---
title: 'YouTube Shopping Affiliate Program'
source: 'https://youtube.com/watch?v=C0L-bPeCuXM'
video_id: 'C0L-bPeCuXM'
date: 2026-08-01
duration_sec: 309
---

# YouTube Shopping Affiliate Program

> Source: [YouTube Shopping Affiliate Program](https://youtube.com/watch?v=C0L-bPeCuXM)

## Summary

This video offers a thorough walkthrough of the YouTube Shopping affiliate program, guiding creators through eligibility requirements, product tagging methods, live-stream integration, commission rules, and earnings tracking. It’s an official overview designed to help creators monetize their content with product recommendations.

### Key Points

- **Program Overview** [00:00] — The YouTube Shopping affiliate program lets creators tag products from brands and retailers, earning commission while giving viewers a seamless shopping experience.
- **Eligibility Requirements** [00:31] — Creators must be in the YouTube Partner Program, not an official artist or Made for Kids channel, be in an eligible country, and follow all community guidelines.
- **Two Tagging Methods** [00:46] — Products can be tagged automatically via AI or manually. Automatic tagging uses video information; manual tagging lets creators search and select products.
- **Enabling Automatic Tagging** [00:58] — In YouTube Studio, go to Channel > Advanced settings > Automatic Product Tagging and turn the setting on.
- **Manual Tagging Workflow** [01:35] — Tag products during upload from mobile or desktop, or on existing videos. Search by product name, URL, or filter by seller; save frequently used products.
- **Grouped Products** [01:47] — Grouped Products let you tag one item covering all variations (sizes, colors), preventing out-of-stock issues and letting viewers choose their preferred version.
- **Timestamps for Tags** [02:03] — On desktop, you can add timestamps so tags appear at the right moment; they show to viewers on all surfaces.
- **Live Stream Tagging** [02:18] — From Live Control Room, select Stream or Manage, click the Shopping tab, and pin a product to feature it during the stream.
- **Best Practices** [03:03] — Only tag products that are easily identifiable, featured prominently, or meaningfully related to content, and that are used as intended. Direct viewers to tags and tag popular videos.
- **Commission Structure** [03:44] — Earn commission on the entire basket if a viewer clicks your tag and buys other items. Payment comes via AdSense, typically 60-120 days after purchase; returns reverse commissions. Some brands offer up to 30-day conversion windows.
- **Tracking Earnings** [04:38] — In YouTube Studio, go to Earn > Shopping to see revenue, product clicks, orders, and total sales. Click View more for top products and top earning content.

### Conclusion

By following the eligibility criteria, using smart tagging techniques like Grouped Products, and monitoring performance in Studio, creators can effectively turn their influence into commission-based income.

## Transcript

The YouTube Shopping affiliate program lets  you easily tag products from a variety of   brands and retailers – giving viewers a seamless  and trusted shopping experience and letting you   earn commission and reach new audiences.  Let’s walk through how the program works,  
eligibility requirements, how to tag  products, and how to track your earnings. When you tag products in your videos, Shorts,  or live streams, a shopping tag appears,   on all viewer devices. To be eligible for the  YouTube Shopping affiliate program, you must:
Be in the YouTube Partner Program Not be an official artist or Made for Kids channel  Be in an eligible country And follow all community guidelines There are two ways to tag products on  your content: automatically and manually.
You can save time by letting YouTube help you  find, tag and timestamp products automatically   using AI and your video information. You can  always choose to edit, remove, or add tags to  
auto-tagged content in YouTube Studio. To turn on automatic tagging:  Choose “channel,” then “Advanced settings” Scroll down to “Automatic Product Tagging”  
and turn the setting on Click save Manual tagging lets you search and  select products to tag in your content.  You can tag products during the upload  flow from mobile or desktop. From mobile,  
at the “Add details” step go to “Tag Products”.  From desktop, at the “Video Elements” step, go to "Tag Products”. To add tags to existing products, go  to the video details page from mobile or desktop. 
You can search by product name, URL, or  filter by a specific seller, then add the   products you want to tag. If you frequently tag  the same products, save them by tapping the Save  
icon. You can easily find all your saved  products again by clicking the Save filter chip.  We also recommend using Grouped Products  when available, which let you tag one   item that encompasses all its variations— like  different sizes and colors. This helps you avoid  
"out-of-stock" issues, keeping your tag fresh for  longer and giving your audience the flexibility to   select the specific version that’s right for them. When tagging from a desktop, you can also add   timestamps to ensure your tags show at the  right moment, helping increase engagement. Note  
that even though you can only add timestamps on  desktop, they’ll show to viewers on all surfaces. You can also tag products in your live streams  and feature a tagged product by pinning it to   the stream. To tag products for your live  stream from a desktop, in Live Control Room 
Select Stream or Manage Click the Shopping tab  To remove a product, click  Trash next to the product.  To pin a tagged product for your stream,  select an item to promote. Click or drag  
it to the “Preview” panel, then click  “Pin Product.” For a mobile live stream,   you can tap the shopping button, then  pin the product you want to feature. Next, here are some things to keep in mind  and best practices when tagging products.
Only tag products if they’re easily  identifiable and featured prominently, or   if they’re meaningfully related to your content.  And only tag if the products are used as intended,   or you’re using the product in a safe way  that aligns with the manufacturer’s intent. 
When making new videos, remember to direct  your viewers to your tagged products  And consider tagging products  in both new and existing   videos – especially your most popular ones Fans trust your guidance. Be sure to tag  
products that you actually use and love to give  your audience high quality recommendations.  Also note that you may still be able to go through  the flow of tagging products, even if they won’t   show to viewers in cases where your content  is made for kids, contains claimed content,  
or other restrictions. So be sure to familiarize  yourself with these restrictions ahead of time. Here are a few things to keep in  mind when it comes to commissions: You’ll earn commission on the entire basket  size - so if a viewer clicks on your product  
tag and ends up buying other items, you’ll  receive commissions for everything they   purchase during that transaction. You’ll receive payment through your   AdSense account – typically 60-120 days  after purchase to account for returns,  
and AdSense payment timelines. If a  viewer returns an item they purchased,   the commissions you earn will be reversed. Some brands offer different conversion windows.   For example, you can earn commissions for up to 30  days after a viewer clicks on your tagged product,  
as long as that viewer didn’t click on  someone else’s affiliate link or product tag.  if viewers click from Affiliate  products tagged in your content.
Finally, let’s walk through how to track your  earnings. You can find earnings data by going   to YouTube Studio, then the “Earn” tab, then  “Shopping.” Here you’ll see an overview of your   shopping analytics including revenue, product  clicks, number of orders, and total sales.  
Hit “View more” to see deeper insights like your  top affiliate products and top earning content. For more info on the YouTube Shopping  Affiliate Program, check out the links   in the description below. Thanks for watching!