YouTubers are expecting a wave of brand deals as YouTube allows them to place product links in their videos

Previously, YouTube Shopping Program only allowed creators to use affiliate links for their own goods or business in the video. YouTube Shopping Partner launched in India on Friday. This program has been launched in the USA, South Korea, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam.

“The incredible global success of YouTube Shopping, with over 30 billion hours of shopping content viewed in 2023 alone, shows the power of connecting creators, viewers and brands in exciting new ways.” We’re adding that same momentum now India,” said Travis Katz, general manager and vice president of shopping at YouTube, in a press release.

This program is open to individual creators with more than 10,000 subscribers who do not have the Kids-Friendly setting enabled. Currently, only links from the e-commerce platform Flipkart and its fashion subsidiary Myntra can be integrated.

Initially, creators receive the entire commission and would not have to share it with the platform until such a model is developed and announced.

“This would reduce the additional steps our viewers had to go through to purchase recommended products through links in our bio. I see a wave of brand deals coming,” said Vendy Yaduvanshi, a YouTuber with 14.3 million subscribers.

A question of trust

He added that there is huge potential to expand this into the beauty and fashion category, as well as lower and mid-range products.

“Products in the range between ₹500 and ₹700, such as perfumes, shampoos and moisturizers, would generate the most sales,” he said, explaining that this price range was well received by viewers who purchased products at his affiliated store, Vendy Ventures, which sells handmade shoes.

According to a report, over 110,000 channels in India had more than 100,000 subscribers as of December 2023, an example of the trust and authenticity fostered by the diverse YouTube ecosystem for creators.

Over 65% of consumers in India trust YouTube creators more than traditional celebrities and drive purchasing decisions through authentic connections, Google, Temasek and Bain & Company said in the report titled India e-Conomy Report 2023.

“As a homegrown brand with more than 500 million registered customers, Flipkart and Myntra understand the evolving and differentiated shopping needs of a diverse customer base,” said Ravi Iyer, Senior Vice President and Head-Corporate Development and Strategic Partnerships, Flipkart Group in a press release commenting on its efforts to improve social and video commerce.

“To make shopping engaging and personalized and empower customers to make informed purchasing decisions, we have pioneered video commerce across our platforms, covering a variety of categories including fashion, beauty, personal care, home furnishings and more strong customer loyalty across all sectors.” “Tier 2 and tier 3 cities,” he added.

There is also optimism in the industry about the growth of an entire category of influencers based on content related to product discovery.

Potential for creators

“This is a great earning opportunity for creators and I'm excited to see how it plays out. “This can be an opportunity for the rise of influencers who create product discovery-related content like Flipkart Finds and Myntra Finds,” said Shubham Singhal, founder of Dot Media, a content-first talent marketing agency that works with 200 influencers.

Consumers generally welcomed the move, but feared a flood of recommendations they could face.

“It's not a bad idea, but it can be overwhelming if the creator is promoting many products at once,” said Pooja Bhagwat, a Mumbai-based professional.

Katz told reporters that it's up to creators to balance content creation with brand collaborations so that it doesn't seem too commercially oriented.