To earn commission on YouTube Shopping, your channel must be in the YouTube Partner Program, join the affiliate program in YouTube Studio and tag products in your videos. You earn when a viewer clicks your tagged product and buys on the retailer’s site. Payment arrives 60 to 120 days after the purchase.
Who can use the affiliate program?
According to YouTube Help, your channel must be in the Partner Program and meet its subscriber threshold (the page does not state the number). You must also be based in one of the listed countries, and the United States is on the list. Music channels, Official Artist Channels and channels tied to music partners are not eligible. Your channel audience cannot be set to “Made for Kids,” and the channel cannot have a significant number of videos set that way.
Criteria can differ in pilot programs. If sign-up fails, check that your channel meets the criteria, that the content owner accepted the agreement if someone else manages the channel, and that you are signed in to the right channel.
How do you join the program?
- Sign in to YouTube Studio.
- In the left menu, select Earn.
- Under Programs, click Join Now.
- Review and accept the YouTube Shopping Affiliate Program Terms of Service.
- Start tagging products, following the tagging guidelines.
Menu names change over time, and the Portuguese version of the same page calls this menu “Monetização.” If you do not see the option, look in the monetization area of Studio or contact Creator Support.
How do you tag products in a video?
For a new video, upload it in Studio, open the description on the Details page and click Products. Click the add icon, search for the product name, select it and drag it to the indicated area. For a video that is already live, select Content, click the video and follow the same path.
On videos at least 1 minute long you can add timestamps, but only on a computer. For Shorts, the product sticker is set mostly in the YouTube mobile app: tap stickers, then Products, search for the item and add it. The first product in the list becomes the sticker.
Which tagging rules do you need to follow?
YouTube’s guidelines ask for the following:
- The product is easy to identify, prominently featured and mentioned verbally or in text, such as the title, the frame or the description.
- The product is meaningfully related to your content, such as an item you demonstrate or review.
- Viewers can clearly see the design or function, with no brief, blurred or obscured depictions.
- The product is used as the manufacturer intends, including safe use.
- For sponsored products, the brand must be referenced in every segment where you tag its products.
The limit is 60 products per video or Short. Tags that break the guidelines may be removed, and YouTube sends a notification explaining the issue. Spam tagging, meaning indiscriminately tagging unrelated products, is not allowed, and repeated violations could cost your channel access to the program. To find videos with removed tags, go to the Content page in Studio, filter by Products and choose Tagging violation.
When do tags not work?
You cannot add tags to content made for kids, content with a copyright claim, content limited or ineligible for monetization, or content with a Creator Music revenue-sharing track. A Short with a product sticker cannot use a non-shopping sound. For viewers, tags do not work outside an eligible country or on a mobile browser, smart TV or game console. A retailer may also remove a product, for example when it is out of stock.
How much will you earn, and when?
The brand or retailer sets the commission and the attribution window per product, and the rate appears on each item. There is no single percentage, so check each offer in Studio before you tag.
Payment comes through AdSense for YouTube, 60 to 120 days after purchase. Cancellations, full refunds and exchanges during the settlement period can change the amount, and a returned product reverses the commission. The page also describes a temporary incentive in which 100% of commissions from affiliate merchants go to creators, with at least 30 days’ notice before it ends.
Here is our own example, only to show the math and not a prediction. Say an item priced at $50 pays a hypothetical 5% commission, so each purchase would earn $2.50. If 10 people buy and 2 return the item, 8 commissions remain, or $20, paid months later. The point is that your net depends on returns and timing, not only on the rate.
Can you share the link outside YouTube?
No. YouTube Help says it is against the terms to send non-YouTube traffic to merchants using your Shopping affiliate links, including syndicating links on external sites, automated redirects, click injection and cookie stuffing. The penalty can be suspension of affiliate features, and your content stops earning commissions. If you want to earn from a website or blog, use separate affiliate programs, such as the Amazon Associates program.
Which mistakes hurt most?
- Tagging a product that barely appears in the video. That goes against the rule that the product be prominently featured and mentioned.
- Skipping the disclosure. For endorsed or sponsored content, follow YouTube’s branded content policies.
- Counting on the money early. A 60 to 120 day wait needs your own cash buffer.
- Choosing a product only by rate. A high commission on an item with many returns earns less than it looks.
- Ignoring your audience. Tag what your viewers would actually buy.
Who should skip this path?
It does not suit channels that have not reached the Partner Program, music channels, channels set as made for kids, or anyone who needs income within a few weeks. To understand the general requirements for earning on the platform, read how to monetize a YouTube channel. If you would rather create content for brands than earn commission, see what a UGC creator is.
Frequently asked questions
Does tagging products on YouTube cost anything?
The help pages we reviewed do not mention a fee to join the program. You earn commission when a purchase happens, and the amount depends on each retailer’s offer.
Can I tag products in Shorts?
Yes. The product sticker for Shorts is set mostly in the YouTube mobile app. Timestamps are not available for Shorts.
What happens if the customer returns the product?
The commission is reversed. Cancellations, full refunds and exchanges during the settlement period can also change the amount.
How many products can I tag per video?
Up to 60 per video or Short, according to YouTube’s guidelines page. Tagging many items unrelated to your content is not allowed.
