YouTube Shopping expands Amazon product tagging for eligible US creators

Mumbai: Shopping is moving a little closer to the screen. YouTube has detailed how eligible creators can tag Amazon products directly in videos, Shorts and livestreams, allowing viewers to discover and purchase products through Amazon while giving creators an additional route to earn commissions.

The feature is available to creators who meet specific eligibility requirements. They must be part of the YouTube Partner Program and enrolled in the YouTube Shopping affiliate programme in the US. They must also have an active and compliant account with either the Amazon Influencer Program or Amazon Associates Program.

Creators are required to link their YouTube channel to their Amazon account before they can tag products. Those already enrolled in either Amazon programme can complete the linking process through their Amazon Storefront.

For accounts that were linked before September 2024, YouTube said the Amazon account will need to be linked again through the updated process.

Once access is enabled, creators can use YouTube Studio’s product picker to select eligible Amazon products for their content. YouTube also offers an auto-tagging option, which can identify eligible Amazon products in recent uploads and potentially future content.

Creators can suggest products they want made available for tagging by contacting YouTube Creator Support and sharing the relevant product URL.

The feature is designed to make product discovery more seamless by moving beyond conventional links placed in video descriptions. When viewers click tagged products and make qualifying purchases, creators can earn commissions.

YouTube Studio will provide performance information such as clicks and estimated revenue. Finalised Amazon earnings are paid through the creator’s AdSense account alongside existing YouTube affiliate programme payments.

Commissions operate on a monthly cycle. For example, commissions that lock in January are paid during the March AdSense payment cycle. Returns can affect earnings, with refunded purchases potentially being deducted from a creator’s current balance. If the balance turns negative at the end of a monthly cycle, it rolls over until future earnings bring it back into positive territory.

The programme also has an international angle. YouTube Shopping may automatically match a tagged Amazon product with a trusted local merchant offer, allowing creators to earn commissions from eligible purchases by international viewers. If no local match is available, viewers may be directed to the Amazon US storefront or their local storefront.

However, creators will not get a product-by-product or video-by-video breakdown of Amazon purchases. YouTube said they can view aggregate daily revenue, clicks and sales, but cannot identify which specific video or product generated an individual Amazon purchase.

There are also limits around eligibility. Only one YouTube channel per Amazon account can be eligible to tag Amazon products. Tagging access can also be disabled if an Amazon Influencer Program or Amazon Associates account is closed, or if the YouTube channel is unlinked from the Amazon account.

The integration adds another layer to YouTube’s growing shopping ecosystem, turning creator content into a more direct path from product discovery to purchase. For eligible creators, the pitch is straightforward: fewer steps between the recommendation and the checkout could mean more opportunities to monetise their influence.