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YouTube has offered shopping in many regions for a while, now people in India can also explore the platform.
YouTube is now rivaling TikTok and other platforms with its shopping hub
YouTube has launched a its shopping affiliate program in India that enables creators to tag and promote products from well-known companies, such as Flipkart and Myntra, directly in their live streams, videos and shorts to earn commissions.
With this program, users can find and buy items recommended by their favourite YouTubers without ever leaving the platform. The aim of the affiliate programme is to enhance the relationship between creators and their audience by providing them with an additional source of income alongside traditional ad revenue, YouTube Premium and brand collaborations.
The collaboration provides companies like Flipkart and Myntra with a dynamic way to showcase their products and engage with viewers through video.
Ravi Iyer, Senior Vice President at Flipkart Group, emphasised the programme’s broader implications for video commerce, stating that it “boosts customer engagement by enabling product discovery through creators on YouTube.”
The positive consumer response has prompted both companies to embrace social and video commerce, making it a perfect fit for India’s rapidly expanding digital purchasing ecosystem.
YouTube Studio grants eligible creators access to the programme, simplifying the process of tagging and promoting products across various video formats, including live streams, VOD and shorts. Viewers can easily make purchases and browse tagged products on the retailer’s website, as well as in the “Product” and description sections.
As India’s creative economy flourishes and consumers increasingly rely on digital video for buying recommendations, YouTube’s affiliate programme addresses these evolving needs. Over 65 per cent of Indian consumers, according to YouTube, place greater trust in creator recommendations than in traditional advertising, indicating that this new feature has a strong potential for success.