YouTube is turning product recommendations into a more direct paycheck for creators.
The platform announced Thursday that eligible creators in the U.S. can now tag Amazon products directly in Shorts, long-form videos and livestreams—and earn a commission when viewers make qualifying purchases.
For creators, the change simplifies affiliate selling. For Amazon, it puts its enormous product catalogue directly inside one of the world’s biggest video platforms.
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No more buried affiliate links
YouTube already operates a Shopping Affiliate Program that lets participating creators promote products from retailers.
The Amazon integration takes that model a step further.
Previously, a creator wanting to recommend an Amazon product would typically need to add an Associates link to a video description and rely on viewers clicking it.
Now, eligible products can be tagged directly within YouTube content, making the path from recommendation to purchase much shorter.
YouTube says Amazon will supply a curated selection of popular and frequently requested products for creators to tag.
Can’t find the item you want?
Creators can ask YouTube Support to request that it be added.
YouTube can tag products automatically
Creators can also opt into an auto-tagging feature.
When enabled, YouTube can scan recent uploads and identify eligible Amazon products that appear in the content, potentially saving creators from manually adding product tags video by video.
The feature could be particularly useful for creators whose videos regularly feature products, gear, fashion, electronics or other purchasable items.
How creators will see their earnings
There is one limitation.
YouTube says creators will not receive detailed analytics showing commissions for individual products or specific videos.
Instead, YouTube Studio will show their total daily earnings.
Commissions can also be reversed. If a customer returns a purchased item, the associated commission will be deducted from the creator’s balance.
The tags can reach viewers worldwide
The program is currently available only to eligible creators based in the U.S., but viewers elsewhere can still see the product tags.
YouTube says its system may match a tagged Amazon product with a trusted merchant in the viewer’s country, allowing the creator to earn a commission on eligible international purchases.
If no suitable local offer is available, viewers will be directed to Amazon’s U.S. site. A commission can still be generated if the purchase is completed there.
That gives U.S. creators a potential international audience without requiring them to create separate product links for every market.
Who can participate?
Creators must meet several requirements to use the feature.
They need to:
- Be enrolled in the YouTube Partner Program
- Participate in YouTube’s Shopping Affiliate Program
- Have an active Amazon Influencer or Amazon Associates account
- Link that Amazon account to their YouTube channel
For creators who already make money through affiliate recommendations, the update removes some of the friction between showing a product and selling it.
For YouTube and Amazon, it creates a tighter connection between video discovery and online shopping—turning product placement inside creator content into a more seamless path to purchase.
