YouTube expands partnership with Shopify to onboard more brands into its affiliate programme

Video sharing platform YouTube has announced an expansion of its partnership with e-commerce platform Shopify to include more brands in its affiliate shopping programme. 

With this expansion, additional creators will be able to tag extra products in videos, as all Shopify Plus and Advanced merchants in the US are now eligible to join the programme. Brands that have been added include BK Beauty, Popflex, HexClad, and more. 

All creators need to do is install the Google and YouTube app on Shopify and follow the instructions. The Google Merchant Center will also enable users to manage the programme as well as view analytics, content, and products. 

Further to expanding its partnership with Shopify, YouTube is enhancing its shopping experience by introducing a new Chrome extension for US creators allowing them to save products while browsing a brand or retailer’s site – facilitating repeat tags in future content. 

Additionally, creators can find out how much they will earn from tagging a product in their YouTube video through the extension without having to leave the site. 

The new features from YouTube Shopping stands to make the platform more of a competitor to TikTok Shop, which has gradually increased in popularity since its launch in September 2023, and as of last year, has generated $11.09 bn in gross merchandise volume (GMV) and sold 370 million items.

According to YouTube, people have watched more than 30 billion hours of shopping related videos on its platform and it is continuing to work on making it easier for shopping creators to connect with fans through easier tagging, being able to shop for new favourites, and more. 

A spokesperson from YouTube said: “We’re thrilled to share these updates to YouTube Shopping as we continue to empower merchants and creators to collaborate more effectively and build thriving businesses.”