailer in videos and earn commission on resulting sales.
Creators will be able to add Amazon product tags to Shorts, long-form videos and livestreams. Viewers can then discover and purchase the featured products while watching, providing creators with a more integrated alternative to placing Amazon affiliate links in video descriptions.
The addition of the world’s largest online retailer strengthens YouTube’s push to connect video viewing directly with purchasing, as social platforms seek to turn creator recommendations and audience engagement into measurable commerce. It also gives creators access to a far broader range of products through a native shopping system, reducing reliance on affiliate links placed in video descriptions.
Amazon will provide YouTube with a curated catalogue of popular and trending products that can be tagged. Creators who cannot find a particular item will be able to request that it be added through YouTube’s support service.
YouTube will also offer an auto-tagging option, under which its systems can review recent and future uploads to identify eligible Amazon products featured in the content.
To access the integration, creators must be enrolled in both the YouTube Partner Programme and its US Shopping Affiliate Programme. They must also have an active Amazon Influencer Programme or Amazon Associates Programme account linked to their YouTube channel.
Creators will be able to monitor aggregate daily clicks, sales and estimated revenue through YouTube Studio, although the platform will not provide breakdowns showing which individual products or videos generated purchases. Finalised Amazon commissions will be paid through creators’ AdSense accounts alongside their existing YouTube affiliate earnings.
Although product tagging is initially limited to eligible creators in the US, the tags can be viewed internationally. YouTube may match tagged products with participating local retailers where possible, allowing creators to receive commission from eligible purchases outside the US. Otherwise, viewers may be directed to Amazon’s US storefront.
